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Nissan Altima Engine Failures

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Comments

  • tripjtripj Member Posts: 9
    Well it was a good couple of days when that was working. Sitting here confused because I am back to square one. The coolant reservoir is empty, could I have lost too much coolant? The radiator is almost full. Will try putting some water in the coolant reservoir, I suppose, tho I don't see how that could keep it from starting when it's 55degrees out.

    I have just relocated and am looking for a job myself, no money. This is not good.
  • electricdesignelectricdesign Member Posts: 681
    Tripj, here is what you need to do. You need to fix the most important and pressing issues first. The head gasket leak is major in my book. If not fixed, it will destroy your engine. If you don't have the money right now, you must take measures to prevent further damage right away. If you have not put the sealer in the radiator as I suggested in messege #474, then do that now. Look for and note any external coolant leaks, if any. You are loosing coolant, and if is not leaking out where you can see it, it is leaking inside the engine head gasket. Keep the coolant reservoir filled up to the proper level. Water may be ok in the summer, but it may freeze in the winter. How cold does it get where you are? Make an estimate of how much fluid you have to add to the coolant reservoir each week. That will give us an idea of how bad the head gasket problem is. Once you use the radiator sealer, you should have to add less than 16 ounces to the coolant reservoir per week. Check the coolant level and the engine oil level every day to see what each usage is.
    Once that is under control, look to see what the starting problem is. Fixing the coolant leak may help fix the starting problem. The causes for the hard starting or no start could be many different reasons.
    Good luck, E.D.
  • tripjtripj Member Posts: 9
    ED,
    I appreciate your concern. As I mentioned in #475, before I left New Jersey for N. Carolina, my mechanic drilled the precat and put sealer in. In a nutshell, this is what has happened since:
    -Drove 500 miles to n Carolina, started car next day no problem, 2 hours later very hard start.
    -Next day: Start car no problem, start car 2 hours later, very hard start(giving gas to boost rpms to start)
    -Next day very hard start, Bleed radiator lines, car starts fine.
    -For 2 days car starts fine. Turned off and on maybe 15-20 times running errands.
    -Next day car won't start.

    Checked spark plugs yesterday. 1 & 4 wet and smell like gas (from trying to start it and giving the car gas, I guess) but they spark and so does 3. No spark on 2. 2&3 dry with no smell.

    I am changing the spark plugs today, tho I very much doubt that will help. That is the limit of what I can do with my automotive knowledge and available tools(not sure what I have less of). If it won't turn over, I'll have to have it towed to a shop and hope for the best. I have 3 more payments on it, so can't even have it hauled away cuz I have no title.

