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Sedans Nissan Altima Nissan Altima Engine Failures
501 messages, Last post on Dec 07, 2009 at 8:07 AM
You are in the Nissan Altima Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: electricdesign (Jan 22, 2008 7:29 am) |
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Replying to: electricdesign (Jan 09, 2008 6:53 pm) I appreciate the info that you've put out on this forum. It has helped me understood technically what my engine problem is. (since I know very little about car mechanics.) I talked to the dealership service manager recently and this is how I summarized it. The dealership is well aware of this issue with the Nissan 2002 Altima 2.5L engine problem but because Nissan corporate won't do anything about it, the dealerships are pushing cost of repairs to the customers and of course not tell customer's that this is a common problem. I don't what kind of system Nissan is running but it seems like everyone is on their own, the dealerships are on their own, the customers are on their own, etc. I had no luck with consumer affairs just like everyone else but to be honest, I think it would have been better if they didn't have consumer affairs because they wasted my time. I think Nissan thinks, we will only buy one car in our lifetime. Bottomline, I will never buy nissan, my family will never, my friends and so on etc. Anyways, I am seeking advice. I am deciding whether to fix my car or trade it in as in a few months from now I am due for new vehicle. The impression I get from your posting and other posting from other people on the internet is that even if I get the engine problem fixed, I will still run into the same problem and because it's just a design flaw with engine. Also, it seems to me that some Nissan dealerships are barely just gettting up to speed with this issue and usually fix one issue instead of fixing all the issues. I prefer to fix and keep the nissan but if I will run into the same or more problems down the road in the next few months, I will definitely trade it in. Any info will be greatly appreciated. thanks, Isileli |
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Replying to: isileli (Jan 23, 2008 5:57 pm) Now to clear up the misconception. I understand how this could be misunderstood by non technical people, because that is who this forum is mostly for. I've worked on cars all my life, I've worked as a line mechanic in 3 american car dealerships in the 1970's and at a national transmission repair chain, but I retired from that work and found a better way to make a living. I still do all my own work however, and maintain a well equipped garage to work in. My prescence here is to help people and give advice if I can. I have been especially angered by this Nissan Altima 2.5 engine problem because it directly involved my daughters car and has costed me time and money (but not nearly as much as most of you). I have heard of the needless problems and pain of the Nissan Altima owners, and I do deeply sympathize with you. Here is the misconception, many owners are thinking the engine is bad, BUT it is NOT the engine that is bad. It is the EXHAUST SYSTEM that is bad. The Cats are in the exhaust system, and when the Cat goes bad, it ruins the engine by contaminating the engine. If the Cats were made correctly and did not throw their contents into the engine, the engine would probably live a "normal" life. The REAL solution should have been for Nissan to use quality made Catalytic Converters, that would permanently contain the chemical. It may have just been a poor choice by Nissan to use that particular Cat. I don't know where they get them from, and I don't know where they are made, but I hope that they are now using better Cats in the new Altimas. Once the Cat messes up the engine by throwing the chemical into the engine, which causes the piston rings and clyinders to wear out, then the engine IS BAD, and usually has to be replaced. The solution to the problem is to NOT let the CAT eat up the engine. This is a touchy subject, because the CAT is required by law, because it reduces pollution. It also depends on where you live and if you are required to subject you car to emissions testing. What happens sometimes is that the chemicals and screens inside of the CAT breaks apart and the contents of the Cat is blown down the exhaust pipe. If the material happens to be blown out the muffler and out the tailpipe, then the material is no longer a threat to the engine, because it is gone. However, since it is gone, the oxygen sensors in the exhaust system, one before the Cat and one after the CAT, will detect that the CAT is not working and will throw the Diagnostic Trouble Code "Catalytic Converter Efficiency below threshold" or some such messege, and will cause the "service engine soon" light to come on. If the CATs get blown out, the engine will run fine, you would have to live with the "SES" light on all the time, if you can. Last but not least - Don't ever let your Altima engine overheat. The heat will warp the head and blow the head gasket, maybe crack the head, requiring the engine teardown for head gasket replacement and cylinder head rebuild (read messeges #103 - #113). About the issue of whether to fix the car or trade it in, that is a matter of money, compare the cost of repair and aggrevation against the trade in value. Unfortunately, I think you lose either way, it's just a matter of how much you lose. Only you can decide how to spend your money. Hope this helps, E.D. in Sunny Florida
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Replying to: electricdesign (Jan 23, 2008 8:33 pm)
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Replying to: ken75 (Jan 24, 2008 7:22 am) |
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Replying to: isileli (Jan 23, 2008 5:57 pm) |
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Replying to: czander (Jan 06, 2008 9:56 am)
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Replying to: laura19 (Jan 25, 2008 10:03 am) You say its an 02, which would make it just barely 6 yrs old. Is it still under warranty? even if you bought it used, most of the extended warranties transfer to the next owner. anyhow, find yourself a good mechanic who knows how to properly diagnose a car.
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Replying to: jd10013 (Jan 25, 2008 6:31 pm)  Has anyone else had this same prob? Help!!!
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