Component Record

Nissan Altima 2002 Engine Problems

752 distinct owners reported a engine problem on the 2002 Nissan Altima - 72% of all complaints for this model year.

Recall Coverage752 complaints

752 complaints; 3 recall campaigns cover this system.

Campaigns Covering This System

03V084000Reported March 11, 2003 - 338,000 vehicles potentially affected

Recall covering the engine system, reported to NHTSA on March 11, 2003. The campaign covers an estimated 338,000 vehicles across all affected models.

03V455000Reported November 17, 2003 - 630,000 vehicles potentially affected

Recall covering the engine system, reported to NHTSA on November 17, 2003. The campaign covers an estimated 630,000 vehicles across all affected models.

07V527000Reported November 14, 2007 - 653,910 vehicles potentially affected

Recall covering the engine system, reported to NHTSA on November 14, 2007. The campaign covers an estimated 653,910 vehicles across all affected models.

Other Systems on This Model Year

Vehicle Structure130 Electrical System79 Fuel and Propulsion System57 Lighting42 Power Train41 Air Bags35

How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.