- The problem
- Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
Vehicle safety record
2002 Nissan Altima Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 1,062 complaints about the 2002 Nissan Altima with NHTSA, most often about the engine & cooling (687) and the body, doors & structure (133). Those complaints describe 30 crashes, 28 fires and 27 injuries. It is covered by 12 recalls, the latest in April 2009 for the exterior lighting. For comparison, the 2001 has 168 and the 2003 has 883.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Altima year, for its age
#7 most complained-about 2002 vehicle
- Complaints
- 1,062
- Recalls
- 12
- Crashes
- 30
- Fires
- 28
- Injuries
- 27
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2002 Nissan Altima problems
Share of all 1,062 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2002 Nissan Altima recalls 12
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5L engine, the crankshaft position sensor can overheat causing a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.
- The risk
- If the interruption in the signal from the crankshaft position sensor is so brief that the electronic control module (ecm) logic does not have time to diagnose the condition, the engine may stop running without warning while the vehicle is driven at a low speed increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will reprogram the ecm free of charge. Certain my 2006 altimas which have been previously remedied under recall campaign 06v223 (nissan r0606) are not included in this recall since the reprogramming for 06v223 also included this reprogramming. The recall began on december 31, 2007. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
- The problem
- Certain eagle eyes headlamp assemblies, p/nos. Ds517-b001l and ds517-b001r, sold for use as replacement equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. The opticel surface of the reflector is corroded inhibiting the performance of the upper and lower beams which fails to conform to the photometric requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Eagle eyes will notify owners and offer reimbursement for any noncompliant headlights. The recall began on december 11, 2007. Owners may contact eagle eyes at 1-800-568-1098.
- The problem
- Certain anzo aftermarket headlights, p/n 02-az-na02-b-a, sold for use on 2002-2004 nissan altima vehicles. During production the lamp housing shape deformed distorting the assembly angle of the reflector and influenced the aiming position. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Anzo will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant lamps. The recall began on september 10, 2007. Owners can contact anzo at 909-628-1440.
- The problem
- Certain maxzone headlight assemblies, depo brand, p/nos. 315-1145L-as and 315-1145r-as, sold for use as aftermarket equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. During production the lamp reflector shape deformed changing the shape of the optic surface. This will change the opposite position of low beam and high beam opticsand change the angle of incidence and illumated location which fails to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Maxzone will notify owners and offer reimbursement for any noncompliant headlights. The recall began on july 16, 2007. Owners may contact maxzone at 909-822-3288.
- The problem
- Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Tradesonic will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during july 2006. Owners may contact tradesonic at 626-934-8884.
- The problem
- Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- The risk
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Anzo will notify owners and replace the headlamps free of charge. The recall began may 9, 2006. Owners may contact anzo usa at 909-468-3688.
- The problem
- On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor may have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
- The risk
- This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this new campaign. The replacement sensors used in that campaign are also affected. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.
- The problem
- On certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of alaska, colorado, connecticut, iowa, idaho, illinois, indiana, kansas, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, north dakota, nebraska, new hampshire, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, utah, vermont, wisconsin, and wyoming. At extremely cold temperatures, moisture in the fuel tank could freeze and form ice crystals. These ice crystals may obstruct the suction opening of the fuel pump.
- The risk
- This can prevent the supply of fuel to the engine and cause the engine to stop, which could result in a crash without warning.
- The fix
- Dealers will install a screen at the suction opening of the fuel pump to prevent ice crystals from blocking the opening. Owner notification began on august 18, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1-800-333-0829.
- The problem
- On certain vehicles equipped with the 2.5 Liter engine, the exhaust pipe hanger pin may catch debris from the road that could be ignited by contact with the main catalyst. Also on 2002 altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions may cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate.
- The risk
- Either of these two conditions could result in a fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will remove the protruding portion of the exhaust pipe hanger pin. In addition to the corrective action, in order to reduce the risk of fire in the event of poor or improper maintenance that could result in oil spillage, heat shield(s) will be installed on the pre-catalyst and exhaust tube. Owner notification began on july 28, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261. Nissan recall nos. R3007, r3014, r3015, r3016, r3017. Also on 2002 altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions may cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate. If substrate particles enter the combustion chamber, they could score the cylinder walls, resulting in increased oil consumption. If the engine oil level is not checked on a periodic basis and drops below the low level, and the driver continues to operate the vehicle ignoring noticeable engine noise, engine damage may occur which could result in a fire. The pre-catalyst will be tested to ensure it is working properly and replaced if necessary. If damage is found inside the pre-catalyst, it will be necessary to replace the engine.
