2002 Nissan Altima SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

RE: 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA SE. SINCE APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS AGO, I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES. I LIVE IN THE NE WHERE IT GETS COLD IN THE WINTERS, AND ONLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM WHEN THE TEMP. IS APPROX. BELOW 30 DEGREES. THIS PROBLEM HAS TYPICALLY OCCURRED WHEN THE CAR HAS SAT IDLE ALL NIGHT, BUT HAS ALSO HAPPENED AT OTHER TIMES WHEN IT HASN'T BEEN DRIVEN FOR A FEW HOURS. WHEN FIRST STARTING THE CAR, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SO STIFF THAT I CAN'T PRESS IT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR - ALMOST LIKE IT IS FROZEN. LUCKILY, I HAVE NOT YET HAD AN ACCIDENT, BUT HAVE NARROWLY AVOIDED ONE SEVERAL TIMES WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SLOW DOWN, COMING TO A STOP SIGN OR PARKING LOT EXIT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP, OR TRYING TO SLOW DOWN TO TURN A CORNER. I HAVE TO TRY TO REMEMBER TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL 10 - 15 TIMES EVERY TIME I START THE CAR IN COLD WEATHER, AS THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO "LOOSEN" IT UP SO THAT IT WILL WORK CORRECTLY. SEVERAL MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSES THIS. WHEN I'M DRIVING THIS CAR, I'M ALWAYS AFRAID THAT THE BRAKES WILL TOTALLY GIVE OUT. *TR

NISSAN ALTIMA '02-05 2.5/3.5 MODELS HAVE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH A VALVE CHECK ASSEMBLY IN A BRAKE VACUUM TUBE. WHEN THE CAR IS EXPOSED TO EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES FOR PROLONGED PERIODS OF TIME, LIKE THOSE EXPERIENCED THIS PAST WINTER IN IL, THE VALVE FREEZES UP AND PREVENTS PROPER OPERATION OF THE VACUUM AND THUS COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. IT FIXES ITSELF AFTER PUMPING OF THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES. I EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM 3 TIMES WITHIN A 2 WEEK PERIOD. IMAGINE ROLLING UP TO A STOP SIGN ONLY TO PUMP YOUR BRAKES TO THE FEELING OF A BRICK STUCK UNDER THEM, NO STOPPING ACTION, HELPLESSLY COASTING RIGHT INTO THE INTERSECTION. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND STUMBLED ON TO A NISSAN ENTHUSIAST FORUM WHERE IT WAS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE TO THEM. THEY SAID THAT NISSAN WON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THIS TO BE AN ISSUE AND TO JUST ORDER THE REDESIGNED PART AND REPLACE IT YOURSELF AS IT WAS A DYE JOB. THE FACTORY PART REPLACEMENT NUMBER IS #47430-8J100 (3.5 MODEL) OR #47430-8J000 (2.5 MODEL). WHY DID NISSAN REDESIGN THE PART IN '06 IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH IT? WHEN I CALLED THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR, SURE ENOUGH THEY WOULDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT PART AND EVEN WENT AS FAR AS TO CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE NEVER EVEN ORDERED THAT PART. THEY HAVE EITHER NEVER DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE CORRECTLY OR THEY OUTRIGHT LIED TO ME. I CALLED A DIFFERENT NISSAN DEALERSHIP, ORDERED THE PART AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF AND HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM DESPITE THE SUBZERO TEMPERATURES THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE. I'LL CONCLUDE WITH THE FACT THAT I HAVE ZERO AUTOMOTIVE/MECHANICAL EXPERIENCE. I AM A COMPUTER SYSTEMS ENGINEER SO I'M USED TO REPLACING PARTS IN SMALL SPACES ON A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MACHINERY. BUT YET I WAS ABLE TO RESEARCH, DIAGNOSE, AND FIX MY OWN CAR PROBLEM, CAUSED BY A KNOWN DEFECT IN A FACTORY PART, WITH THE HELP OF THE GUYS IN THAT FORUM. HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE DRIVING TICKING-TIMEBOMB ALTIMAS THAT DON'T HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO DO THAT?? *TR

