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2002 Nissan Altima Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 2002 Nissan Altima has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 4 recurring issue clusters, led by “Floor pan and floorboard rust-through.” Nissan owner's manuals split service into Schedule 1 (severe) and Schedule 2 (normal). Most US drivers fall under Schedule 1. The biggest preventable failure on Nissan vehicles is CVT transmission damage from extended fluid intervals — owners of Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Pathfinder, and Murano with CVT should not skip it.

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No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2002 Nissan Altima.

Reported to NHTSA

Floor pan and floorboard rust-through

STRUCTURE

70 NHTSA complaints · 2012-07 → 2018-07

“FLOOR PANS ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE ARE RUSTED THRU TO THE POINT OF THE ONLY BARRIER BETWEEN THE ROAD AND DRIVER/PASSENGER IS THE FLOOR UPHOLSTERY. IN VIEWING NISSAN FORUMS ONLINE, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10467990
“I WAS TURNING MY CAR ON THE CORNER OF MY BLOCK. MY PASSENGER WHO WAS ABOUT TO GET OUT THE CAR STEPPED ONE FOOT OUT OF THE CAR AND THE OTHER FOOT WENT THROUGH THE CARPET AND LANDED OUTSIDE OF MY CAR UNDERNEATH”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10704884
“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED HIM THAT THE UNDER CARRIAGE WAS CORRODED NEAR THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE FLOOR BOARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10547556

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Catalytic converter failure with oil consumption

ENGINE

36 NHTSA complaints · 2012-07 → 2019-09

“MY VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.5L 4 CYLINDER CONSUMES EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL. I HAVE HAD TO ADD ROUGHLY 1-2 QUARTS OF OIL EVERY 200 MILES. ENGINE HAS NO EXTERNAL OIL LEAKS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11258650
“ENGINE WAS CONSUMING OIL AT AN ACCELERATED RATE (1+ QT PER 2,000+ MILES). DEALERSHIP CONDUCTED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST BEGINNING DECEMBER 2011. IT APPEARS THAT WHEN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER GOES OUT, IT SUCKS IN PIECES OF THE CONVERTER SUBSTRATE DURING THE NEGATIVE CYCLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10465751
“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V251000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); HOWEVER, THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LAMP REMAINED ILLUMINATED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10711995

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Crankshaft/camshaft sensor stall while driving

ENGINE

40 NHTSA complaints · 2012-08 → 2022-06

“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”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11469825
“RECALL CAMPAIGN R3022 / 03V455000 DUE TO DEFECTIVE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER CRANKSHAFT / CAMSHAFT SENSOR, THIS CAUSED MY ENGINE TO COMPLETELY STALL AT 65 MPH ON THE CALIFORNIA 57 SOUTH FREEWAY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10959955
“I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA AND I BOUGHT THE CAR IN THE FALL OF 2001. I RELIGIOUSLY CHANGE THE OIL ON TIME AND HAVE PROPERLY MAINTAINED THE CAR. THE CAR HAS EXTREMELY LOW MILEAGE FOR ITS AGE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10472674

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Air bag non-deployment in crash

AIR BAGS

4 NHTSA complaints · 2013-09 → 2019-10

“2002 NISSAN ALTIMA S WAS HIT ON DRIVERS SIDE (T-BONED) WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO THE HWY, DRIVER DOOR AND PASSENGER REAR DOOR IMPACT AT OVER 55 MPH. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11267741
“THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA EQUIPPED WITH GENERAL ALTIMAX RT43 (NA) TIRES, SIZE: 215/60/R16 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10787359
“I WAS AT A LIGHT PROCEEDING TO GO AND A VEHICLE DID NOT YIELD TO TURN AND SHE SLAMMED RIGHT INTO THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE AT 50 MPH, MY AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND MY HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10543686

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter

Every 5,000 mi

Replace synthetic-blend or full-synthetic oil every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1. Schedule 2: 7,500 miles. VR30DDTT (3.0L twin-turbo): full synthetic only.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 5,000 mi

Rotate tires every 5,000 miles. Front-wheel-drive Nissans (Altima, Sentra, Versa) wear front tires fast — don't skip rotations.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

CVT Fluid (NS-3)

Every 60,000 mi

Nissan officially calls CVT fluid 'lifetime,' but independent technicians and Nissan TSBs recommend replacement every 60,000 miles to prevent CVT failure. Use Nissan NS-3 fluid only — substitutes destroy the belt-and-pulley system.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$360–$500

Shop

~$255–$355

DIY

~$80–$180

CVT fluid is manufacturer-specific and pricey — do NOT substitute conventional ATF.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Rogue and Pathfinder front pads typically last 35,000-50,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 2 years. Dark or amber fluid indicates moisture contamination.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles, sooner if driving on dusty unpaved roads.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Spark Plugs

Every 105,000 mi

Iridium-tipped spark plugs are rated 105,000 miles on QR25, MR20, and VQ35 engines. VR30DDTT: 60,000 miles due to higher cylinder pressures.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Long-Life Coolant

Every 75,000 mi

Nissan Long-Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue/green): first change at 105,000 miles, then every 75,000. Do not mix with other coolant chemistries.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Transfer Case / Rear Diff (AWD models)

Every 60,000 mi

On AWD and 4WD models, replace transfer case fluid and rear differential fluid every 60,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$105–$140

Shop

~$75–$100

DIY

~$15–$40

AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 15,000 mi

Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. Located behind the glove box on Altima, Rogue, and Sentra.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

342 crashes 1990–2024

How the 342 occupant deaths break down

228

driver deaths

112

passenger deaths

2

not recorded by seat

342

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2001 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

30

complaints mentioning a crash

28

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2002 Nissan Altima reflects Nissan's published service intervals and the Maintenance Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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