Problems · by component

2002 Nissan Sentra engine and engine cooling problems

136 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Nissan Sentra cite engine and engine cooling, 41% of all 333 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 4 recalls on this component.

Complaints
136
41% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE FLUCTUATED FROM HOT TO COLD AND THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V527000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2015Engine and engine coolingODI 10684288
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKING AND OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO ADVISED THAT THE PRE-CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,500. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 12, 2014Engine and engine cooling, EngineFire reportedODI 10568862
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE). THE CONTACT LATER BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE BUT REFUSED TO REPAIR THE FAILURE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10448832
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN FIRST STARTING THE VEHICLE, EXHAUST FUMES WOULD ENTER THE INTERIOR CABIN WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ECM NEEDED REPLACING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HAVING THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST CONFIRMED THAT THE ECM WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER THEN ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND NO ASSISTANCE WOULD BE PROVIDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NON-DRIVABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,500.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 26, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10432888
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AS IT STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE SINCE IT HAD FAILED AS A RESULT OF THE LINING FAILURE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE LINING UNDER NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 07V527000 ( ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED NOR WAS THE FAILURE CORRECTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 159,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 4, 2011Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10428709
“HELLO- I WANT TO KNOW WHY NISSAN DONT RECALLS THE SENTRA 2002 WITH 2.5L WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND CATALYST WITH THE SAME RECALL FROM 2006 SENTRA, BECAUSE MY CAR HAPPEN THE SAME PROBLEM OF OIL CONSUMPTION, I KNOW THEY CHANGE THE CATALYST FOR ANOTHER ONE BUT IS THE SAME THAT THE OLD ONE,NOT A RE-DESIGN CATALYST? THIS IS THAT RECALL FROM THE SENTRA 2006 THAT HAPPEN IN MY CAR 2002 1. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V223000 RECALL DATE: 2006-06-21 SUMMARY: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER PERFORMANCE OF THE PISTON RINGS. CONSEQUENCES: IF THE OIL IS NOT MAINTAINED AT LEAST AT THE MINIMUM LEVEL, ENGINE DAMAGE CAN OCCUR AND IN EXTREME CASES RESULT IN AN ENGINE FIRE. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM OR ENGINE COMPUTER). YOUR VEHICLE WILL ALSO BE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS BEEN CONSUMING ENGINE OIL AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE. IN A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF VEHICLES, ENGINE REPLACEMENT WILL BE NEEDED. ON JUNE 9, 2006, NISSAN NOTIFIED OWNERS OF THE POSSIBILITY OF EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE OIL AT A PROPER LEVEL.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 28, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10427822

Showing 6 of 136 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

4 recalls on this component

Engine and engine cooling

Free remedy

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.

Engine and engine coolingReported Nov 14, 2007NHTSA 07V527000

Engine and engine cooling

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN ELECTRIC VEHICLES, THE FRONT SUSPENSION TRANSVERSE LINK'S BALL JOINT BRACKET MAY BREAK FROM STRESS CONCENTRATION AT A NOTCH CREATED BY SURFACE ROUGHNESS AND THE SHAPE OF THE MATERIAL CUT-LINE.

Engine and engine coolingReported Dec 10, 2003NHTSA 03V511000

Engine and engine cooling

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR MAY HAVE AN IMPROPER SOLDER JOINT DUE TO SOLDER DEFORMATION CAUSED BY HEAT STRESS ACCELERATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF FLUX RESIDUE DURING THE SOLDERING PROCESS.

Engine and engine coolingReported Nov 17, 2003NHTSA 03V455000

Engine and engine cooling: manifold

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.5 LITER ENGINE, THE EXHAUST PIPE HANGER PIN MAY CATCH DEBRIS FROM THE ROAD THAT COULD BE IGNITED BY CONTACT WITH THE MAIN CATALYST. ALSO ON 2002 ALTIMA AND SENTRA VEHICLES, CERTAIN ENGINE OPERATING CONDITIONS MAY CAUSE THE PRE-CATALYST TO OVERHEAT AND DAMAGE THE CATALYST SUBSTRATE.

Engine and engine coolingReported Mar 11, 2003NHTSA 03V084000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

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

Other 2002 Sentra problem areas