    I am at my wit's end.
  • tripjtripj Member Posts: 9
    Put in new plugs, lo and behold, it starts right up. Big scary cloud of white exhaust. SES light is still on. I'll take it for a diagnostic ($100) and see what's what.
  • electricdesignelectricdesign Member Posts: 681
    Glad to hear the new plugs helped the engine start. This means your engine must likely be in bad shape, because there is a reason that they fouled. Were they the original plugs? My daughters 2002 Altima 2.5 had the original plugs until 100,000 miles, and they did not look bad then. What did the plugs look like, fouled with oil or fouled with gas, or both? What color was the insulator tip? You may need to check general engine health, like check engine cylinder compressions would be helpful - they should be at least 140 lbs, up to 180 lbs - 200 lbs if the head has been milled. Vacuum gauge readings may be helpful.
    Wow, $100 for a diagnostic, hate to see you spend that much, but may be worth it if they give you valuable information.
    This all goes back to the Head Gasket problem and if you have the pre-cat problem or not. Even with the sealer in the radiator, the Head Gasket will still leak small amounts of coolant into the cylinders from time to time, that is why you need to daily be checking all the fluid levels. Please update on how much coolant that you have to add per day or week, and how much engine oil you have to add per day, week, or month, this will be indications of what is happening with the head gasket leak and if there are any problems with the cylinders. That would be helpful diagnostic information.
    To save your engine for as long as you can, make sure that the engine never runs hot or overheats & check and keep all fluid levels filled up.
    Good Luck, E.D.
  • rondholrondhol Member Posts: 32
    Your engine will not start when the cylinder is wet. If the leak is bad enough you will get Hydrolock and BOOM. Temporary fix with head gasket sealer in 100% water solution. :sick:
    I think you will need new engine because you let the head gasket leak for such long period of time.
  • tripjtripj Member Posts: 9
    so after I got it to start, I took it to the mechanic. He couldn't replicate the problem (it kept starting) but from the diagnostic he developed a couple of theories. Mainly, one of the sensors that tells the car how much gas will be needed to start the car(due to outside temperature) was messed up. He replaced that sensor and re-learned the idle, which was high. He also told me he saw no sign of head gasket damage-no leaks, no coolant in exhaust. I've had the car back for over a week and have had no problems whatsoever. I'm still nervous, but keeping the proverbial fingers crossed.
  • electricdesignelectricdesign Member Posts: 681
    Let's get the whole story straight please... You just posted that your mechanic said "he saw no sign of head gasket damage-no leaks, no coolant in exhaust", But remember back in your first messege #470 on sept 17, you said "At a "free" car clinic at my dealership, I was told that the head gasket needs to be replaced ($1,600) because coolant is seeping in and causing the misfires". I assumed that they gave you a positive diagnosis of the head gasket failure. That situation DOES NOT CHANGE. Just because your mechanic does not see signs of the head gasket leakage, does not mean it is not there. Remember, by putting the sealer in the cooling system, it MASKS or HIDES the symptoms of the failing head gasket, but PLEASE remember it is ONLY A TEMPORARY REPAIR. How long it will last is anybody guess, 2 weeks, 2 months, 6 months?? But the day IS coming when it will get worse and the symptoms will come back and not go away and the engine will fail. You are kind of fortunate in a way, because this gives you some time to think about this and try to plan what to do, not like it was a sudden failure that cost you $6000 for an engine RIGHT NOW. DO NOT be lulled into a sense of false security just because the car is working ok for now. You should be feverishly working on a plan for what to do. I know what my plan would be if it were my car, I would get rid of that car as fast as I could before something else goes wrong with it. Putting money in that car is only throwing good money after bad. Get what money you can for it and then research your next car on the internet, and be sure to buy one that is PROVEN RELIABLE.
    Other immediate issues...the hard starting - The Altimas are known to sometimes have problems with the sensors and the MASS Airflow Sensor. Make sure that the Crankshaft Position Sensor and the Camshaft Position Sensor have the recalls done on them up to date and that they are working correctly. Check the MAF sensor to be sure it is clean and working properly. All of these things have been discussed in these forums, go back and read the past messeges, use the "search" feature to find what you want to read about using keywords such as sensor, etc.
    And finally, yes, I know about "keeping the proverbial fingers crossed" as I do the same every day, because my daughter is still driving her 2002 Nissan Altima 2.5S, and it scares me to death, especially now that I have been out of work for almost five months and have NO money to fix it. I say RATS of this darn Depression! I keep asking her the same questions almost every day, Did you check the oil today? Did you have to add any oil today? How much? Did you check the coolant today? Did you have to add any coolant today? How much? Yes, I certainly keep my fingers crossed, all the time!
    Again, Good Luck,
    E.D. in Sunny Florida
  • rondholrondhol Member Posts: 32
    E.D, I am sorry to hear that. I also always check the oil, coolant, and any pinging/detonation noise. Tripj, the Head gasket need to be replaced ASAP or just sell it ASAP.

    Don't waste your money and time to fix that Altima. I already threw more than $2000 to fix it in less than 1 year since 66k miles. (diagnostics, head gasket, CPS, struts, catalytic converter, engine mounts ). Exclude the $1000 maintenance like new brake rotors+pads at 80k miles, transmission+brake+ radiator fluid flush, inner+outer tie rod +alignment, new alternator (bad bearing) . I hate it's loud tapping noise during winter and lean pinging sound under light throttle + oil consumption.

