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Long Term Reliability of Nissan Altima

52 messages,  Last post on Jun 22, 2009 at 4:37 PM

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#38 of 52 Re: Long Term Reliability of Nissan Altima [bitpoh] by enelson92 Nov 06, 2008 (2:28 pm)
Replying to: bitpoh (Jun 05, 2007 7:48 am) I have an 05 Nissan Altima 2.5S. I bought it in 2005 with 10k miles on it. I love this car. It will be three years old in two weeks and I just rolled 88k miles lastnight. I spend quite a bit of time driving and my car has been great with no mechanical problems. I took it in once for recall work and all they ended up having to do was adjust the computer setting. I never even noticed a problem, just following up with the recall request. I get great gas mileage and I plan on keeping it for quite a long time. This was my first foreign car purchase and Im happy I did it. I would definitely recommend an Altima to anyone.
#39 of 52 gas cap failure by roadrunner70 Nov 23, 2008 (6:30 pm)
my 03 murano needed a new gas cap at about 35000 miles. my new altima's gas cap seems to loosen on its own, sometimes i can tighten it and the light goes off, sometimes i can't and it stays on.   anyone else having issues with nissan gas caps.   the dealer is taking its time replacing the altima's cap.   thanks, rr70
#40 of 52 Re: 2005 Altima Reliability [gleppert] by altimadude00 Jan 29, 2009 (4:28 pm)
Replying to: gleppert (Jan 24, 2008 10:01 am) I bought an '05 Altima with 38k last August. The owner hadn't performed a 30k maintenance on the engine before I bought it. However, after having it done, the car runs smoother and had a 3-4 increase in fuel econ.    It's my personal belief that the engine failures were with early versions of the engine and had been addressed before the 05 models came out. My engine does not burn any oil.   The car does have some wear issues on the inside. (Again, my car was used.) The glove box door has deep scratches in it and the "wood" trim has a soft clear coat and scratches very easily. Beyond that, nothing has fallen off, torn, or broken. I've had no electronic issues with the car either.   The car has 43k on it now and runs fine. I have had only one mechanical issue:   Parking overnight on an incline, the fuel apparently drained away from the engine, and it wouldn't start. After pumping the gas pedal while cranking it, the engine started. Afterwards, I dumped a bottle of fuel injector cleaner in the tank and since did the 30k maintenance on it. This may have been a fluke since I have not been able to repeat it, or the treatments to the fuel system fixed the problem.   I have also had to repeatedly align the car (three times since purchase 8/08). This may be the fault of the shop just as it might be with the car.   Hope this helps. Enjoy your Altima! Replies to this message: jd10013 (Jan 30, 2009 5:47 pm) electricdesign (Feb 28, 2009 9:22 am) jd10013 (Mar 02, 2009 3:31 pm) smarty666 (Jun 22, 2009 4:30 pm)
#41 of 52 Re: 2005 Altima Reliability [altimadude00] by jd10013 Jan 30, 2009 (5:47 pm)
Replying to: altimadude00 (Jan 29, 2009 4:28 pm) It's my personal belief that the engine failures were with early versions of the engine and had been addressed before the 05 models came out. My engine does not burn any oil.   the thing to keep in mind with the oil problem is that; even though it it real, and has happened to a lot of people, it still represents a very small percentage of altima's on the road. the altima is the best selling vehicle nissan has, or has ever had. It has sold well over a million units, and continues to be outsold by only the camry and accord.   I know thats of little consolation to those who have had the engine problems. but it does get blown out of proportion here. For every person here who's had an altima develop the dreaded "oil consumption" problem, there are thousands who haven't. and being as the problem didn't show up in every altima equipped with with QR25DE engine, it only stands to reason that it must require a fairly precise sequence of events to cause it. Probably involving driving habits, type of fuel, and whether or not the recall was performed, and performed properly. It's probably also notable that most of the people who have had the problem have had it on cars they've bough used. Replies to this message: electricdesign (Feb 28, 2009 9:22 am) jd10013 (Mar 02, 2009 3:31 pm) smarty666 (Jun 22, 2009 4:30 pm)
#42 of 52 Re: 2005 Altima Reliability [jd10013] by electricdesign Feb 28, 2009 (9:22 am)
