2002 Nissan Altima problems and complaints
Owners have filed 1063 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Nissan Altima. The most-reported areas: Engine And Engine Cooling (599), Structure (128), Engine (92).
Key takeaways
- 1063 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 30 involve a crash, 28 a fire, 27 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 599 | 56% |
| Structure | 128 | 12% |
| Engine | 92 | 9% |
| Electrical System | 79 | 7% |
| Exterior Lighting | 44 | 4% |
| Fuel System | 41 | 4% |
| Power Train | 40 | 4% |
| Gasoline | 38 | 4% |
| Air Bags | 36 | 3% |
| Equipment | 36 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 33 | 3% |
| Hydraulic | 29 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Nissan Altima 4-DR. | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Fuel System, Gasoline - filed 2026-01-20
The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed the State Inspection because the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 03V251000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The dealer was contacted for recall completion and informed the contact that the recall was not applicable to the vehicle b...
Unknown Or Other - filed 2025-07-26
I purchased a 2002 Nissan Altima from Stone’s Automotive in Somerset, Kentucky on [XXX]. I was told by the dealer that the oil pressure light sometimes comes on and he thinks it may have a weak oil pump. A couple of days later, I brought it to the mechanic they use, and at first, they thought it was just the oil pressu...
Power Train,electrical System,engine - filed 2024-04-03
I've owned my 2002 Nissan for about 6 months now the previous owner informed me prior to purchase about issues she was having and the reason she was selling the car, explain to me that her friend who has worked on cars 20+ yrs felt if cause could be found it was repairable but seems luck she had is now the luck I'm hav...
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More for the 2002 Nissan Altima
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.