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Free public service · Official NHTSA & EPA data

2021 Nissan Altima

Verified July 23, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
2
on record
MPG
32
combined

Open recalls on record

2 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.

Vehicle Summary

2021 Nissan Altima

2 recalls
68 complaints
32 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Check all recalls are completed
Review consumer complaints
Verify no crash-related complaints
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
2
Owner complaints
68
Complaints citing a crash
6

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

2 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

2 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 21V138000high

    Steering issue

    STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Nissan Altima vehicles. The tie rod ball joint fastener was not tightened properly, which could result in the tie rod ball joint detaching from the steering knuckle.

  • 23V628000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consumer complaints

68 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

68
Total
6
Crashes
1
Fires
4
Injuries

Most reported components

  • BRAKES20
  • ELECTRICAL15
  • OTHER11
  • ENGINE9
  • SEAT BELTS3

Notable Issues

68 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 4 reports involve injuries. 6 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

brake problems (soft pedal, noise, failure)20
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)15
miscellaneous issues11

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Sedan
Drive type
FWD
Engine
2.5L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Regular Gasoline
Transmission
Automatic
Seats
5

Fuel economy

28

City

39

Hwy

32

Comb

Annual cost
$1,900
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Adjacent model years

All Nissan Altima years

Common problems

Nissan Altima problems

2,660 owner complaints analysed

Systems recalled

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation PE23023

    Complete loss of motive power due to engine failure

  2. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation PE23023

    Complete loss of motive power due to engine failure

  3. Recall

    Recall 23V628000

    A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

  4. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation AQ22003

    Hertz/Vehicles Rented with Open Recalls

  5. Recall

    Recall 21V138000

    A detached tie rod ball joint can cause a loss of steering control, and increase the risk of a crash.