    I keep driving it with DIY maintenance for 2-3 more years.
    I am looking for a mechanics that can re-program the ECU to fix the lean detonation issue. I hate to go to STEALERSHIP (dealership) with $95 per diagnostic.
  • jrc5jrc5 Member Posts: 1
    Well sounds like I have joined the band wagon. I know I need to replace my engine as I have the oil consumption problem and have replaced the cat. Now the head gasket is blown. Is there a replacement motor that want have the same problem?Any help will be appreciated.
  • rondholrondhol Member Posts: 32
    Get new engine from 2004-2006 model and change the precat with after market header. Call Nissan 1-800# to check all recall (ECM-reprogramming, Pre-cat,etc) . If it is under 80k/8 years, you can get new engine + pre-cat from Nissan for free under Federal Emission Law.
  • efitzgeraldefitzgerald Member Posts: 62
    Can anyone tell me exactly where and how to change cabin filter in my 07 Altima sedan 2.5 ?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    REMOVAL

    1. Remove the glove box assembly.
    2. Remove the console side finisher (RH).
    3. Disengage the filter cover tab to remove the filter cover.
    4. Remove the in-cabin microfilter from the blower unit by using the pull tab on the bottom of the filter.
  • mikola1mikola1 Member Posts: 1
    Did I read you properly when you said you can get a new engine at less tha 80k? if true, can you advise procedure as i hav a multitude of these peculiar to Nissan Altima problems.
  • rondholrondhol Member Posts: 32
    Under federal emission law. (Pre)catalytic converter is covered for 8 years/80k miles. If your engine is damaged by this part, you have right to get a new engine. Polite and Firm, your Dealer is your friend to fight Nissan North America. Some of our college in Nissanclub.com have same story and got new engine under this Federal emission law.
  • altimalemonaltimalemon Member Posts: 1
    My Altima suffered the common fate caused by the pre-cat failure. Ended up replacing the engine through my local mechanic. This week my Altima stopped dead in traffic due to one or both crank or cam position sensors. I took it to the dealer thinking that this would be covered under the Nissan recalls.

    In fact, Nissan covers the cost based on Vin and since my car had been updated on the first engine, the $300 repair was not covered.

    One more reason that there are no Nissans in my future. :lemon:
  • rondholrondhol Member Posts: 32
    ask them first by email/phone. firm but polite. i got new pre-cat but the engine doesn't consume too much oil. All altima have crank/camshaft position sensor design defect. The new POS has metal shield instead of plastic.
  • kuzmanovkuzmanov Member Posts: 3
    After I change my oil , on 70000 miles - I was surprise. On my dashboard, I found
    Check Engine Soon - what a surprise. I return, to oil shop- and check what is the problem : the problem is po 335 and po 725- and the technicians tell me , you
    need to change crankshaft sensor and Cam sensor, and speed-engine sensor.
    they give me estimate - both for 370 $, because I have a limited warranty on my nissan- Altima 2005 I went to the dealer ship North Charleston Nissan- and I want to check what is the problem. They explain for check the car - I need to pay 100$ , just for checking !!!! what a surprise , and because I complain - that I have a warranty - they say we need to check- I explain that I already check what is the problem , because i dont want to pay money for nothing.
    after I tell them what is the problem , they tell me that sensor- is not under the
    warranty, WHAT a Surprise!!!
    I decline this bla- bla - bla ...
    I make my research !! and gees what happen, if You do not want to loose
    your money, just search in the web- solution of the problem.
    what I make: Went to Autozone- and check what is the price
    for CAM AND CRANK shaft sensors- they are cheep compare with
    NISSAN dealer ship !!!! surprise a? not be
    28.00 $ EACH
    YOU need 2 - and they are the same !!!
    After a small research , i make decision me AND my friend- to change .
    simple and not so easy-
    1one is located on very easy place: thank to
    http://dentnshell.com/Projects/2005Altima/CamkPosition.html
    2one is problem!!!
    http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/Nissan-Altima-Camshaft-Crankshaft-Sensors/
    I replaced both with my friend , BUT I dont understand:
    WHY COMPANY LIKE NISSAN - HAVE this problem from 2003 year,
    and they dont CARE , for nothing , I am not surprise ,
    I thank to my friend - that hepl so much !!!!
    we spend more than 500 $- because we make at home
    Nissan Altima 2005 :shades:
    If someone have question about this problem:
    just simple write me a letter .
    I am going to be happy to help everyone , with this problem.
    After i change both sensor , I talk with Expert in engine : who explain to me
    that I need to go to some Autozone , that need to clear light on dashboard,
    I voala - that is resolve the problem .
    THANK TO MY FRIEND NICK!!!!
    AND thank to other people , with post how they resolve this problem
    AND on the END- i am going to call NISSAN - claim Afar .
    i care for THEIR CAR< this is unbelievable.!!!!!!!!
  • dkapperdkapper Member Posts: 1
    I just discovered this forum, and I have some questions. Let me start by saying that I am not very knowledgeable about auto mechanics.

