NHTSA Complaint #10182820 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

FOLLOWING THE FORMAT REQUESTED ABOVE: 1: EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: SIMPLY BOUGHT THE CAR AND DROVE IT... SEEMS THAT ALL 02 4 CYLINDER ALTIMA OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING ISSUE B/C OF DESIGN FLAW! 2. FAILURE: THE PRE-CATALYST COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATES INTO THE ENGINE AND CAUSES THE ENGINE TO FAIL! CONSEQUENCE: NEED A NEW ENGINE. 3. WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE: NOTHING BUT HIDE! THEY MASK THE PROBLEM TO GET PAST ALL WARRANTIES. NISSAN USA IS ABSOLUTELY HIDING FROM THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE A SAFE VEHICLE! THEY STARTED BY HIDING THE PRE -CATALYST INTERNAL DISINTEGRATION NOTIFICATION WITHIN A RECALL FOR A POTENTIAL EXHAUST PIPE HANGER PIN PROBLEM. THEY KNEW THE PRE-CATALYST WAS DISINTEGRATING INTO ENGINES CAUSING DAMAGE, BUT DIDN'T RELEASE THAT CLEARLY TO AVOID NEEDING TO GET PAST WARRANTIES AND REPLACE ENGINES. MY CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE PRECAT (49K MILES) AND THE CAR WAS NEVER QUITE THE SAME, BUT IT DID RUN SO I THOUGHT ALL WAS FINE. OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST ONE HAD DISINTEGRATED INTO THE ENGINE AND THE NISSAN DIDN'T WARN ME OF WHAT WAS TO COME! I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS CAR AND NOW HAVE 98K ON IT.. BUT THE END IS VERY CLOSE. I HAD SES REPORTS OF P0420 AND THEN LATER A REPORT FOR A 4TH VALVE ISSUE... NOW THE CAR DRINKS OIL AT 1 - 2 QUARTS A WEEK OR IT IS COMPLETELY OUT OF OIL! THERE IS NO SMOKE, SMELL, OR DRIPS. THE OIL IS JUST GONE! THE DEALER SAYS I NEED A NEW ENGINE AND SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THEY DIRECTED ME TO NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS- THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SLOW TO RESPOND. I AM HOPEFUL THAT THEY WILL REPLACE MY ENGINE SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY ENGINE SEIZING WHILE I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OR TURNING ACROSS IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC! THEY HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 10 DAYS AND I AM WAITING ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO RETURN MY CALLS. *JB