ON EXTREMELY COLD DAYS (5 DEGREES F OR LOWER) I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE BRAKES DO NOT STOP THE CAR WHEN THE CAR IS FIRST DRIVEN. THE CAUSE IS DUE TO APPARENT MALFUNCTION OF A CHECK VALVE IN THE VACUUM LINE TO POWER BRAKE BOOSTER. THE PEDAL REMAINS HARD (I.E. - THE PEDAL DOES NOT GO TO THE FLOOR). USUALLY AFTER A FEW SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS TO BRAKE, THE BOOST FUNCTION RETURNS AND THE BRAKES FUNCTION NORMALLY. MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED AND REPORTED THIS PROBLEM ON INTERNET FORUMS SUCH AS HTTP://WWW.NISSANCLUB.COM/FORUMS/2002-2006-NISSAN-ALTIMA-DISCUSSION-2-5-3-5/256153-COLD-WEATHER-BRAKING-ISSUE.HTMLINE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND IT IS ONLY BY LUCK THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE IT HAS RESULTED IN BEING UNABLE TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF NISSAN TO REPAIR AS A SAFETY RECALL. NISSAN HAS REDESIGNED THE PART AND IT IS VERY INEXPENSIVE (ABOUT $28) AND THE NEW HOSE/CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY CAN BE REPLACED IN ABOUT 5 MINUTES. THE PART NUMBER FOR THE REDESIGNED VACUUM HOSE/CHECK VALVE IS 47430-L31002 FOR THE 3.5L V6 ENGINE. FOR THE 2.5L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE THE PART NUMBER IS 47430-L31001. IT'S CALLED A "TUBE-VACUUM". I PURCHASED AND INSTALLED THE PART MYSELF. SOME PEOPLE REPORTED THAT SOME DEALERS MISTAKENLY THINK THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER ITSELF IS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAVE REPLACED IT AT A COST OF UP TO $500 (AND DID NOT REPLACE THE HOSE) ONLY TO HAVE THE OWNER CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE BRAKE FAILURE ON THE NEXT EXTREMELY COLD DAY. *TR

INTERMITTENT BRAKE PEDAL FAILURE. SERVICE DEALER SUGGEST REPLACEMENT VALVE. 4 WEEK BACK ORDER. *JB

REAR BRAKES HAVE FAILED AGAIN - AFTER BEING REPLACED AT 37,000 MILES AND 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP IN 2004. NOW AT 57,000 MILES I NEED TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES COMPLETELY AGAIN. OBVIOUSLY THE NISSAN 'GENUINE' PARTS ARE DEFECTIVE IF AFTER ONLY 20,000 THE BRAKES ARE SHOT TOTALLY AGAIN. WHY DOES NISSAN KEEP RIPPING OFF THE CONSUMERS THIS WAY AND WHY ISN'T SOMETHING DONE TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION? *JB

FAULTY REAR SPEED SENSOR TURNING THE ABS SYSTEM ON/OFF. THIS FAILURE WOULD ALLOW THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PUSH TO THE GROUND AND NOT ALLOW FOR PROPER BRAKING. IN FACT IT WOULD FEEL AS IF I WERE LOOSING THE BRAKES ENTIRELY. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE SHOOK WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS WERE WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

WHEN BRAKING AT ANY SPEED THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD BE HARD TO DEPRESS. THIS WOULD CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. *AK

AT 25,000 MILES THE 2002 ALTIMA REAR BRAKES FROZE UP AND DISCONTINUED OPERATING. I WAS TOLD BY A NISSAN SERVICE MGR. THAT THIS WAS DUE TO NISSAN USING FAULTY MATERIAL. I HAD THEM REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE GARAGE AND WAS TOLD THAT HE HAS SEEN A LOT OF THIS. BRAKES NOT DESIGNED FOR NORTHERN WEATHER. *NM

THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE FAILED WITH ONLY 15,589 MILES. CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. THERE WAS NO BAD CONSEQUENCES DUE TO THIS FAILURE. DEALER REPLACED BRAKE, ROTOR, AND PADS, BUT SAID PROBLEM WAS DUE TO NOT DRIVING CAR ENOUGH. HE CONVEYED THAT MILEAGE WAS TOO LOW FOR 3-YEAR OLD CAR. I DON'T THINK SO.

VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 68,400 MILES ON IT. REAR ROTORS AND PADS FAILED AT 33,200 MILES AND 68,400 MILES AND WERE REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. FRONT ROTORS WERE RESURFACED AND FRONT PADS REPLACED AT 68,400 MILES WHICH IS NOT UNEXPECTED.

CONSUMER STATED BRAKE PEDAL AND STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED BADLY, AND THAT ROTORS WERE REPLACED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER CHECKED AGAIN, AND FOUND THAT VEHICLE NEEDED ROTORS. CONSUMER RESEARCHED THE WEB AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING. THERE WERE 40,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *AK *NM

AT 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP AND 37,000 MILES MY REAR BRAKES HAVE FAILED COMPLETELY; CALIPERS, PADS, ROTORS, ETC. ALL NEED REPLACEMENT. FRONT BRAKES ARE "OK" FOR NOW AND ONLY HALF AS WORN AS THE REAR BRAKES. THIS DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT TO ME. OF COURSE, IT IS NOT WARRANTIED SINCE IT IS OVER THE 36,000 MILES OR 3 YEARS. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO THEM TOO. I BOUGHT MY CAR NEW IN 2002 AND HAVE DRIVEN MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES. WHAT, BESIDES DEFECTIVE PARTS IN THE FIRST PLACE, WOULD CAUSE THIS KIND OF PARTS FAILURE?*AK

I HAVE HAD REOCCURING BRAKING PROBLEMS WITH MY 02 NISSAN XTERRA FOR THE PAST YEAR. THE BRAKES DO NOT ADEQUATELY STOP THE VEHICLE AND GRAB/RELEASE WHEN COMING TO A STOP MAKING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT AT TIMES. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE NISSAN DEALER THREE SEPARATE TIMES FOR SERVICE AND THE PROBLEM HAS STILL NOT BEEN REMEDIED. I WAS RECENTLY TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.*AK

I OWN A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA THAT HAS JUST 37000 MILES ON IT. IN THE PAST 2-3 WEEKS I NOTICED BRAKE NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE METAL ON METAL GRIDING. I OF COURSE TOOK IT TO MY DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL FOUR SETS OF BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN SHORT, EVERYTHING WAS GONE. AFTER LESS THAN 2.5 YEAR. THIS SEEMS LIKE EXCESSIVE AND PREMATURE BRAKE FAILURE. I HAVE VISTITED SEVERAL OWNER WEBSITES AND HAVE SEEN A MULTITUDE OF STORIES REGARDING EARLY BRAKE WEAR ON THE 2002 ALTIMA. THIS VEJICLE HAS ALSO HAD 5 SAFETY RECALL IN THE LAST 2 YEARS. NISSAN CLAIMS THAT THIS IS "NORMAL" BRAKE WEAR. I THINK IT'S A POTENTIAL SAFTEY HAZARD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT A COST OF $900. I AM NOT A "HARD" DRIVER AND ALL VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED IN THE PAST HAVE NOT NEEDED BRAKES TILL 50-60000 MILES. THIS SEEMS LIKE EITHER A DESIGN FLAW OR FAULTY PARTS OR BOTH. *AK

AT APPROX. 36,400 MILES ABS WARNING LIGHT WENT ON. II TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE FRONT LEFT ABS SENSOR, $290.00 TO REPAIR, FRONT BRAKE PADS DOWN TO 10% AND ROTORS NEED TO BE RESURFACED. I INQUIRED ABOUT WARRANTY COVERAGE OF THE SENSOR AND THEY SAID NO. I CONTACTED NISSAN EXPLAINED THE SITUATION, THEY CONTACTED THE DEALER AND NISSAN REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR SAYING THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO BRAKES BEING WORN DOWN. THIS WAS MY 3RD NISSAN VEHICLE AND WILL BE MY LAST ONE.*AK