    My Story: In 2008 I purchased a used 2003 Nissan Altima from my father. It had about 100K miles on it, and he told me to watch the oil because it was burning out. I checked the oil every week or two since then. Every time I took it in for an oil change, I would ask about the burning oil, and I was constantly told, that it was not uncommon for a car with over 100K to burn more oil.

    Just last month, my check engine light came on, and I had the Cam Sensor replaced. Three weeks later, the check engine light came on again and this time the car would not start. I had it towed, replaced the battery and Crank Sensor was replaced. Two weeks later the check engine light appeared again, and I took it back to the same shop. This time the computer read that the Catalytic Converter needed to be replaced. I told the mechanic that I was traveling from Atlanta to Baltimore for Thanksgiving, and asked if the car was ok without changing out the Catalytic Converter. He said it was fine, it just wouldn't pass emmissions.

    We drove up to Baltimore and had to put oil in twice on the ride up. On the ride home, I put oil in when we left, and I started hearing funny sounds after 300 miles. I put more oil in, but the sound got worse. As I was pulling off the exit in Greeneville, South Carolina the engine ceased (2:30 am). I had the car towed the following day to te Nissan Dealership just off the I-85 Exit in Greenville. I was informed by the mechanic there, that the Piston Rod blew and went through the oil pan. He said this occurred because of oil burning through the Catalytic Converter. He mentioned that this was a common problem of 2002 aand 2003 Altima's and that this was bound to eventually happen. That there was nothing I could have done to prevent this. The solution he offered me was to install a new engine at a cost of approximately $5,500.

    Do I have any recourse with Nissan? The mechanic in Atlanta? Do you have suggestions? The only thing I have found is purchasing a used engine from a junk yard, and having someone install it for me. My problem is that I still owe $2000 on the car. Please advise
  • electricdesignelectricdesign Member Posts: 681
    "I just discovered this forum, and I have some questions. Let me start by saying that I am not very knowledgeable about auto mechanics."
    Welcome to the Forum. This is a VERY unfortunate situation, but unfortunately most people are not very knowledgeable about cars. This topic is a matter of controversy, as it is all a matter of priorities. If having reliable transportation is important to you, and ESPECIALLY if you don't have a lot of money, it is best to learn as much about automoblies as you possibly can. These days, it is much easier to research automobiles with the internet and all these forums, not like 40 or 50 years ago having to dig through huge manuals and libraries, and not having the advantage to hear input from consumers who actually drive the car you are studying.

    Your problem, What to do? Too late now, Too old, Too many miles, chaulk it up to experience, and please don't make the same mistake again. Your only options at this point is to either spring for putting the used engine in the car, or else scrap the car. The car is only worth about 5 grand at the most, so it may be more economically feasible to junk the car. No sense to throw good money after bad, or to spend more on the car than what it is worth. Or maybe sell it back to your Dad, or he might forgive the $2000 debt on the car! I don't think you can hold the Atlanta mechanic to blame (obviously not a dealership), they work on lots of different cars, and don't know everything about every car. He evidently was not aware of the Cat Converter problem with the Altima. Maybe he can cut his price in half, since he gave you bad advice, but it is hard to prove that he caused your engine to blow. Too many variables there. You did not mention, but I assume you have the 2.5L 4 cylinder engine in your car.

