Nissan recalls 268,000 Sentra an Altimas with 2.5l engine

[Maurice Hilarius]

The most important part is in the lower part of the notice.
This is the catalytic converter failure and damage issue reported earlier
this year.

Nissan Has Recalled the 2002-2003 Altima and the 2002 Sentra

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released the
following information.

Models: Nissan Altima Year: 2002-2003

Nissan Sentra Year: 2002

Number Potentially Involved: 268,000

Dates of Manufacture: August 2001  February 2003

Defect: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.5-liter engines, the
exhaust pipe hanger pin may catch debris from the road that could be
ignited by contact with the main catalyst.

Remedy: Dealers will remove the protruding portion of the exhaust pipe
hanger pin. In addition to the corrective action, in order to reduce the
risk of fire in the event of poor or improper maintenance that could result
in oil spillage, heat shield(s) will be installed on the pre-catalyst and
exhaust tube.

Also on 2002 Altima and Sentra vehicles, certain engine operating
conditions may cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst
substrate. If substrate particles enter the combustion chamber, they could
score the cylinder walls, resulting in increased oil consumption. If the
engine oil level is not checked on a periodic basis and drops below the low
level, and the driver continues to operate the vehicle ignoring noticeable
engine noise, engine damage may occur that could result in a fire. Nissan
is developing a remedy for the pre-catalyst problem. The manufacturer has
reported that owner notification is expected to begin during May 2003.
Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

[NHTSA Recall No. 03V084].

http://www.safetyalerts.com/recall/a/02/v00678.htm

With our best regards,

Maurice W. Hilarius       Telephone: 01-780-456-9771
Hard Data Ltd.               FAX:       01-780-456-9772
11060 - 166 Avenue        mailto:maurice@harddata.com
Edmonton, AB, Canada      http://www.harddata.com/
    T5X 1Y3