NHTSA Complaint #10272771 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

AT 112,000 MILES THE SES LIGHT ON MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5L CAME ON. I HAD IT DIAGNOSED AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEED TO HAVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED A $1500 REPAIR JOB. AFTER CONSULTING MANY MECHANICS IN THE AREA, VIEWING MANY, MANY WEBSITES THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR FOR THIS SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. THE PROBLEM IS BY THE TIME SES LIGHT INDICATES THERE IS A PROBLEM IT IS TOO LATE AS THE DAMAGE HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE TO THE ENGINE AND THOSE THAT HAVE PAID THE $1500 TO HAVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED ENDED UP HAVING TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER!!! THIS COST UP TO $5000 TO HAVE DONE, BRINGING THE TOTAL COST FOR THIS REPAIR TO $6500 DOLLARS FOR SOMETHING THAT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE, BUT NOT DETECTABLE DURING REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AND OFTEN TIMES HAS OCCURRED AFTER THE CAR'S WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THIS CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY AND JUST SHUT DOWN, AS I'VE READ FROM OTHER OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE A 3 YEAR OLD, A 2 YEAR OLD AND NEWBORN AND I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THEM AROUND IN THIS CAR. PLEASE DO THE RESEARCH AND I FEEL REST ASSURED THAT YOU WILL SEE THE COMMONALITY OF THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU FROM A VERY DISTRAUGHT 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA OWNER. *TR