    Remember, your best defense is a good offense, so be on the offense and research everything you can about a car BEFORE you buy it.
    Good Luck,
    E.D. in Sunny Florida
    P.S. My daughters 2002 Nissan Altima 2.5s has 126,000 miles and running ok, only burning a small amount of oil, with both cats cleaned out. It needs to keep running well up to 200,000 miles. I wonder if it might make it? It's quite a stretch for that car. Time will tell, it always does.
  • servicemanserviceman Member Posts: 2
    Encountered a new one to me today:
    2004 Nissan Sentra w/2.5L motor, driveability issue at roughly 90k miles. Owner of the vehicle said he was just driving down the road at a 35mph cruise when the engine started shaking (misfiring) and the check engine light came on. Reader came up with a generic cylinder misfire code, pulled plugs to find the #4 cylinder had a devastated plug.
    The plug looked like it had been shot blasted. The electrode was pressed against the center conductor (read:no spark) and it looked like it had been beat on. The plugs had been replaced once before, customer says about a year ago, and never had any problems. Inspected the cylinder through the boroscope located a small lump of metal about the size of a pencil eraser. The cylinder was far dirtier than the other cylinders as well, and the face of the piston was pitted (once again as if shot blasted).
    New plugs installed, all cylinders inspected. #1 is dirty too, but no signs of erroneous metal. Vehicle starts and runs great (although with the typical Nissan 2.5L tick). Cleaned induction system in an effort to tidy up the cylinders and went for a test drive. Returning from the test drive, the engine starts shaking again w/a MIL.
    Plug #4 is beat up again. Put a mirror on the boroscope and begin inspecting every inch of the cylinder wall. Found the head coming apart and the head/block juncture. What in the world causes this? Micro-fractures in the metal casting? Improper machining at the factory?
    I read the forums and see the head problems typical to this motor. Seems to be not too uncommon? Is this a pre-cat induced head failure I'm dealing with or something new? I know the fix: Junk/trade it or replace the motor. Was this a design flaw or a manufacturing flaw?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I think you'd have to pull the head to know better but it's possibly the sign of severe detonation. As you no doubt know, a badly pinging engine can have holes bored right through the piston tops. I just can't see cat debris breaking a cylinder head. Did you save the metal you fished out? That could be your clue.
  • electricdesignelectricdesign Member Posts: 681
    The problem you witnessed is the intake manifold Power Valve Screw failure, a common problem on the Altimas. This is all over the internet and discussed many times in this forum.
    There are four power valves, one in each intake tube. Each power valve is held to the positioning shaft with 2 screws, for a total of 8 screws. The problem is that the screws come loose, and when they get loose enough, they fall out and get sucked into the engine, and bounce around inside the engine cylinder, destroying the piston, head and spark plug. The smashed spark plug is a dead giveaway for this problem. The Solution is to remove the upper intake manifold, Remove and clean the screws and threads and apply locktight sealer to the threads and put in new screws. Buy the new updated screws to fix this problem. Replace the upper intake manifold and you are done, as long as the head and piston were not permanently damaged.
    Again, this is a common and well known problem with these engines. My opinion is that this is an engineering and manufacturing flaw (The Screws should have been engineered to stay in place & the Screws should have been securely tightened in manufacturing to stay in place).
    Good Luck,
    E.D. in Sunny Florida
  • vehicle5vehicle5 Member Posts: 2
    :sick: :lemon: Complained since 2006 about engine noise while under warranty and under 80K. Service dept. of dealership never addressed it satisfactorily. Was not 100% on time with oil changes but come to learn now that this was a known problem by Nissan. Now car has 120K+ miles and Dealership is trying to say I am completely responsible for problem due to late oil changes and only NOW suggests replacing engine to tune of $4,800!!! What can I do now to engage them in doing the right thing or simply losing a customer for life?
  • gooddeal2gooddeal2 Member Posts: 750
    Complained since 2006 about engine noise while under warranty and under 80K.