- The problem
- On certain vehicles, the electrical connector for the driver air bag may come loose. If the connector comes loose, the supplemental air bag warning light flashes intermittently.
- The risk
- The driver side air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
- The fix
- Dealers will install a retaining clip on the clock spring electrical connector. Owner notification began april 21, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
- The problem
- This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. On certain 2002 nissan altima model vehicles manufactured prior to march 16, 2002, one of the sensors for the air bag system does not work as well as expected in high-speed off-set crash situations.
- The risk
- THE AIR BAG SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK AS EXPECTED.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the air bag sensor. Owner notification began april 15, 2002. Owners should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261, concerning the problem.
What owners say
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1,062 complaints about the 2002 Nissan Altima
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 43.
The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed the State Inspection because the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 03V251000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The dealer was contacted for recall completion and informed the contact that the recall was not applicable to the vehicle because the contact did not reside in the States listed in the recall. The contact stated that the vehicle registration could not be renewed due to the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the...
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issue, but no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.
I purchased a 2002 Nissan Altima from Stone's Automotive in Somerset, Kentucky on [[redacted]]. I was told by the dealer that the oil pressure light sometimes comes on and he thinks it may have a weak oil pump. A couple of days later, I brought it to the mechanic they use, and at first, they thought it was just the oil pressure sensor or old oil. I had the sensor and oil replaced, but the oil pressure light is still coming on. When I returned, the mechanic told me it likely is the oil pump and advised me not to...
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drive the vehicle anymore, as low oil pressure will ruin the engine. I was never told how serious this problem actually is when I purchased the vehicle. I didn't know you're not supposed to drive a car when the oil pressure light is on, but the dealer should have known. It's unsafe and could lead to complete engine failure or a crash. I am reporting this because I believe a car in this condition should not have been sold in the first place, and I am concerned it may be a recurring issue with this model or dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I've owned my 2002 Nissan for about 6 months now the previous owner informed me prior to purchase about issues she was having and the reason she was selling the car, explain to me that her friend who has worked on cars 20+ yrs felt if cause could be found it was repairable but seems luck she had is now the luck I'm having. I have a couple ppl look over the car under hood and run diagnostics but nothing can be found.. I can't afford to junk the car my income budget is tight and doesn't allow much wiggle room to...
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purchase a new ride a friend told me about the NHTSA website so we went exploring entering my VIN number comes back no recalls but looking over the recalls for saying make and model and year of my vehicle there's 12 to 15 recalls on it from headlights which I'm is an issue to engine stalls to catalyst issues but yet I'm told that no because we're done on my vehicle I know I'm not the first owner it's a vehicle that I just purchased but I want to speak to someone that can clarify or help me with finding out if my vehicle is actually supposed to be in recalls of these certain things because they were fitted the descriptions of what can take place fit what I'm experiencing and what the previous owner is experienced perfectly please contact me thank you for your time
first, I started to notice my car would loose power while driving, over a couple months, it started to stall and/or completely shut off while driving at low speeds or at red lights! When this first stared happening, the car would immediately fire back up when cranked, after about a month of this, I noticed, I could not drive at or above 45mph or it would shut down, or drive for more than 15 minutes and it would shut off...AND NOT START AGAIN! It would crank, but not start, I would have to wait 30 minutes or more and...
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then it would start right up! This is dangerous due to the immediate- no- warning shut off, whenever and wherever! I've almost caused multi car pile up! Not to mention my kids in the back seat and on the interstate! We could have been slammed into, and pushed down the interstate and over into other lanes! There's a recall on 2002 Nissan Altimas for THIS VERY ISSUE!!! Somehow, my vehicles VIN # does not qualify! INFACT..... My VIN# NEVER EVER qualifies for ANY recall, but yet, my vehicle has the exact same problems!!
The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the traction control warning light illuminated. The vehicle hesitated to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 03V455000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.
Took my car to emissions and they printed this paper out of a recall on my car.
