MissDimples27

My 2002 Nissan Altima caught fire on September 1st. I have 138,000 miles on my vehicle so the extended warranty is over. But I want Nissan to diagnose the vehicle and find out why it caught fire and if the same thing could happen to someone elses vehicle, they need to do a recall. The fire started in the driver's side door and it burned the inside driver's door, my driver's side seat, steering column, carpet, inside top, and dash board. The entire inside of the car has smut and a smelly electrical fire smell to it .

Has anyone every heard of such a bizarre thing? I do not smoke either and the fire marshall told me that it was electrical and that Nissan should investigate. I have had nothing but troubles with this vehicle since i purchased it in Jan 2002.

Any information would be helpful! Thanks....

jayjayp47

2002-2003 Altima Exhaust Pipe Hanger Pin and Pre-Catalyst

Applies to 2002 Altima models in the following Vehicle Identification Number ranges:
1N4AL11**2C100000 - 294952
1N4AL11**2C700001 - 719020

Applies to 2003 Altima models in the following Vehicle Identification Number range:
1N4AL11**3C100003 - 311983

Reason for Recall
There is a possibility that the exhaust pipe hanger pin may catch debris from the road that could be ignited by contact with the catalytic converter and cause a fire. In addition, there is a possibility that certain engine operating conditions may cause damage to the pre-catalyst. Material from inside a damaged pre-catalyst could enter the engine and result 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 which could result in a fire.

What Nissan Will Do
In order to prevent these incidents from occurring, your Nissan dealer will shorten the exhaust pipe hanger pin. The dealer will also reprogram the electronic control module to prevent any future damage to the pre-catalyst. In addition, the dealer will install heat shields on certain components of the exhaust system on vehicles that do not already have them. This free service should take about three hours to complete, but your Nissan dealer may require your vehicle for a longer period of time based upon the dealer’s work schedule.The pre-catalyst will be tested to ensure it is working properly and replaced if necessary. If damage is found inside the pre-catalyst, it will be necessary to replace the engine. Nissan anticipates that few engines will need to be replaced. If the engine needs to be replaced, this also will be free of charge and will take several days. In this case, a car rental allowance is available from your Nissan dealer upon request.

NOTE: If the engine or exhaust system of your vehicle has been modified with non-Nissan parts or in a way not authorized by Nissan, you may be responsible for bringing the vehicle into a condition that allows the campaign diagnostic procedures to be followed and the repairs completed. If it is not possible to properly test the pre-catalyst and install all of the campaign parts, you will have to pay the cost to return the vehicle to an appropriate condition in order for the dealer to perform the campaign repairs. You may also have to pay to add any modifications back to your vehicle.

What You Should Do
Contact your Nissan dealer at your earliest convenience in order to arrange an appointment to have your vehicle repaired. Until then, check engine oil regularly and fill as needed. If you notice excessive engine noise or an abnormal odor from the engine compartment, you should stop driving and contact your Nissan dealer to arrange to have the vehicle towed to the dealer for repair.

Please bring this notice with you when you keep your service appointment. Instructions have been sent to your Nissan dealer. If the dealer fails, or is unable to make the necessary repairs free of charge, you may contact the National Consumer Affairs Office, Nissan North America, Inc. at P.O. Box 191, Gardena, California 90248-0191. The toll free number is 1-800-333-0829.

You may also contact the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20590 or call the toll free Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.