The defect
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, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. AT EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES, MOISTURE IN THE FUEL TANK COULD FREEZE AND FORM ICE CRYSTALS. THESE ICE CRYSTALS MAY OBSTRUCT THE SUCTION OPENING OF THE FUEL PUMP.
The 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.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SCREEN AT THE SUCTION OPENING OF THE FUEL PUMP TO PREVENT ICE CRYSTALS FROM BLOCKING THE OPENING. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-333-0829.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Nissan Altima | 2002, 2003 |
Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Altima | 2002 | 1,047 | 5 |
| Nissan Altima | 2003 | 883 | 4 |
Other fuel system, gasoline recalls in 2003
41 of the 527 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2003 concerned the fuel system, gasoline; NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. filed 216 campaigns in all.
| 03V531000 16 Dec 2003 | MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS |
| 03V529000 12 Dec 2003 | MASERATI NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 03V510000 8 Dec 2003 | HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY |
| 03V482000 19 Nov 2003 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 03V454000 10 Nov 2003 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 03V471000 10 Nov 2003 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 03V442000 4 Nov 2003 | MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 03V443000 4 Nov 2003 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2003