Replying to: jd10013 (Jan 30, 2009 5:47 pm) Additional comments: It seems that most people that own 2002 on up Altimas, who have the excessive oil consumption problem or the bad cat problem, are people who bought them used and have milage above and beyond the warrenty. Though some cases have appeared during warrenty, most I have heard of are after the warrenty period, but still in a timeframe where you would expect an engine to last. So, how long do you think and engine should last? From my long experience, I think a well cared for engine should easily last over 200,000 miles. I drive all my cars to at least 160K to 200K miles, and they remain reliable and trouble free, with no major engine or transmission work, BUT you have to buy the RIGHT ones, do the right maintenance, and most of all do your extensive research before you buy the vehicle. The problem starting with the 2002 Altima is that it had a NEW 4 cylinder engine, the QR25DE and had no history to research at the time. But as time has went by, it has now developed a history of unreliability for some of the owners. My personal opinion is that the fault is not in the engine itself, as I have torn down and worked on the engine, and it seems quite well built. It seems to me that the problem stems from 2 possible sources, First, the computer programming may allow lean mixtures at inappropriate times, causing the exhaust to run too hot "under certain conditions" burning the catalytic converter top screen, thus allowing some inner cat material chemicals to break loose and get sucked back into the engine, damaging the inside of the engine. Second, the precat itself fails because the top screen fails or burns and allows the precatalyst material to be released and get sucked back into the engine and producing excessive wear in the pistons, piston rings, and cylinder walls.   From what I can surmise, there are two ways that this problem could have been avoided. First, the computer should have been programed properly. Those that are not should be "reflashed" to correct the computer programing. Second, the Precatalyst should have been better made with a heavier duty top screen that would not burn out and allow the release of the catalyst material back into the engine.   Further comments; Other manufacturers use the same precatalyst set up on their cars with no problem, Toyota and Honda as examples. That is because the computers are programed properly and the Precatylitic converters are well made to contain their chemicals.   E,D. in Sunny Florida Replies to this message: jd10013 (Mar 02, 2009 3:31 pm)
#43 of 52 Re: 2005 Altima Reliability [electricdesign] by jd10013 Mar 02, 2009 (3:31 pm)
Replying to: electricdesign (Feb 28, 2009 9:22 am)   First, the computer should have been programed properly. Those that are not should be "reflashed" to correct the computer programing.   there was a recall issued to deal with the programming of the ECU. I'd be willing to bet that in the majority of cases involving the oil consumption problem that the recall either:   1. wasn't performed 2. wasn't performed properly 3. was performed after the cat was damaged.   any of those three would also explain why this problem only happens to some, and not all altima's with the QR25DE engine, and why it almost exclusively happens in cars bought used.
#44 of 52 2003 Beginning to have problems, considering 2009 by adambommb29 Mar 24, 2009 (5:51 am)
I own a 2003 Altima 2.5S. I have enjoyed it since I first got it in late 2002. The engine just began burning oil at 160,000 miles and my mechanic said that I need to get a new catalytic converter. I love the car and would have considered a new one, but my mechanic told me that 2009 verstion is still being made the same way and may encounter the same problem because of the location of the cat. conv.   Should I expect the same problems with the '09 verstion? He said I should look at the 3.5 because it definitely would not have the same problem. Replies to this message: jd10013 (Mar 24, 2009 12:55 pm)
#45 of 52 Re: 2003 Beginning to have problems, considering 2009 [adambommb29] by jd10013 Mar 24, 2009 (12:55 pm)
Replying to: adambommb29 (Mar 24, 2009 5:51 am) I haven't heard of any problems with the 2007 and up altima. But he is correct, the 3.5 is a much better engine. it's been on Wards top ten engine list for about 12 years now.
#46 of 52 Re: Long Term Reliability of Nissan Altima [bitpoh] by clarencehollow Mar 24, 2009 (1:42 pm)
Replying to: bitpoh (Jun 05, 2007 7:48 am) Those stories about Honda's are just that - stories. The new Altima is excellent and will last you 40 years. Remember that since 1995 we've made a lot of progress in the world. if you don't think Honda's require a lot of maintenance, just watch the service department at a major Honda dealership... many sick cars go there, and many of them don't make it past 100,000 miles. Replies to this message: jd10013 (Mar 24, 2009 4:07 pm)
#47 of 52 Re: Long Term Reliability of Nissan Altima [clarencehollow] by jd10013 Mar 24, 2009 (4:07 pm)
Replying to: clarencehollow (Mar 24, 2009 1:42 pm) I own a honda in addition to my 2 nissans. and honda builds excellent cars. though I probably wouldn't buy one for myself, I wouldn't hesitate to get another one for my wife, or even on of the kids when they can drive.

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