NHTSA Complaint #10428457 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

PURCHASED VEHICLE FROM A DEALER IN RITTMAN, OHIO, ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2011. CONSUMER REPORTS RATE THIS MODEL AS VERY RELIABLE FOR THE YEARS MANUFACTURED. LESS THAN ONE WEEK LATER, 9-15-11, THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO A QUICK CHANGE OIL PLACE ON THE MORNING OF 9-16-11, AND THE WORKER COMMENTED THAT IT ONLY HAD 1 QUART OF OIL IN THE ENGINE. DROVE FOR 2 DAYS AND WAS CHECKING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND NOTICE THERE WAS AGAIN NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. ON 9-19-11, TOOK CAR TO A LOCAL GARAGE AND THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEAR THE ENGINE HAD BROKEN INTO PIECES AND BEEN SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE. NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN MANSFIELD, OHIO CONFIRMED THIS DIAGNOSIS ON 9-20-2011. ALERTED NISSAN NORTH AMERICA ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE OF A VEHICLE RECALL EXECUTED BY THE NHTSA IN 2003. (CAMPAIGN ID 03V084000) WHILE THE RECALL AFFECTED 338,000 VEHICLES, NISSAN SAID MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED? NISSAN SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE UNWILLING TO ASSIST ME WITH THE COST OF THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT FOR THAT REASON AND THAT THE MILEAGE WAS TOO GREAT. HOW CAN A CAR THAT EXHIBITS THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT THE RECALL DESCRIBES NO MATTER WHAT THE MILEAGE NOT BE INCLUDED IN A SAFETY RECALL? THE NHTSA WEBSITE LISTS 982 COMPLAINTS REGARDING 2002 NISSAN ALTIMAS, MANY FOR ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED BY A FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTER DESIGN. CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE NHTSA HAS NOT OPENED ANOTHER INVESTIGATION TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE? THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT CONCERNED THREE VEHICLES. THIS RESEARCH SHOULD SHOW THAT A GREATER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS CONCERNING THE SAFETY OF THESE VEHICLES. I ASK THAT THE NHTSA PLEASE CORRECT THIS PROBLEM FOR MYSELF AND THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER MOTORISTS AFFECTED BY THIS BORDERLINE CRIMINAL ACT. HAVE SPENT ALMOST AS MUCH MONEY TO BRING THE VEHICLE INTO COMPLIANCE ($4600) AS THE PURCHASE PRICE. *TR