2002 Nissan Altima 2.5

Summary:

It's a nice car, but now that money is tight, just do what you can to keep it running

Faults:

I bought my 2002 Altima new.

My heat started acting up at 45000 miles in 2005.

My anti freeze tank had to be refilled weekly at the same time.

In 2008 at 139000 miles, the car requires a quart of oil per 150 city/hwy miles. Plus a constant check engine light.

Upon further inspection, a new or rebuilt engine is required, via a junk yard special (engine with hopefully no more than 60k miles.) and a mechanic who does side work.

General Comments:

My car otherwise drives like a charm, and honestly, unless you were a mechanic, you would never know that it had major problems.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 29th March, 2009

2002 Nissan Altima SE 2.5

Summary:

Never again!

Faults:

OK so when I bought this gem to replace my wife's '97 Saturn SL (college car), she was ecstatic. Then the problems began. The car is an Altima 2.5 and the first thing was that the headlights kept burning out.

Next was a check engine light. The shop I go to said it was an O2 sensor. The dealer said he could tell me for a $90 diagnosis fee. Oh, and there were 3 recalls:

The entire headlight assembly needed replacement due too bad wiring or something. I had just put in new bulbs too.

The computer needed something to be uploaded to update it.

The rear sub-frame needed to be replaced.

All this is done for free but then you have no car for a week. The replacement of the O2 sensor cost me about $175 done through a friend of a friend or it would have been $182 for the part plus 2 hours of labor. Unfortunately, the check engine light went back on almost immediately. The code, P0420, was for the catalytic converter. The part costs about $300 on up. I decided to do some research. I looked on-line and then called the dealership. They told me there was no recall on the cat. converter...

There is an 8 year, 80,000 mile warranty though. The service writer talked to me as if I were still paying for the work. I reminded him that the car only had 79k on it. He was like, "Yeah, that's REALLY close!" I replied, "Close, but still under 80k."

I booked an appointment to have it done...

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 10th February, 2009

10th Feb 2009, 21:04

Don't give up in your little Nissan, those cars last forever. I know what you are going through right know, it happened to me before. One thing I've gotta say to you; once you fix it up, you'll be happy as long as you own that car, especially being so economic... good luck to you... let us know what happens at the dealer.

11th Feb 2009, 12:56

I would not advise buying those Tennessee made Nissans. Quality and workmanship has decreased greatly in the last eight or ten years. Murano and Rogue are the two main reliable models unless you go to Infiniti.

2002 Nissan Altima SL 2.5

Summary:

I will never buy another Nissan again

Faults:

Shut off because of oil issue. Just had oil changed and put in it, and 5 days later while driving with my 5 year old, it shut off in traffic, no oil in it. Took it to a dealership to get it fixed, still burning oil at highway losses on local roads.

Headlights had to continually be replaced as well as interior lights. Didn't know you had to cut the battery to change interior lights, and the car wouldn't start afterwards, had to have it towed to be fixed.

After about 50000 miles, had no heat at all. Then started with A/C problems. Coolant and antifreeze just seemed to burn up, and we have to keep adding it.

Have to have the O2 sensor replaced again -- not cheap.

Hearing now that there is a cat converter issue and possibly a blown head gasket.

General Comments:

This car is a piece of junk.

It's not safe for me or my children, and it's not warm enough to drive my children in in the cold temperatures.

I can't afford the repairs on it, and it's not that old nor has it been beat on, it's just junk.

It is constantly leaking something and the things that go wrong are apparently going wrong with a lot of other people who have purchased the same car, but Nissan is failing to acknowledge the issues.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 6th December, 2008