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wow...this is all news to me.  I have a 2002 Altima...loved the car..HOWEVER...last year Nissan replaced the head gasket...under warranty, on a 2002?!  That repair shouildn't be required...shouldn't even be on the radar.  Just 8 months later Nissan tells me the Cat converter has 'sucked dust' into the engine, and I need to buy a new engine and catalytic converter..hm.  The car is currently at an independant shop for AN HONEST opinion.  I WILL NEVER own a Nissan again...and no one I talk to will either, by the time I'm done with them!  

How do I join this class action lawsuit...  

The thread continues... to bad Nissan won’t step up and do the right thing. We ended up replacing our Altima with a Honda. I will never look at Nissan again. It's a shame. We really liked our Altima, and I have had several "Datsun" 620 pickups and loved them. Had one back in HS that I lowered and fixed it all up. Did the same for my son and one of his buddies. They drove them to HS. I got them some Team Datsun t-shirts. We've had alot of fun with them.
 I recently bought a Chevy pickup also. Was looking the Titans until all this. I hope Nissan is reading this thread. They've lost allot of customers over this.  

If anyone knows how to contact Nissan and what’s needed to get their attention on these issues please share it. I've had my engine and Cadillac Converter replaced and I’m still burning oil.... My car has 145,000 miles on it and it has been a really dependable car up until this point, but buying oil by the case to make sure I don't killing this engine is getting a little irritating. Nissan should be willing to stand behind their products and own up to inferior parts....  

I have also had all the same symptoms listed in this thread.  I was never informed that I had an extended warranty on the catalytic converter (guess I should have read the manual).  After months of burning oil and coolant, and many diagnostic checks, my mechanic recommended me to take the car to a Nissan dealership because the problem was internal.  I did so...and on the phone when I was making the appointment, I spoke with the mechanic and told him the problems I have been having.  He told me..."yeah, sounds like its a bad engine...you'll definitely need to replace the engine."  I dropped it off to get checked anyway, and they tell me my car is in "fine running condition".

3,000 miles later, I break down.  I get the head gasket fixed, than a month later I break down and get both cats fixed (all by private mechanics because Nissan couldn't diagnose their own problem).  After $4,000+, I contact Nissan about the issue, and they put me through weeks of annoyance and stress and finally I bring it back to the dealership to have it looked at again.  The same dealership now tells me that YES, I DO NEED THE ENGINE REPLACED...I fought for replacement, but the only offer Nissan gave me was replacement of the catalytic converter, $1,500 reimbursement, and a $20 p/ hour discount on the labor cost of a new engine.

I refused their offer because Nissan needs to own up to this issue (as it is obviously an engineering or mechanical failure that consumers should not be held accountable for) and refund all expenses I incurred IN ADDITION to replacing all affected parts (engine, cats, etc...).  I AM NOW CURRENTLY PREPARING FOR LITIGATION WITH NISSAN AND THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO GET IN ON A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, OR START ONE MYSELF IF NO ONE ELSE HAS DONE SO...as reading through the thread I am skeptical whether anyone did or not.  

I also have a 2002 Nissan Altima with oil consumption problems. I have taken back to dealer but of course they cannot find anything wrong with it. I would love to be added to a class action suit.  

If you find out information on this class action suit, please let me know. Nissan should make these repairs.  

I also bought a 2002 altima and the oil is burning so fast, it's taking about 5 quarts every 3 weeks. I've already spent $3,500 on repairs I don't know what to do. Can anyone please give me information on a class action lawsuit if there is one! Thanks  

Here's a couple recall notices found on the web:

http://nhthqnwws111.odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/docservlet/Artemis/Public/Recalls/2003/V/RCRIT-03V084-2696.pdf

http://nhthqnwws111.odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/docservlet/Artemis/Public/Recalls/2003/V/RCRIT-03V084-6249.pdf  

I will like to be part of the class action law suit pls . I am on my second engine and having the same problem.Please let me know how I can be part of this  

I'm in the same boat as everyone else.  Have a 2002 Altima and it is sitting in the drive way in need of repair.  Why even bother the attempt a repair when it will only be temporary.  The car is burning an enoromus amount of oil, antifreeze going somewhere, who knows.

I work for a lawfirm and talked to my attorney about the possiblity of a class action lawsuit against Nissan.  He said that they are somewhat difficult as everyone must have the same problem at the same time.  Well, I think we all qualify.

Also, he said that the laws are very favorable in the State of California for a class action lawsuit.

Is there anyone out there from CA willing to bring the lawsuit.  I don't think you would have to put up any upfront money.  I think that type of lawsuit is a contingency fee.  We all cetainly will join in.

If someone brings a class action, my e-mail address is patr_mcmurtry@yahoo.com.  

Count me in.  my e-mail address  patr_mcmurtry@yahoo.com.   Have a 2002 Altima.

What a shame.  I really did like my Altima.  

Hey everyone...

"Hot-Wife" and I have had all three major problems happen to our 2002 Nissan Altima:

Radiator Leaking into Fuel Injectors= Mis-fires
Cat. Convertor Failure=Engine damaged/Piston Rings destroyed
Excessive Oil Consumption= 5.5 quarts EVERY THREE DAYS!!! (insane)

So now that we know there are thousands of reported incidents of the EXACT same problems with Nissan Dealers stalling customers until their warranties were over; WHY IS NO ONE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT?!

Let's get this ball rolling:

my email address:

emailadmun21@yahoo.com

If you would like to be updated/posted on new happenings with this lawsuit..email me and we will chat.

Another great resource that is broken down in 3D bar graphs is this website here:
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Nissan/Altima/2002/

Check that one out...it is "Eye Opening" to just how much evidence we have against these rude dealers/Nissan America.

I have contacted these guys about moving forward as of 3/29/09 10:01pm:
http://www.schneiderwallace.com/expertise_class_actions.php?gclid=COTtmdmFx5kCFcdM5Qod7hDwvA

Thanks guys!  

I have the same exact problem as everyone else.  The check engine light keeps coming on and it says we need a new cat convertor.  The car runs very rough.  Please add me to the class action law suit at well.  I will never buy a Nissan again.

mhinder1111@yahoo.com  

I recently bought a Nissan Altima 2002 with a 2.5 engine for my son for college.  We have had the vehicle for about 8 months and then the problems started.  My son said the engine was not running right and we found out that catalytic converter went out.  After that we had major excessive consumption of oil and many of the articles on line refer to the catalytic converter as the problem with the excessive oil consumption in the 2.5 engine.  I would love to be included in any legal action against Nissan.
Tim Fitzgerald  

HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION SOLUTION!
I met a mechanic today who fixed 2 Nissan Altima for the same problem: loss of power and high oil consumption. All he did was hollow out the main cat converter.
He showed me the honeycomb chunks that were filthy on one side and clean on the back side. He explained that the exhaust was being backed up with pressure causing the oil to spew out of the engine. That explained each time opened the hood I saw oil everywhere.
I was consuming 4 qts of oil every 220 miles. I'm looking forward to see what my oil consumption is now. Note that hollowing out the main cat will cause the SES light to stay on. I understand that $5 O2 sensor should take care of that, but that is the least of my worries now.
Just thought I would share my story. Good Luck!