Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Nissan Altima problems

Owners filed 1,062 complaints about the 2002 Nissan Altima with NHTSA between Jan 2001 and Jan 2026. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (599).

Complaints
1,062
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
30
Reported by owners
Fires
28
Reported by owners
Injuries
27
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling599
  2. Structure128
  3. Engine92
  4. Electrical system79
  5. Exterior lighting44
  6. Power train40
  7. Fuel system, gasoline38
  8. Air bags36
  9. Equipment35
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic29
  11. Vehicle speed control20
  12. Fuel/propulsion system15
  13. Steering15
  14. Tires15

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20011
200237
200364
200490
200570
200672
200798
2008146
2009106
201077
201174
201253
201338
201430
201554
201612
201721
20184
20197
20201
20212
20222
20230
20241
20251
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

599 reports5 crashes20 fires3 related recalls
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2022Engine and engine coolingODI 11469825

Structure

128 reports1 fire
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 9, 2019Visibility, StructureODI 11254052

Engine

92 reports3 crashes3 fires
“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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 3, 2024Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11580822

Electrical system

79 reports1 crash9 fires
“first, I started to notice my car would loose power while driving, over a couple months, it started to stall and/or completely shut off while driving at low speeds or at red lights! When this first stared happening, the car would immediately fire back up when cranked, after about a month of this, I noticed, I could not drive at or above 45mph or it would shut down, or drive for more than 15 minutes and it would shut off…AND NOT START AGAIN! It would crank, but not start, I would have to wait 30 minutes or more and then it would start right up! This is dangerous due to the immediate- no- warning shut off, whenever and wherever! I’ve almost caused multi car pile up! Not to mention my kids in the back seat and on the interstate! We could have been slammed into, and pushed down the interstate and over into other lanes! There’s a recall on 2002 Nissan Altimas for THIS VERY ISSUE!!! Somehow, my vehicles VIN # does not qualify! INFACT….. My VIN# NEVER EVER qualifies for ANY recall, but yet, my vehicle has the exact same problems!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 2, 2022Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11477270

Exterior lighting

44 reports1 fire6 related recalls
“MY BRAKES ARE GOING OUT FAST. MY HEATER TAKES FOREVER TO HEAT UP. MY FUSES KEEP BURNING OUT,CAR LIGHTER DON'T WORK. IT RUNS ROUGH. I THINK IT HAS A SHORT ON SOME WIRES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2017Electrical system, Exterior lighting, EngineODI 11053704

Power train

40 reports1 crash1 fire
“DOORS ARE LOCKED SHUT ALL BUT ONE, CANNOT GET THEM TO UNLOCK AND WHEN I GET THEM UNLOCKED, THEY WON'T LATCH CLOSED. WILL NOT UNLOCK THEM EVEN WHEN I ATTEMPTED MANUALLY... I NEED A SOLUTION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 8, 2021Power train, Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11395285
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.