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2015 Nissan Altima Complaints

Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA

942

Total

45

Crashes

5

Fires

26

Injuries

0

Deaths

Most Reported Components

LIGHTING
254
ENGINE
195
AIR BAGS
173
OTHER
101
STRUCTURE
46

Recent Complaints

ODI #11751512

SUSPENSION — Filed 07/13/2026

Suspension control arm is snapped off and rusted out well below advertised maintenance recommendations per the manufacturer. I contacted my dealership and they gave me 1 week of "were checking if it's covered" and various run around instead of telling me yes/no. I can't afford not to have my car anymore so I'm getting it repaired somewhere else. NFTSA was investigating this for a recall, you closed the case in June 2026 and now Nissan is no longer covering the repairs. The bolt connecting the tire is still attached but the walls of the arm have shattered off. Perhaps my dealership would have done the right thing I'd I arrived onsite via tow-truck but because I noticed it in my driveway, I'm not getting any straight forward answers.

ODI #11744010

POWER TRAIN — Filed 05/01/2026

Subject: Dangerous Transmission Failure in 2015 Nissan Altima While my 2015 Nissan Altima has always exhibited questionable performance—including abnormal acceleration, hesitation during throttle response, and mismatched RPMs relative to acceleration—the transmission has now begun to severely slip. I have also experienced sudden loss of power, pronounced shuddering, and complete power failure while driving. On multiple occasions, these issues have placed me in dangerous driving situations. It is important to note that I have regularly maintained the vehicle and kept it in mechanically decent shape throughout my ownership. I believe it is critical for other drivers to be aware of these ongoing problems, especially since Nissan appears to be avoiding responsibility for manufacturing such faulty powertrains. New car buyers and those purchasing used vehicles are becoming victims of this defective transmission, which poses a serious risk to passengers, drivers, and others on the road.

ODI #11740805

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 05/17/2026

The contact purchased a 2015 Nissan Altima. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was

ODI #11740293

EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 03/19/2021

When driving at night, the low beam headlights were noticeably dim. The headlight bulbs were replaced and the lenses were cleaned on both headlights. This did not fix the issue. I have also adjusted the angle of them, and they’re still dim. My safety is at risk when I drive at night since I am almost completely unable to see the road using the low beams at night. The problem has not be confirmed by a dealer, but I am willing to let them inspect and confirm it. There were no warning lights when this occurred. I contacted the manufacturer and they were unhelpful.

ODI #11733636

AIR BAGS — Filed 04/24/2026

The passenger seat airbag detection system consistently mis-characterizes whether a passenger is in the seat. The vehicle should have been covered under the 2016 recall - before I owned it. The website doesn’t show any outstanding recall items, but the problem persists.

ODI #11733243

EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 04/15/2025

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the headlights were very dim. Due to the failure, the high beam headlights were activated while driving in low light conditions. No warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 110,000.

ODI #11728845

SUSPENSION — Filed 03/06/2026

At speed, my wife was driving and without warning was pulled into oncoming traffic. Thank goodness, no accident. A completely failed and broken rear control arm (photo attached). I was told Nissan offered an extended 10 year warranty for this. We were 10 months beyond that. This is no exaggeration, people will be killed because of this. The part literally separated in 2, causing the wheel to immediately slant at a near 45-degree outward angle and shoot ther car forcefully across the lane. One day prior she was on the expressway in [XXX] . I can’t imagine the outcome there. To make this an extended warranty item and not a recall to me is this agency not looking out for the citizens of this country. Nissan is protected, but that should not be this agencies mission. This should be a recall. I can’t imagine how many thousands of people are out there this very day with this suspension part right at the breaking point. We received no notice about this extended warranty, no notice that would have prompted me to have it checked out. It was an accident-bomb waiting to explode. The repair was $1500, and despite having a part Nissan themselves admit is prone to failure, they are dodging the financial ramifications of their inadequate part. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ODI #11727833

STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 03/29/2026

The hood to my car randomly unlatched and smashed my windshield while I was going 30mph.

ODI #11725560

SUSPENSION — Filed 03/19/2026

I made a left turn out of my work parking lot and felt a clunk. Shortly afterward, the car started shaking violently at about 10 mph. I relocated it to the Nissan dealer near my workplace and they discovered the rear lower link/control arm was fractured from rust deterioration. I was advised that they had previously had an extended warranty for that item. I told them i was never made aware of that warranty and reached out to Nissan. They told me that because I “failed” to keep track of my warranty i was out of the window on that repair being covered. I asked how i was to know about the issue if not for the part snapping? He insisted that they sent notices (to the address i lived at when i purchased the car in 2015). He then advised that since work was already started on the car there was likely nothing they could do to offer a goodwill adjustment since I’d agreed to the repair. He advised me that i should have called before bringing the car in (to check the status on a warranty i had no idea existed). I take the tollway home. 5 minutes later and i could have died.

ODI #11725621

EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 05/20/2024

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds with the headlights activated, the illumination from the headlights was extremely dim, as if the headlights were not turned on. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to another dealer, where it was determined that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced because the filament behind the light bulbs had disintegrated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

About This Data

Complaints are filed by vehicle owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They represent individual consumer experiences and do not necessarily indicate a widespread defect.

View on NHTSA.gov