NHTSA Complaint #10159354 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

ENGINE FAILURE: AT JUST UNDER 78,000 MILES THE CAR WOULD NOT START. CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC WHO WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AFTER AN EXTENDED CRANK. COOLING SYSTEM PRESSURIZED INSTANTLY UPON COLD START IN A.M. MECHANIC SUGGESTED TOWING TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE HE SUSPECTS A POSSIBLE CYLINDER HEAD PROBLEM. HE SAYS THE 02 ALTIMA HAS A WELL-KNOWN HISTORY OF ENGINE PROBLEMS. 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS THE ENGINE WAS CONSTANTLY RUNNING OUT OF OIL AND COOLANT. THE THERMOSTAT AND RADIATOR CAP WERE REPLACED BY A MECHANIC. 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A FULL TUNE UP WAS DONE. ALL RECALLS HAVE BEEN DONE PREVIOUSLY. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. AFTER READING MANY CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS I AM CONCERNED THAT THE RECALL WORK THAT I HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY WAS EITHER NOT COMPLETED PROPERLY OR SOMETHING ELSE IS NOT QUITE RIGHT. A NISSAN SHOULDN'T HAVE A RUINED ENGINE WITH THIS FEW MILES. THIS IS MY SECOND ALTIMA AND MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH NISSAN IS FADING FAST. *NM