NHTSA Complaint #10149310 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

I WAS TURNING RIGHT WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTS CHOKING AND SPUTTERING AND THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON, SLIP LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. I SLOWED DOWN AND IT SEEMED TO WORK ALRIGHT BUT WHEN I GOT UP TO 35-40 MPH THE CAR STARTED SPUTTERING AGAIN AND WOULDN'T GO FASTER THAN 35 MPH. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND STARTED IT BACK UP AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. LUCKILY THERE WAS NOT MUCH TRAFFIC AROUND AND I WAS CLOSE TO HOME SO I DROVE BACK TO MY HOUSE. LATER THAT NIGHT I WENT TO START THE CAR AND IT STARTED BUT IMMEDIATELY DIED, STARTED IT AGAIN AND IT IMMEDIATELY DIED, STARTED IT A THIRD TIME AND IT IMMEDIATELY DIED, BUT ON THE FOURTH TRY IT STARTED AND STAYED RUNNING. THAT NEXT MORNING I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THEM. THE CALLED ME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR ON THE CAR AT A PRICE OF $700.00 + TAX. I HAVE READ MANY CAR FORUMS AND THIS PROBLEM WITH THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILING SEEMS TO HAPPEN A LOT ON 2002-2003 NISSAN ALTIMAS. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR BECAUSE WITH A CAR HAVING THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. READING THE FORUMS IT SOUNDS LIKE NISSAN FIXED THE PROBLEMS ON THE 2004 AND NEWER ALTIMAS SO WHY CAN'T THEY FIX THEM ON THE 2002 AND 2003 MODELS? *JB