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2003 Altima Engine Self Destructs

Hello, I'm new to this forum and I'm posting this question on behalf of my brother-in-law. He owns a 2003 Altima with 92,000 miles on it. He owned the car for 15 months (bought it for his son) and resently had it serviced due to some codes being thrown regarding the oxygen sensors. He had to bring the car in for servicing four times for the same problem, O2 sensors kept going bad. This was over the last 6 months. He was not bringing the car to the dealership but to a qualified Nissan mechanic. Then, he was getting a check oil light as well as check engine light. His mechanic said only the sensors were going bad but with oil being burned big time, he did the right thing and brought the car to the local dealership. It was determined by the dealership that his engine was pretty much destroyed, not due to his negligence but due to a bad cadalatic converter. Apparently, the converter disintegrated and somehow the engine sucked back the particals from the failed converter and compromised all of the seals in the engine. That would explain the sudden loss of oil and performance. My questions are, has anyone ever heard of this happening before? Was there ever a recall of this part? Any technical service bullitens? Given the age of the converter, I suspect a bad part. He said that the dealership tracked the vechicals history and the converter had been replaced once before. Is it possible they installed another faulty converter?? When he purchased the car thru the dealership he also purchased an extended warrenty for 1000$ for an additional 3 year or 36,000 miles. He was shell shocked when he learned that cadalatic converters are not covered under the extended warrenty. Needless to say he is royally P.O.ed at his mechanic for not diagonosing this problem earlier (4 trips to his mechanic). I guess the lesson learned is bring your car to the dealership for servicing and not some other mechanic. Strange thing is that his mechanic claimed to have the same diagnostic computer as the dealership and never had an indication of a bad converter (so he say's). Now, he needs to shell out 4500$ for a new motor!!! (installed price)

Sorry for the long winded post but I felt the need to explain the history behind this. Comments are appreciated! Thanks

Reply to
Cvol
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my sister's 02 altima had the engine light on at 49,000 miles. went to the dealer (this is in California), the code was catalytic converter below threshold. so they replaced the cat (it is covered for 6 years by requirements of epa in Ca.) cat didn't change code, they changed both oxy sensors, nothing. They went as far as flashing the car computer, nada, they then replaced it, nada! She got a new engine, took 4 weeks, they reused some of the original parts. But the light's now off! I know of a couple other people with 02 altima's that have the same engine code. they're over the 3yr/50k warranty, so they have to deal with it before smog time.

I received no excuses from the dealer, just a simple, here's your car. Now she's having problems with her ignition key. somehow, someway.. the car (or the key) lost its coding. of the 4 keys made, and coded, only the original and the valet key start the motor. the 2 copies, which were programmed by the dealer (had no choice), for a meager $175.. plus $40 for each key blank, they no longer work, but were working for 6 months with no problems.

Reply to
Eric F

I was recently at a dinner and there was a mechanic that was in charge of the Nissian dept. for a large dealership. He said that there was a new engine manufacturing process that had hardened the pistons and cylinder walls on th 2003 4 cylinder Nissians that was preventing the engines from breaking in properly. This was resulting in excessive oil consumption, a degeneration of the catalytic converter, and ultimate destruction of the engine. Can't vouch for the conversation, but I looked up your posting when I got home. Looks like the problem he described. Does not make me feel good as we bought a 2003 Altima used and so far have liked it. Sounds like I should dump it.

Reply to
Jim

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