    ...unless you bought the extended warranty, I think the warranty only covers the first 60k miles for the engine.
  • vehicle5vehicle5 Member Posts: 2
    Actually, we DID take the extended warranty! I'm getting a copy of our complete service record and will take it (along with the recall/known issues info) to the owner of this and other Nissan dealerships and see what he'll do. Just want to trade it in at this point and NOT for another Nissan!
  • mjh3116mjh3116 Member Posts: 1
    Nissan is replacing the engine in my 09 Altima 2.5 SL free of charge. It was bought in 11/09and has 2500 miles. I would like to know if the value of my vehicle is going to be negatively impacted even though the engine is going to be new. The reason the engine is being replaced was because of a oil pressure issue during a cold winter morn. As happy as I can be getting a new engine I am not happy this has happened to my 2 month old car thinking they should give me a new car if the value of it is not what it should be with the original engine.
  • ndiboyndiboy Member Posts: 36
    I just noticed that my 02 altima stalls when started but picks up later. What might the problem be? Is it the nozzles, injeector or what. It drives well once it gets over it whih takes few seconds.
    Thanks.
    Onuchukwu Chuma.
  • electricdesignelectricdesign Member Posts: 681
    Watch the exhaust when you start the car.Does the exhaust emit smoke, and if so what color, black or white?
    To verify, the engine runs rough and stalls when you start the engine, How long does it take to run smooth again, 30 to 45 seconds? Taka a quick Smell near the exhaust to see if there is any smell of anti-freeze, then breath fresh air to clear your lungs.
    Once the engine is warmed up, and you restart it, Does it start and run smooth?
    If it makes white smoke and the engine runs rough for about 30 to 45 seconds on a cold start, check to see if antifreeze is leaking into one of your cylinders. If so, it could be a leaking head gasket. See previous posts about this.
    E.D. in Sunny Florida
  • danny44danny44 Member Posts: 14
    Hi,
    I have an 04 Nissan and am having a problem with no acceleration or rather decreased acceleration. I step on the gas pedal and then it seems as if the engine is groaning and I have to press the gas pedal hard. Even after pressing the gas pedal,the engine struggles to accelerate and it appears as though it is towing a heavy load. I checked the revs and they are revving to a maximum of 3500 only and I can reach speeds of 55-60mph but it appears obvious that the engine is straining hard.
    I hope it is not the cat converter ?? Also,I do not have any CEL/SES light or any other codes.. I checked the tire pressure in all 4 tires. Please advise.

    Thanks - you folks were very helpful when I had asked a question about Slip and TCS off lights that I had about 3 months ago and your diagnosis was pretty much on the ball - a camshaft sensor problem.
    Hope I dont have any more problems with my Nissan ! And hoping that this problem is not serious !
  • electricdesignelectricdesign Member Posts: 681
    You did not give the miles on your car, or state which engine you have. I would assume you have high milage and a 2.5L 4 cylinder engine. You could have a serious problem with the cat clogging up. Go to the back of the car with the engine running and feel if the exhaust gas is coming out of the tailpipes freely. Have someone rev the engine while you do this, and you should feel plenty of exhaust gas come out the tail pipe. If not the cat is plugged. Go read Messeges #75, #76 & #77 in this forum for the answer for how to fix it. If this applies to your situation, it is imperative that this situation be corrected immediately. If this situation is not corrected quickly, the cat with throw material back up into the engine and damage or destroy the engine. So check it right away! This same problem happened to my daughters altima, and I caught in time and saved the engine from heavy damage.
    Good luck,
    E.D. in Sunny Florida
  • smitrrsmitrr Member Posts: 1
    I'm curious if there were any signs leading to this problem. I have an 09 2.5 Altima
    with the same miles on it and the engine is alot louder in cold weather until it warms up. In response to #509.
  • ndiboyndiboy Member Posts: 36
    Thanks, when I start the engine it stalls for about 5seconds, then picks up and fires very well subsequently.After the initial starting in the morning, it takes about 2-3secs to pick up well. Sometimes it doesnt stall at all.There is no smell and once I engage the gear it runs smoothly with no hindrance.Its just the initial noise before it picks up that is the problem.
    The mechanic brought out the fuel pump which was filled with dirt and we cleaned it up.Now it still stalls but a bit better. He said I need to change the Nozzle can it be the problem? Is it adviceable to use fuel injector cleaner and pour it into the tank? The milage is 91,000miles and no problems so far.I bought it as second hand in nigeria 2years ago at 73,000 miles.
    Thanks, I am grateful, Chuma.
  • dmh2010dmh2010 Member Posts: 2
    Are there better quality aftermarket manufacturers of headgaskets and piston rings versus Nissan? My auto mechanic is going to be doing repairs and is concerned about the quality of Nissan parts for the Altima (2002 2.5S).
  • electricdesignelectricdesign Member Posts: 681
    "Are there better quality aftermarket manufacturers of headgaskets and piston rings versus Nissan? My auto mechanic is going to be doing repairs and is concerned about the quality of Nissan parts for the Altima (2002 2.5S)."

