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2002 Nissan AltimaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1,047 owner complaints about the 2002 Nissan Altima, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 5 safety recalls.

2002 Nissan Altima
21
CarFlaw IndexYear to avoid3.7× the Altima median · #6 of 32 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Free fix at dealersOwner complaints1,04780 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage87kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 20, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Nissan Altima has problems

1,047 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling59429
Structure1282
Engine925
Electrical system7710
Exterior lighting411
Power train393
Fuel system, gasoline384
Air bags3417
Service brakes, hydraulic252
18 other systems14611

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

5 recalls

2002 Nissan Altima recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Engine and engine cooling

Recall 07V-527 · Nov 14, 2007 · 653,910 vehicles

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Engine and engine cooling

Recall 03V-455 · Nov 17, 2003 · 630,000 vehicles

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Storage: tank assembly

Recall 03V-251 · Jul 14, 2003 · 377,000 vehicles

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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall
–no report yet

Driver side: inflator module

Recall 03V-061 · Feb 27, 2003 · 64,562 vehicles

Risk. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Nissan.

Mileage at failure

When do engine and engine cooling problems start?

87kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 493 engine and engine cooling complaints. 65% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
37under 30k miles322under 100k miles171100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine and engine cooling

77 owners mentioned a cost

$2,000median

Middle half: $800 – $5,000

Structure

14 owners mentioned a cost

$2,150median

Middle half: $1,250 – $2,950

Exterior lighting

10 owners mentioned a cost

$300median

Middle half: $269 – $339

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other Altima year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Altima median. How we score

'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2002 Nissan Altima safety ratings

2002 Nissan Altima 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2002 Nissan Altima frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2002 Nissan Altima side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Nissan Altima, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESPE02078 · closed Mar 25, 2003
    Led to recall 03V-084
In owners' words

What Altima owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 11469825 · Jun 17, 2022 · 133,000 miles
2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POWER VALVE SCREW ISSUE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $1,000 FOR A CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND $5200 FOR A NEW ENGINE WITH LESS THAN 90,000. *JB
Complaint 10965549 · Mar 15, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FRACTURED AND WENT INTO THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL IN 2003, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE…
Complaint 10884843 · Jul 14, 2016 · 135,000 miles

Own a 2002 Altima?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.