Doors are locked shut all but one, cannot get them to unlock and when I get them unlocked, they won't latch closed. Will not unlock them even when I attempted manually... I need a solution.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the engine would misfire and the oxygen sensor would remain illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The oxygen sensor was replaced and the oxygen sensor light shut off. The cause of the catalytic converter failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer was not notified of the failures. The vin was not available. The failure mileage was 251,000.
My engine is destroyed because a screw came loose from the throttle body in the plenum, got sucked into an engine cylinder and destroyed that cylinder. This would cost somewhere between $3k to $5k to repair, more than the car is currently worth. In talking to a nissan mechanic and doing online research, this is apparently not an unheard of problem for nissan cars. There has been at least one recall for this problem in the past for some nissan 4 cylinder cars but there was never a recall for 6 cylinder nissan...
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altima cars (my car is a 3.5L 6 cylinder model) the car was running fine. I parked it at my gym and when I came out, started it up. I was rewarded with an awful noise and engine vibration all of a sudden. I only lived 1.5 Miles away, so I slowly limped the car home. After some mechanical sleuthing and bringing a mechanic to my home, we determined that a screw had come loose and gotten sucked into the engine. I called nissan usa to explain the problem and see if they would be able to offer any assistance. But all they offered was that they "would take a look " at the problem if I payed to tow the car to a dealership. They would not make any guarantee that they would then help me if the problem turned out to be as I have described. If they didn't agree to fix the problem, then I would be responsible for towing the car back to my house. Here is one url that lists 10 complaints for this problem with nissan pathfinder autos, which use the same 6 cylinder engine as my car. Https://repairpal.Com/loose-screws-inside-intake-manifold-can-cause-internal-damage-if-they-fall-out-448 what makes this so awful is that I had a relatively low mileage older car (2002 with only 95k miles) and this problem makes the whole car a junker now due to no fault of my own with no recourse for me!
2002 Nissan altima s was hit on drivers side (t-boned) while making a left turn onto the hwy, driver door and passenger rear door impact at over 55 mph. No air bag deployed. *Dt photos attached *jb
While driving on the highway I proceeded to try and reach the speed limit but the car lost power to merge into traffic almost causing an accident. Vehicle cannot go past 55 mph, it loses power during acceleration.
My vehicle equipped with the 2.5L 4 cylinder consumes excessive amounts of oil. I have had to add roughly 1-2 quarts of oil every 200 miles. Engine has no external oil leaks. New valve cover gaskets 500 miles ago, new spark plugs every 10,000 miles due to oil fouling, new pcv valve 500 miles ago. The car does mostly city and country, 55mph driving and under.
Tl* the contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2002 nissan altima. While entering the vehicle, the rear driver's side door handle fractured. The contact stated that the front driver's side exterior door handle fractured. Additionally, the front driver's side window was also inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was informed of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000. Consumer states that all door handles on vehicle are fractured, making it impossible to enter the vehicle. Consumer says this is a common problem with nissan altimas in his area. *Dl
While driving down the road engine just shut off no warning no engine light just died
This can prevent the supply of fuel to the engine and cause the engine to stop, which could result in a crash without warning.If the manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy this safety recall for your vehicle in a timely manner
I have a brand new firestone t135/70/r16 tire in my trunk that have never hit the ground.I had a flat and went to use the spare tire that was brand new from firestone and seen the tire had separated in the middle with the rubble coming out,this could have been dangerous and caused me my life,if the young man that was helping me changed my tire wouldn't haven seen the rubber ciming out of the tire,i think you all needs to check all the firestone donut tires that are in nissan before someone lose their...
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life.Firestone doesn,t want to take any liability for the problem I reported abouth these tires,that why I am writing you all,maybe they,ll respond to you caused they,re definite not paying me any attenion,i am the little fellow going against the giant
The vehicle will not pass a safety inspection because there are two big holes in either side of the floor boards. The holes were discovered during a state safety inspection. We have 12 days to repair the holes at a large cost. Unexpected and disappointing issue.
The car will not start when it is hot outside. The service engine light stays on all the time. The car stops while driving on street and highways. The crank position sensor'(s), camshaft position sensor's and the variable timing control sensor'(s) needs to be replaced. Recall #r3021 and r3022 was listed on the recall from nissan.
