NHTSA Complaint #10282326 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

I PURCHASED A 02 ALTIMA 2.5 (AUTOMATIC) ON THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2009. ON FRIDAY, JULY 17, I HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE MECHANIC BECAUSE IT WAS MAKING A TERRIBLE SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. UPON ARRIVAL, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE OIL TANK WAS BONE DRY. AFTER ADDING 3 QUARTS OF OIL, THE NOISE WAS GONE. THROUGHOUT THAT DAY WHEN DRIVING I SMELT SOMETHING LIKE EXHAUST OR BURNING OIL OR SOMETHING. I JUST THOUGHT OIL WAS SPILLED ON THE ENGINE AND IT WAS SIMPLY BURNING OFF. I PUT APPROX 30 MILES ON THE CAR THAT DAY. ON SATURDAY, JULY 18, I PUT APPROX 20 MILES ON THE CAR (SAME SMELL). ON SUNDAY, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF MY MUFFLER WHEN I WOULD HIT THE GAS. IT WOULD GO AWAY WHEN I WAS AT A STEADY PACE BUT IF I PUT GAS IN IT, THE SMOKE WOULD COME OUT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A FRIEND OF MINE AND HAD HIM CHECK THE OIL. TO MY SURPRISE, THERE WAS NOT A LICK OF OIL LEFT IN THE TANK... WHERE DID IT GO????????? THERE WAS NO SIGN OF LEAKS UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND NO SPOT ON MY DRIVEWAY. WE WENT AND PURCHASED 3 MORE QUARTS OF OIL AND ADDED IT TO THE CAR. WHEN WE CHECKED THE DIP STICK, THE OIL WAS PITCH BLACK. THE CAR WAS ALSO BLOWING BLACK SMOKE. I AM A SINGLE 27 YEAR OLD MOM, WORKING AND GOING TO SCHOOL. A NISSAN IS WHAT EVERYONE TOLD ME TO GET.. WHY??? I HAVE JUST FORKED OUT EVERY DIME I HAD (7800.00) IN SAVINGS TO PURCHASE THIS CAR SO WHAT WAS I TO DO NOW? ON MONDAY, JULY 20, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHICH THEN TOLD ME THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I THEN TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHICH VERIFIED THE SAME THING. AFTER 2 WEEKS A 05 MODEL ENGINE WAS PUT IN THE CAR AND I PICKED IT UP ON AUGUST 7. SHORTLY AFTER BEING ON THE ROAD, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WAS MAKING A LOUD SQUEAKY SOUND. AFTER TAKING IT BACK ON AUGUST 18, THEY SAID IT NOW NEEDED A CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THEY REPLACED A BELT. ON AUGUST 23, THE CAR STARTED GOING DEAD WITH NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING; ONCE I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE AND THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE! IT ALSO ACTS AS IF IT DOESN'T WANT TO CRANK NOW. *TR