I EXPERIENCED WARPED ROTORS ON MY 2002 ALTIMA AFTER DRIVING FOR LESS THAN 18 MONTHS. THIS WAS A PREMATURE FAILURE THAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTEE. PADS WERE ALSO REPLACED.*AK

REAR BRAKES ON 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA WORE PREMATURELY AND WORE BEFORE FRONT BRAKES. I THINK IT IS ODD THAT REAR BRAKES WOULD WEAR BEFORE FRONT BRAKES. ALSO, I HAD THE BRAKES INSPECTED AT 18,000 MILES AND THEY WERE FINE. JUST 5,000 MILES LATER MY ROTORS WERE SHOT AND CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE. TOOK CAR TO PETERS AUTO CENTER IN NASHUA (A NISSAN DEALER), THEY TOLD ME THE FOLLOWING: 1) REAR BRAKES WERE WORN AND ROTORS TORN APART. AT FIRST THEY TOLD ME THE CAUSE WAS POSSIBLY SOMETHING GOT STUCK IN THERE. LATER THEY TOLD ME IT WAS MORE LIKELY CORROSION. CALIPERS TESTED OK. 2) FRONT BRAKES HAVE CORROSION AND WERE NOT BEING USED PROPERLY. THE RECOMMENDED REPLACING BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. AFTER HAVING PETERS AUTO FIX REAR BRAKES ONLY, I KEPT THE PARTS AND TOOK MY CAR TO FROST NISSAN. THEY TOLD ME THE FOLLOWING: 1) IT LOOKED LIKE REAR BRAKES WORE NATURALLY. CALIPERS TESTED OK. THEY COULD GIVE ME NO REASON WHY WHEN THEY EXAMINED MY BRAKES JUST A FEW MONTHS EARLIER AND THEY LOOKED FINE. 2) FRONT BRAKES ARE FINE, SHOULD LAST ANOTHER 3 OIL CHANGES. IS 3 WEEKS TOO LONG TO LET A CAR SIT? COULD CORROSION CAUSE MY BRAKES TO FAIL THIS QUICKLY? I NEVER HEARD OF ROTORS RUSTING IN 3 WEEKS! AND RECENTLY, AT 18,811 MILES, FROST NISSAN OF NEWTON, MA PERFORMED BRAKE SYSTEM INSPECT AND ADJUST. THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS. I FIND IT TROUBLING THAT MY REAR BRAKES ARE NOW SHOT, AND THAT MY REAR BRAKES HAVE CONSIDERABLY MORE WEAR THAN MY FRONT BRAKES. NEITHER GARAGE COULD GIVE ME ANY EXPLANATION WHY REAR BRAKES WOULD WEAR BEFORE FRONT BRAKES, AND BOTH GARAGES THOUGHT IT WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY.*AK

REAR BRAKE CALIPERS CORRODED AND FAILED TO PERFORM PROPERLY. CALIPERS SEIZED IN AN APPLIED BRAKE FASHION (CONSTANT PRESSURE ON THE ROTORS). BOTH REAR BRAKES HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED TO THE POINT WHERE THERE IS NO MORE PAD ON THE BRAKES, ONLY METAL-TO-METAL CONTACT BETWEEN THE PAD BASE AND THE ROTORS. THE PADS, SHIMS, AND ROTORS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR IS ONLY 1.5 YRS OLD, WITH 35,000 HIGHWAY MILES ON IT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE DEALER HAS INDICATED THAT THE FRONT BRAKES ARE CLOSE TO THE SAME CONDITION. DEALER/NISSAN HAVE INDICATED THAT A $200 MAINTENANCE VISIT EVERY 15,OOO MILES IS REQUIRED TO PREVENT THIS. IN 150K+, AND 190K+ ,MILES ON 2 OF MY OLD HONDAS (I OWNED THEM FROM DAY 1) I NEVER HAD TO PERFORM THIS KIND OF MAINTENANCE, AND NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF FAILURE. SAME GOES FOR MY 2000 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN (60K+ MILES AND NO PROBLEMS WITH FRONT CALIPERS)

THE CALIPER ASSEMBLY CORRODED WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO WEAR PREMATURELY. *NLM