2017 Nissan Altima Complaints
Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA
386
Total
24
Crashes
7
Fires
23
Injuries
0
Deaths
Most Reported Components
Recent Complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 07/20/2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle from a private seller on Facebook Marketplace, the vehicle was then sold to a third person. The contact was informed by the third owner that the mileage on the vehicle was incorrect. The contact obtained a vehicle history report and discovered the mileage discrepancy. At the time the contact purchased the vehicle on the Facebook Marketplace, the seller listed the mileage at 108,757. It was later discovered that in June 2022, the mileage was listed as 156,000.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 07/09/2026
Driving on the freeway and car goes into limp mode very dangerous situation as spend was reduced and almost got rear ended by truck
AIR BAGS — Filed 05/28/2026
AIRBAG LIGHT UNEXPECTANTLY CAME ON WITHOUT ANY COLLISION ACTION, OR OTHER UNUSUAL ACTIVITY ON 5/28/26. DELAY GETTING CAR FOR INSPECTION DUE TO PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. ON 6/29/26 CAR CHECKED A NISSAN DEALERSHIP. INSPECTED AND CHECKED CODES. CODED AS B0020-13 FOR AIR BAG MODULE DEFECTIVE. RECOMMENDED REPLACING DRIVER SIDE FRONT SEAT BACK. THIS NISSAN ALTIMA 2017 NOT UNDER RECALL, AND CALL NOT UNDER WARRANTY. SAFETY OF DRIVER AND PASSENGERS AT RISK.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 07/12/2026
Car not starting. Narrowed down to brake light switch not functioning properly. Jumped across the switch, car started. Push button ignition requires brakes to be depressed to start the vehicle. We have been close to being rear-ended twice lately. No warning lights signifying a problem. This is the second Altima I owned with this exact same failure to occur. First was a 2010 Altima S 2.5
SUSPENSION — Filed 07/02/2026
The rear lower arm control snapped while driving on even surface road. I’m a female and when I heard the pop I got out and inspected the car. Could have caused injury to myself or other motorists. Confirmed with two mechanics that this in fact was the rear arm control and that they have had these issues with a lot of Nissan Altima and Sentra. Was advised to take to Nissan dealership to see if they will repair-which I did, but I’m currently awaiting a response by Nissan to see if they will cover it. The car has been making a squeaky sound but it comes and goes. The check engine light came on but displayed loose fuel cap and it goes out when I put gas in my car from time to time. I’ve also heard that is another issue with Nissan with the loose fuel cap. I just want my vehicle repaired. It is maintained although it is a 2017 and has 157,000 miles. No real issues until now.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES — Filed 06/26/2026
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the hood unexpectedly opened and struck the front windshield. The failure caused windshield glass shards to fly into the contact's eyes. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and called the insurance company, which dispatched a tow truck to the location. The contact was waiting for the ambulance to arrive to receive medical attention. While waiting for the ambulance and tow truck to arrive, the contact researched and discovered that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V315000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the contact had not received the recall notification. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 03/25/2026
The first code it threw was for the master air flow sensor then it started bogging out not going over 1RPM -throwing the code "P17F0 CVT Judder" and has left me in some really,really bad situations in traffic, and when it boggs down like that (no matter how many times I turn it off and restart it, even if the battery drains all the way out and I have to get a jump) I have to wait two hours after unhooking the battery and sit for an hour if not more before I can start it up and actually get down the rd. And it runs great like nothing was wrong it. But doesn't get far before doing it again
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 04/28/2026
The issue appears to involve the vehicle’s battery system. The issue is abnormal battery drain and corrosion buildup on the battery terminals. The failure results in the vehicle being unable to start without warning. The battery and affected components are available for inspection upon request. This issue creates a safety risk because the vehicle can become inoperable without warning, leaving me stranded. This could occur in unsafe or vulnerable situations, such as being stuck in traffic, in an isolated area, or during extreme weather conditions. The unpredictability of the failure increases the risk, as there is no reliable warning before the vehicle will not start. I've been stranded multiple times. Yes. An independent mechanic can confirm the issue. There were little to no warning indicators prior to failure. The issue primarily presents as unexpected battery drain and corrosion, followed by the vehicle failing to start. Any symptoms that did occur were inconsistent and did not provide sufficient warning of the impending failure.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 05/03/2026
Dear NHTSA, I am writing to formally report a dangerous design oversight and safety hazard regarding the trunk lid support mechanism on the Nissan Altima. On [Date of Incident], while the vehicle was parked, a gust of wind caused the trunk lid to slam shut unexpectedly. The metal door latch struck me directly in the frontal region of the skull, resulting in an injury that required medical monitoring for potential brain trauma. The current design relies exclusively on torsion bars or gas struts to maintain an open position. These components are prone to wear and environmental fatigue, and they lack a mechanical "positive lock" or secondary safety catch. Consequently, the trunk lid acts as a sail in windy conditions, easily overcoming the lift support and turning the heavy lid and metal latch assembly into a falling hazard for any consumer loading or unloading the vehicle. While Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) focus heavily on internal trunk releases (Standard No. 401), there is a significant gap regarding the prevention of sudden, gravity-induced or wind-induced lid collapse. I am requesting that the NHTSA: Investigate the frequency of "unintended closing" injuries related to Nissan Altima trunk lift systems. Evaluate whether the lift-support specifications for this model are sufficient to withstand common wind gusts. Mandate a mechanical locking mechanism or more robust secondary safety catches to prevent these lids from becoming dangerous projectiles. [XXX] Vehicle Information: Make: Nissan Model: Altima Year: [2017] Estimated Mileage: [105000] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
AIR BAGS,SEATS — Filed 02/01/2026
The passenger airbag system failed, specifically the occupant sensor and the pad beneath the passenger seat. These components are responsible for detecting whether a passenger is present and ensuring the airbag deploys correctly in a crash. I've also been told that I may be at risk of not having my airbag deploy in an accident. My vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I am a single mother. My child rides in the vehicle regularly, and my elderly parents occasionally ride in the passenger seat . Because the occupant sensor has failed, the passenger airbag may be suppressed entirely in the event of a collision. No passenger in the front seat would have airbag protection in an accident, and it's possible I would not either. We have been driving under these conditions for an extended period of time without a remedy. A trusted independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and confirmed the fault. They diagnosed the issue as a failure of the occupant classification sensor and seat pad, and noted that recalibration was attempted. The recalibration did not resolve the problem, and the airbag warning light remains on. I have not yet taken the vehicle to a Nissan dealership for diagnosis. It has not been inspected by Nissan, law enforcement, or insurance representatives. The airbag warning light on the dashboard has been illuminated continuously for many months. The light is solid, not flashing, which my mechanic indicated reflects a confirmed, persistent fault in the system rather than an intermittent issue. There were no prior symptoms before the light appeared.
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