2002 Nissan Altima: common problems and reliability

The 2002 Nissan Altima has 1063 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 12 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are engine and engine cooling and structure. Owners most often flag cvt-related problems (general): whining noise, rubber band effect, laggy throttle response, and general concerns about long-term durability. frequency: very frequent.

Safety record for the 2002 model year

1,063
Owner complaints
12
Recalls
30
Crash reports
28
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2002 Nissan Altima vehicles (US, public record).

Is 2002 a good year for the Altima?

Across the 6 Altima model years we track, complaint volume runs from 20 (2022) to 1,063 (2002). With 1,063 complaints, the 2002 Altima sits abovethe model's median of 498.

These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.

Where owners report problems

engine and engine cooling
599
structure
128
engine
92
electrical system
79
exterior lighting
44

Recalls affecting the 2002 Altima

exterior lighting

Campaign 09E012000

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMEN…

exterior lighting:headlights

Campaign 06E023000

CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHI…

exterior lighting

Campaign 06E064000

CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MO…

exterior lighting:headlights

Campaign 07E054000

CERTAIN MAXZONE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES, DEPO BRAND, P/NOS. 315-1145L-AS AND 315-1145R-AS, SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION THE LAMP REFLECTOR SHAPE DEFORMED C…

What owners say across generations

Extremely negative sentiment regarding long-term reliability, dominated by widespread and severe criticism of the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

  • CVT transmission failure: Catastrophic failure requiring full replacement, often between 80,000-150,000 miles; symptoms include jerking, shuddering, loss of acceleration, lurching at low speeds, and inability to rev beyond a certain RPM. Associated with multiple class-action lawsuits, especially for 2010-2020 models. Frequency: very frequent.
  • CVT-related problems (general): Whining noise, rubber band effect, laggy throttle response, and general concerns about long-term durability. Frequency: very frequent.

Owner insights cover all generations of the Altima. See the full Altima owner picture and every model year.

Typical used price

Used Altima listings typically run $16,897–$25,989 across 2010 to 2025 model years.

Other Altima model years

Compare every Altima year side by side to see how 2002 ranks against the rest.

2022 Altima2018 Altima2016 Altima2012 Altima2007 Altima

Compare the Altima against its rivals

Altima vs Toyota CamryAltima vs Honda AccordAltima vs Hyundai SonataAltima vs Kia K5
Full Nissan Altima owner reportCompare against another car