NHTSA Complaint #10465751 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

ENGINE WAS CONSUMING OIL AT AN ACCELERATED RATE (1+ QT PER 2,000+ MILES). DEALERSHIP CONDUCTED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST BEGINNING DECEMBER 2011. IT APPEARS THAT WHEN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER GOES OUT, IT SUCKS IN PIECES OF THE CONVERTER SUBSTRATE DURING THE NEGATIVE CYCLE. THE SMALL PIECES OF THE CONVERTER THEN SCORE THE CYLINDER WALLS. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF THE DEALERSHIP MONITORING THE OIL CONSUMPTION, I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A SECOND OPINION. THE CYLINDER COMPRESSION TEST INDICATED THE FIRST CYLINDER WAS AT ABOUT 82 PSI AND THE OTHER THREE CYLINDERS RANGED FROM 111 TO 118 PSI. BACK AT THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FIRST CYLINDER IS THE ONE THAT IS INITIALLY DAMAGED BY THE PRE-CATALYST OVERHEATING. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS HAS TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN GETTING A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE I DID NOT GET A WARRANTY WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR USED, AND ALSO BECAUSE THE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AT 90,000 MILES WAS NOT THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP (NISSAN CASE # 8897586). THE CAR IS SUFFERING THE EFFECTS IDENTIFIED ON NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 03V084000. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THE ENGINE COULD CATCH ON FIRE AS IDENTIFIED IN THE CAMPAIGN. I HAVE METICULOUSLY RECORDED ALL OF THE REPAIRS AND OIL CHANGES TO THE CAR, ONLY TO HAVE NISSAN TELL ME THAT THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE ME WITH ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THIS ISSUE. IT APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE PRE-CATALYST OVERHEATING AND SUBSEQUENTLY CASING GRAVE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THANK YOU. *TR