Nissan Recall 03V-084: Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe

Affected: 2002–2003 Nissan Altima, 2002 Nissan Sentra. Filed with NHTSA on March 11, 2003, covering about 338,000 vehicles.

The problem

On certain vehicles equipped with the 2.5 liter engine, the exhaust pipe hanger pin May catch debris from the road that could be ignited by contact with the main catalyst. Also on 2002 altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions May cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate.

The risk

Either of these two conditions could result in a fire.

The fix

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. Owner notification began on July 28, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261. Nissan recall nos. R3007, r3014, r3015, r3016, r3017. 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 which could result in a fire. 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.

Recall details

NHTSA campaign03V-084 (03V084000)
Manufacturer numberR3007/14/15/16/17
ManufacturerNissan North America, Inc.
ComponentEngine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Report dateMarch 11, 2003
Owners notifiedJuly 28, 2003
Vehicles affected338,000
Initiated byNHTSA investigation

Vehicles covered

Owner complaints about the engine & cooling

Frequently asked questions

Is the recall 03V-084 repair free?

Yes. Nissan dealers will fix the problem at no cost: 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…

How do I know if my car is included?

Not every vehicle of the listed model years is affected — the recall covers 338,000 vehicles built in a certain window. Check your 17-character VIN with our VIN recall check or at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.