THE CAR KEEPS STALLING WHILE I DRIVE IT
My car was hit but not hard enough to make the airbag deploy on the passenger side . It should not be so sensitive .Witch made my tcs and abs lights come on . Just to let you know the car was in motion but from a standstill at a light . Unknown
My brakes are going out fast. My heater takes forever to heat up. My fuses keep burning out,car lighter don't work. It runs rough. I think it has a short on some wires.
Nissan altima 4 door. My daughter [[redacted]]. While driving the vehicle ignition switch, oil, cooling, coil pack cause a major crash, totaling a complete wreckage. [[redacted]] sustained, serious medical attention, taken to the hospital by ambulance. I started a series of complaints which nissan failed to comment or investigate. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6). *Tr
Took our 2002 nissan altima in to nissan for a recall repair (2003 recall for exhaust / catalytic converter issues) - recall states if engine is damaged, that it will be replaced. Engine has been destroyed due to catalytic converter failure. Nissan has acknowledged the recall and damage and indicated the engine would be replaced. This car was purchased lat year by my daughter, we were unaware of the recall until increasing oil consumption became extreme. I contacted steven's creek nissan and they confirmed the...
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recall repairs had never been completed. I was told to bring the car in for the repairs. I was very explicit in the description of the oil consumption as well as metallic residue on components - (i had replaced the cam / crank position sensors when the engine began to run rough - they both had a grey paste residue on them). Nissan acknowledged the engine was indeed damaged and needed to be replaced. After having the car for nearly 2 months, I received a call advising they did not have the parts anymore and would need to use aftermarket parts. They gave me a phone number to the nissan consumer affairs, who authorized the aftermarket parts. Multiple times, nissan called to say they had the parts and the repair would be complete by the end of the next week. This never happened. After another month passed, nissan called to say they didnt have the proper tools to replace the engine. I went to nissan and observed the car had not moved or had any work done at all since it was dropped off in june. Nissan has called back again and advised they are unable to do the repair and that I should come pick the car up as is and try some other dealership. Nissan has had this vehicle since 06/09/17. Nissan has had this car for 5 months and has not begun the recall repair.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. While operating the vehicle, the check engine indicator illuminated and the vehicle hesitated and bucked. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the camshaft sensor malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The sensor was replaced, but the vehicle later experienced difficulty starting. The local dealer (sumerian nissan in fort myers fl) and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 03v4855000 (engine). The contact stated that the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 133,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. While driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the crank shaft cracked and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to a local dealer (anker nissan in north smietfield, rhode island) where it was diagnosed that the crank shaft and engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 183,605.
Nissan Altima: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 824 | 4 | F |
| 2005 | 1,091 | 2 | F |
| 2004 | 276 | 5 | C |
| 2003 | 883 | 10 | F |
| 2002 | 1,062 | 12 | F |
| 2001 | 168 | 2 | C |
| 2000 | 176 | 2 | C |
| 1999 | 96 | 4 | B |
| 1998 | 125 | 4 | B |
2002 Nissan Altima vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Nissan Altima | 1,062 | 12 | F | |
| 2002 Honda Accord | 1,062 | 16 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Toyota Camry | 1,039 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Volkswagen Passat | 650 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Hyundai Sonata | 326 | 7 | D | Compare |
| 2002 Kia Optima | 110 | 3 | B | Compare |
| 2002 Subaru Legacy | 58 | 5 | C | Compare |
| 2002 Mazda MAZDA6 | 28 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 2002 Chevrolet Malibu | 0 | 4 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2002 Nissan Altima
Does the 2002 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 12 recalls for the 2002 Nissan Altima: exterior lighting (April 2009); engine and engine cooling (November 2007); headlights (September 2007); headlights (August 2007) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Nissan Altima?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the engine & cooling (687), body, doors & structure (133), electrical system (79).
How many complaints has the 2002 Nissan Altima had?
1,062 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on January 3, 2001 and the latest on January 20, 2026. Of these, 30 describe a crash and 28 a fire, and together they report 27 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2002 Nissan Altima a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 12 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Nissan Altima year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Nissan Altima years have the most complaints?
2013 (2,315), 2009 (1,547), 2014 (1,113). See every Nissan Altima year compared.
What should I do if my 2002 Nissan Altima has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data