2002 Nissan Altima S review from North America
"I loved the car until recently when all of these problems started"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I loved the car until recently when I started having problems with the heater. Months ago, I noticed that my heater was not working properly. I took it to be looked at and the mechanic told me that there may be bubbles in the coolant line. They bled the line, refilled it and it was fine for awhile. I have no heat again. I'm glad that it is May and I don't need it right now. However, when I took it back to be looked at, the coolant level was very low again. They checked and could find NO external leaks.
Previously I also had to have the spark plugs replaced. When this was done, the mechanic said that they were totally corroded with something on them. I should have pressed them to check further at the time.
Since there is no external leak, they asked me how the car was running for me. I told them it misfires when the car is cold or has been sitting for hours and then I start it. After it is started and is running for a bit, the misfire and the roughness goes away.
My mechanic believes that the coolant is leaking internally, that there is a problem with the head gasket. Upon reading everything on here that everyone else has written, it appears that we ALL pretty much have the same problem. I have contacted Nissan North America at (800) 647-7261 and also NHTSA at (888) 327-4236. I have filed complaints with both organizations and urge all of you to do the same thing. If all of us band together and file complaints, they will realize that there is indeed a problem and not isolated issues with just a few cars. Please take the time to call these two numbers and tell them the problems that you have been having. At the least, your complaint will be recorded. Maybe we can get a recall done. Thanks.
General comments?
I loved the car up until I started having
serious issues with it.
There have been several recalls for different things on this make and model. I'm not very happy about that.
Recommended reviews
| Not a great car for the price you pay at all |
| This car belongs in a junkyard |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 2002 |
| Year of manufacture | 2002 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5 Automatic |
| Performance marks | |
| Reliability marks | |
| Comfort marks | |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | |
| Distance when acquired | 33000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 66783 miles |
| Previous car | Nissan Altima |
| Date of Entry | 22nd May, 2008 |