NHTSA Complaint #10187727 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

I PURCHASED A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S IN DECEMBER 2001 AND CURRENTLY HAVE 113,000 HIGHWAY MILES AND HAVE MAINTAINED MY CAR WITH OIL CHANGES AND RECOMMENDED SERVICES. THOUGH I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE, I HAVE DONE ALL RECALLS WHEN THE SERVICE DEPT ADVISED THAT THERE ONE ON IT. ABOUT A WEEK AGO MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. I IMMEDIATELY MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH NISSAN SERVICE DEPT. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BROKE INTO PIECES AND WENT INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING IT TO FAIL ($5,000). AFTER PAYING THE $550 FEE FOR NISSAN BASICALLY TELLING ME THAT I HAD A DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH CAUSE THE DAMAGE, I WENT HOME AND DID SOME RESEARCH. I FIND THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF FRUSTRATED ALTIMA OWNERS. I CALLED NISSANS HEADQUARTERS TO ADVISE THEM OF MY SITUATION. I WAS CONTACTED BY NISSAN 48 HRS LATER BASICALLY TELLING ME THAT MY CAR HAD TO MANY MILES ON IT AND PAST THE WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS AWARE OF THE MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM AND CAN'T BELIEVE THAT NISSAN IS CHOOSING TO IGNORE THAT THEY HAVE MADE THIS CAR WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS. I ALSO CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE CHOOSING TO RISK PEOPLE LIVES AND IGNORING THE MANY CUSTOMERS WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THEIR EXCUSE IS THAT THE CAR IS PAST THE 80,000 MILE WARRANTY, ALTHOUGH I'M SURE THEY WILL COME UP WITH SOME OTHER POOR EXCUSE. THE MESSAGE I GOT FROM NISSAN IS THAT THEY STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT ONLY UNTIL THE WARRANTY AND ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE MADE THEIR CARS WITH A KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART, BASICALLY IT IS THE CONSUMERS PROBLEM FOR PUTTING THEIR FAITH INTO SUPPOSEDLY A COMPANY THAT STANDS BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I'M CURRENTLY AWAITING WORD FROM THE LOCAL DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE AS A GOODWILL. ALTHOUGH I DOUBT THIS WILL HAPPEN. MAYBE NISSAN WILL FINALLY DO SOMETHING WHEN UNFORTUNATE PEOPLE REALLY GET HURT OR LOSE THEIR LIFE! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY ALSO KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND CONTINUE TO CLOSE THEIR EYES. *TR