    Use one of the following:

    Head Gasket:
    FEL-PRO Part # 26261PT {PermaTorqueMLS&#153;} Head Gasket only $26.79.
    DOHC engine;
    Head bolts not incl.; Head bolt replacement recommended - they run about another $90.

    or

    Complete upper gasket set:
    ROCK PRODUCTS Part # HGS638 {Upper Gaskets Set}
    DOHC - $81.79, Plus you need to buy new head bolts.
  • dmh2010dmh2010 Member Posts: 2
    Thank you for the reply.
    Does it make any difference what brand of piston rings are used?
  • josepi1234josepi1234 Member Posts: 4
    Dont feel bad, my 2010 with 1200 miles on it needs major repairs because coolant leaked into the cylinders and crank case. I dont want the car anymore but at this point will be lucky to get a new engine. Contact a lemon law lawyer if they may help you.
  • josepi1234josepi1234 Member Posts: 4
    My 2010 didnt want to start, and when it did start... alot of white smoke would be emmitted from exhaust. Have it checked out to ensure the coolant is leaking into your combustion chamber. This seems to be a common problem with these cars.
  • kuzmanovkuzmanov Member Posts: 3
    I have problem , with the gas pedal when I am driving with 60mph
    its shaken , I don't understand why . My Nissan Altima is 2005, 2.5 S
    and have 77 000 miles. Can someone help me, because dealership
    they don't understand , they make test drive and say it's perfect, but is not.
    Is it something on Transmission or suspension? :confuse:
  • roadrunner70roadrunner70 Member Posts: 241
    what was the final result of the repair. i have the same problem, just not as bad, no coolant in the engine, just he coolant smell. rr70
  • volcrxvolcrx Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2010
    I'm glad I found this forum, but its 9 years too late. Throw my '02 Altima in the mix. I bought it brand new and took good care of it; the first car I ever purchased new. It was a great car for a long time, but I checked my oil during one fill up at around 90,000 miles, and was surprised to find that it was 2 quarts low. I changed the oil thereafter, but since that time, its burned about 1 quart each week. I brought the car in for recall service because my engine was dying in traffic repeatedly around a month ago. Since that time, its been burning 3 quarts per week. Judging by all of these posts, its doomed from a catalytic converter or value screw problem that Nissan won't own up to. Congrats Nissan, you screwed one more person. I'll never purchase one of your piece of crap cars again :lemon:
  • pthahnpthahn Member Posts: 1
    Newbie here, so bear with me please! Yesterday while driving at around 45 mph. my 2005 Altima just died..literally just lost all power. Luckily I avoided a rear end collision and driving into a ditch while trying to get my car off of the road.
    After coming home, my husband was able to get to it and start it up just fine with no issue. Prior to this, the "check engine light" had never come on.
    He hooked up a code thing to it which he owns and no codes came up. We took to the internet to do some research and found that in Nov. 2007 over 653 thousand Altimas were recalled due to the crankshaft sensor overheating causing a brief interruption in the signal output. This could lead to the engine to quit running while being driven at low speeds.
    Needless to say, I took the car into our dealership this morning and got the call back that the ECM could not be reprogrammed (which was the remedy) because they were getting codes on the CAM sensor and crank sensor. They told me in order to correct the recall issue, I would need to pay $470 for the replacement of both these sensors.

    This is where I am looking for advice. I argued with them that the recall was precipitated by the crankshaft sensor overheating and causing the interruption. I personally do not feel we should have to pay for the replacement of this sensor because it was at the root of the problem. Now, the CAM sensor, I know nothing about (and my husband is at work), but the little I do know about cars tells me they all work together in the function of the engine continuing to run.

