NHTSA lists 12 safety recalls and 1,062 owner complaints for the 2002 Nissan Altima. Most complaints involve engine and engine cooling (599) and structure (128). The EPA rates it 19–23 mpg combined.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR CAN OVERHEAT CAUSING A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM THE SENSOR.
CERTAIN EAGLE EYES HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES, P/NOS. DS517-B001L AND DS517-B001R, SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE OPTICEL SURFACE OF THE REFLECTOR IS CORRODED INHIBITING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE UPPER AND LOWER BEAMS WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM TO THE PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each Altima model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 125 |
| 1999 | 96 |
| 2000 | 176 |
| 2001 | 168 |
| 2002 | 1,062 |
| 2003 | 883 |
| 2004 | 276 |
| 2005 | 1,091 |
| 2006 | 824 |
| 2007 | 498 |
| 2008 | 1,030 |
| 2009 | 1,547 |
| 2010 | 381 |
| 2011 | 242 |
| 2012 | 426 |
| 2013 | 2,315 |
| 2014 | 1,113 |
| 2015 | 955 |
| 2016 | 555 |
| 2017 | 393 |
| 2018 | 226 |
| 2019 | 234 |
| 2020 | 182 |
| 2021 | 71 |
| 2022 | 20 |
| 2023 | 30 |
| 2024 | 43 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 | 1 |
“The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the traction control warning light illuminated. The vehicle hesitated to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 03V455000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER OF A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED. ADDITIONALLY, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS ALSO INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. CONSUMER STATES THAT ALL DOOR HANDLES ON VEHICLE ARE FRACTURED, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER SAYS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH NISSAN ALTIMAS IN HIS AREA. *DL”
“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 having. I have a couple ppl look over the car under hood and run diagnostics but nothing can be found.. I can't afford to junk the car my income budget is tight and doesn't allow much wiggle room to purchase a new ride a friend told me about the NHTSA website so we went exploring entering my VIN number comes back no recalls but looking over the recalls for saying make and model and year of my vehicle there's 12 to 15 recalls on it from headlights which I'm is an issue to engine stalls to catalyst issues but yet I'm told that no because we're done on my vehicle I know I'm not the first owner it's a vehicle that I just purchased but I want to speak to someone that can clarify or help me with finding out if my vehicle is actually supposed to be in recalls of these certain things because they were fitted the descriptions of what can take place fit what…”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altima Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive | 20 | 27 | 23 | $2,800 | 386 |
| Altima Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive | 20 | 27 | 23 | $2,800 | 386 |
| Altima Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive | 19 | 24 | 21 | $3,050 | 423 |
| Altima Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive | 17 | 24 | 19 | $3,400 | 468 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
12 safety recalls as of Oct 27, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 1,062 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine and engine cooling (599), structure (128), engine (92). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2002 Nissan Altima at 19–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).