The 2002 Nissan Altima is a midsize car that came with a choice of 2.5L 4-cyl and 3.5L 6-cyl engines. At 24 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Midsize Cars |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 4-spd, Manual 5-spd |
| Drive | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 17–20 city / 24–27 highway / 19–23 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,900–$3,550 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 386–468 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 4 configurations |
| Age | 24 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls covering the 2002 Nissan Altima. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crankshaft position sensor can overheat causing a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.
Risk: If the interruption in the signal from the crankshaft position sensor is so brief that the electronic control module (ECM) logic does not have time to diagnose the condition, the engine may stop running without warning while the vehicle is
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.
Risk: This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
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…
Risk: This can prevent the supply of fuel to the engine and cause the engine to stop, which could result in a crash without warning.
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.
Risk: Either of these two conditions could result in a fire.
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.
Risk: The driver side air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Owners have filed 1,047 complaints about the 2002 Nissan Altima with NHTSA. 29 reports involved a crash and 28 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 27 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 142 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2002 Nissan Altima. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement "Certification Label" or "VIN Plate/L
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement "Certification Label" or "VIN Plate/L
VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions o
WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 2002 Nissan Altima.
Engine compartment fires
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation on october 18, 2002 based on three reports indicating that the engine compartment in model year (my) 2002 Nissan Altima vehicles equipped with the 2.5 liter engine caught on fire without any warning to the driver while the vehicle was driven at highway
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2002 Altimas that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2002 Nissan Altima; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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