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#BS-2002-NISALT-73F4

2002 Nissan Altima

Based on reports from 1,000 owners and 12 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
1,000
Crashes
30
Fires
32
Recalls
12
TSBs
140
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 1,000 complaints, 30 crashes, 32 fires, and 12 recalls. Complaint rate is 4.8x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

excessive oil consumption

243 complaints • Severity 8.7/10

$X,XXX
2

catalytic converter failure

131 complaints • Severity 9.1/10

$X,XXX
3

blown head gasket

49 complaints • Severity 9.6/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

225 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 85K miles.

!Inspect the Engine And Engine Cooling:engineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

92
0–30K
105
30–60K
220
60–90K
223
90–120K
79
120–150K
29
150K+

Peak failure range: 90–120K miles (223 reports) • Median: 85K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (225 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine225 (23%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine151 (15%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System89 (9%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor56 (6%)
Structure:body39 (4%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe38 (4%)
Electrical29 (3%)
Exterior Lighting:headlights28 (3%)

2002 Nissan Altima: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 23% of all reports filed for the 2002 Nissan Altima, with 225 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 85,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 85K-mile mark.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2002 Nissan Altima, with 151 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2002 Nissan Altima, with 89 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:exhaust system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2002 Nissan Altima, with 56 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:catalytic convertor-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

2
01
44
02
71
03
104
04
57
05
65
06
85
07
177
08
135
09
93
10
81
11
42
12
21
13
14
14
9
15

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2002 Nissan Altima. Recent trend: decreasing.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (12 recalls)

02I001000Apr 2002

AIR BAGS

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. ON CERTAIN 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA MODEL VEHICLES MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO MARCH 16, 2002, ONE OF THE SENSORS FOR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK AS WELL AS EXPECTED IN HIGH-SPEED OFF-SET CRASH SITUATIONS.

03V061000Apr 2003

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR THE DRIVER AIR BAG MAY COME LOOSE. IF THE CONNECTOR COMES LOOSE, THE SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHES INTERMITTENTLY.

03V084000Jul 2003

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

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.

03V251000Aug 2003

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, IOWA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KANSAS, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. AT EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES, MOISTURE IN THE FUEL TANK COULD FREEZE AND FORM ICE CRYSTALS. THESE ICE CRYSTALS MAY OBSTRUCT THE SUCTION OPENING OF THE FUEL PUMP.

03V455000Dec 2003

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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.

+ 7 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Nissan Altima is the 2013 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2002 Nissan Altima vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

1,000

Class avg

208

4.8x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,000 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 12 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Nissan Altima Model Years

202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993
View all Nissan Altima years →

2002 Nissan Altima: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Nissan Altima?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2002 Nissan Altima is related to the engine, with 225 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2002 Nissan Altima reliable?
The 2002 Nissan Altima has 1,000 complaints, 30 crash reports, and 32 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 4.8x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2002 Nissan Altima problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2002 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
Yes, the 2002 Nissan Altima has 12 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Nissan Altima problems start?
Based on 748 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 85,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,000 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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