NHTSA Complaint #10379664 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

I HAVE OWNED A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S SINCE 2003. I BOUGHT VEHICLE WITH 11000 MILES AS A SHORT TERM LEASE TURN BACK. I HAVE DONE ALL REGULAR SERVICE WORK; OIL CHANGES,TIRES, BRAKES ECT. RECENTLY TOOK TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION ON ENGINE NOISE. VEHICLE HAS 113,000 MILES ON IT AT PRESENT TIME. SERVICE WRITER INFORMED ME THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS DISINTEGRATING AND CAUSING THE MATERIALS THAT THIS IS MADE OF TO BE INGESTED INTO ENGINE. CONSEQUENTLY, THE ENGINE NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE DISCOVERED THRU SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND INQUIRIES, WITH OTHER NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENTS, THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THE MODEL YEARS 2002 & 2003. THERE WAS A TSB FOR THIS CAR FOR THE DEALER TO DO A VISUAL INSPECTION ON THE CONVERTER IN 2003. I FEEL THAT A VEHICLE SHOULD NOT NEED AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT DUE TO A DEFECTIVE FACTORY PART. THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE MANUFACTURER DISPLAYS THE VEHICLE BEING TESTED FOR PROLONGED DRIVING . THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THE AMOUNT OF THESE VEHICLES THAT ARE ON THE ROAD. A CAR OWNER SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO EXTENSIVE REPAIRS DUE TO A FACTORY DEFECTIVE PART. THERE ARE ALOT OF COMPLAINTS POSTED ON THE INTERNET CONCERNING THIS FAULT. *TR