NHTSA Complaint #10282486 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM issue reported to NHTSA

Check any vehicle history by VIN - Free vehicle history report

Complaint Details

ODI Number	10282486
Vehicle	2002 NISSAN ALTIMA
Component	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
Date of Incident	August 31, 2009
Date Filed	August 31, 2009
Mileage	117,918 miles
Crash	No
Fire	No
Injuries	0
Deaths	0
Vehicle Towed	No
State	CA

Consumer Description

AS I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL, I HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE. INSTANTLY I NOTICED MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE SHOOT UP AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. I PARKED MY CAR AND JUST FIGURED THAT IT HAD OVERHEATED. I ADDED MORE WATER TO THE RADIATOR AND KEPT DRIVING. 2 MINUTES LATER IT WAS ALL THE WAY HOT AGAIN. I HAD MY CAR TOWED HOME AT WHICH POINT I INSPECTED THE RADIATOR AND DISCOVERED A 4 INCH HORIZONTAL CRACK IN THE PLASTIC HEAD OF THE RADIATOR DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE HOSE MOUNT. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT PLASTIC COULD CRACK LIKE THIS. I HAVE SEEN CRACKS IN PLASTIC ALONG SEAMS, BUT THERE WAS NO SEAM HERE. I JUST COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS CRACK COULD HAPPEN THIS WAY. THIS MUST BE SOME SORT OF A DEFECT BECAUSE THIS WAS UNBELIEVABLE. I WENT ON TO PURCHASE A NEW RADIATOR PLUS HOSES AND ANTIFREEZE FROM THE AUTO PARTS STORE FOR A TOTAL OF $250, PLUS I WILL NOW HAVE TO TAKE 3 HOURS OUT OF MY DAY TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. I DO ALL MY OWN WORK ON THE CAR AND TAKE GREAT CARE OF IT. I FIX ANY SMALL PROBLEMS RIGHT AWAY TO PREVENT LARGER PROBLEMS, SUCH AS THIS ONE, FROM HAPPENING. *TR

Related Complaints for the 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

Other ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM Complaints

#10409132 — June 27, 2011 — I HAD PURCHASED A NISSAN 2002 ALTIMA FROM A DEALER AS CERTIFIED VEHICLE. I HAVE BOUGHT TWO OTHER CARS FROM THE SAME D...

#10359949 — October 11, 2010 — THE CAR BEGAN TO LOOSE ACCELERATION AND THE ENGINE WOULD KICK AND THEN GAINED THE ACCELERATION BACK. AFTER 20 MILES O...

#10299101 — January 12, 2010 — THE LATEST PROBLEM WITH MY NISSAN ALTIMA OCCURRED YESTERDAY. IT WOULD NOT START AFTER EXTREME COLD. THIS IS THE LAST ...

#10277603 — July 21, 2009 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE; I WENT TO KRAFT NISSIAN DEALERSHIP TO HAV...

#10276349 — July 10, 2009 — I HAVE A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PRE-CAT AND IT WAS REPLACED...IN THE RECALL IT STATES THAT IF ...

Recent Complaints for the 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

#11712207 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE — January 20, 2026 — The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed the State Inspection because th...

#11676363 — UNKNOWN OR OTHER — July 26, 2025 — I purchased a 2002 Nissan Altima from Stone’s Automotive in Somerset, Kentucky on [XXX]. I was told by the dealer tha...

#11580822 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — April 3, 2024 — I've owned my 2002 Nissan for about 6 months now the previous owner informed me prior to purchase about issues she wa...

#11580822 — ENGINE — April 3, 2024 — I've owned my 2002 Nissan for about 6 months now the previous owner informed me prior to purchase about issues she wa...

#11580822 — POWER TRAIN — April 3, 2024 — I've owned my 2002 Nissan for about 6 months now the previous owner informed me prior to purchase about issues she wa...