    At this point, I have contaced Nissan Corporation and filed a complaint. I am not trying to get free repairs, and am willing to pay for the CAM sensor since it was not mentioned in the recall, but the crank sensor I am arguing over. If they cannot get to the ECM reprogramming without getting past having to replace the crank sensor, should we rightfully have to pay for that since it overheated causing the breakdown??
  • spiker953spiker953 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2009 altima....needs new engine....the engine block cracked. shouldn't have happened on a year old car. they are trying to blame it on lack of oil changes....but that's not related to this issue. I will certainly be getting rid of the car after this is all said and done. All you have to do is contact nissan directly.....they have a number in the warrenty book to call. Definitely fight for it.
  • spiker953spiker953 Member Posts: 3
    Probably not....I have a 2009 altima, and the engine block cracked. It's a rare thing to happen to begin with and shouldn't have happened on a year old car. I am fighting Nissan to cover the new engine now. You would think it would be covered by the warrenty, but they dont just go and replace and entire engine without a fight.
  • spiker953spiker953 Member Posts: 3
    Has anyone else had this problem? Something needs to be done.....apparently Nissan makes crappy engines, and doesn't want to take care of the situation. And I am wondering why Altimas have such good ratings......I would never have bought this car if I had known there were so many issues with engines, and now I am stuck fighting with Nissan for a new engine.
  • gooddeal2gooddeal2 Member Posts: 750
    Every manufacturer has some lemons. I'm on my 4th Altima (2010 now) and 4th Infiniti (2009) and I don't have any issues w/ the engine. My brother has a 2005 Altima w/ about 40k miles with no problem also.
  • gollsgolls Member Posts: 21
    I have researched and this appears to be a common problem with 2002 Nissan Altima - the catalytic converter goes bad, the head gasket blows, the engine starts burning oil like mad and finally it needs engine replacement. My car has all of these problems. According to Kelly Blue Book, the private-party value of this car in good condition is $6k. The dealer is asking me for roughly $4k to replace the engine and the catalytic converter. My car has less than 80k miles and it is less than 8 years old, but the dealer is refusing to replace the cat and the engine under warranty because I drove the car with a known blown head gasket problem for a couple of months. So, I am not sure what to do now. Should I pour 4 grand into this :lemon: ? My worry is that there may be other problems that surface after I put so much money into it. Would I be better off donating the car/selling it off as is and buying another used one (maybe a Hyundai or a Kia which has a 10 year/100k miles warranty)? I recently bought a new Toyota Sienna and I only need a second car for commute to work (8 miles each way). Looking forward to some good advice. Thanks!
  • rondholrondhol Member Posts: 32
    hey, you have the right to get new engine and catalytic converter based on federal emission law. 8 years./80k miles. Some of us got that using that argument.
  • gollsgolls Member Posts: 21
    rondhol, I asked my dealer about the warranty under the federal emission law, and he told me that I cannot avail of that warranty because I drove the car for three months with a known head gasket problem. The dealer had told me about a blown head gasket in December '09, and I didn't get it fixed at that time. Even though it is not known whether the head gasket caused the engine problem, they are not ready to honor the warranty given this fact.
  • pibzzpibzz Member Posts: 6
    Hello,

    I have an 06 Altima 2.5 that I bought as a program car from Enterprise, with 15K on it. It now has 76K on it, and after reading all the posts about these things eating their own cats, I am concerned about mine.

    So far it's been flawless, and with freeway driving it can return 33MPG

    Its always garaged, and I live in CA so it never really sees any extreme cold temps, but it does get up to 100 in the summer here on the desert. I drive a ton of freeway miles.

    Anyway, I Googled 06 Altimas for sale, and couldn't find a single one with more than 90K on it, and I'm wondering if these things can even MAKE IT to 90K

    I would love to hear from any Altima 2.5'ers with GOOD stories, like how their Altima now has 250K on it with no problems. Does such a car exist ? Or are all Altimas doomed to eat their own cats?

    Curiously
    John from CA :surprise:
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