FaultScore

Worst years for a Nissan Altima

Owners have filed 20,238 complaints about the Nissan Altima with NHTSA across model years 1993 to 2025. More of them are about the engine & cooling than anything else.

Avoid

2014 Nissan Altima

1,396 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly lights.

Cleanest on record

2004 Nissan Altima

334 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Nissan Altima year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2025 B 10 3 0 Transmission & Drivetrain
2024 C 62 13 2 15,073 Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
2023 C 39 10 1 5,300 Electrical System
2022 B 55 8 3 Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
2021 C 120 17 3 41,000 Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
2020 C 262 28 8 14,500 Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
2019 D 356 40 7 14,000 Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
2018 B 322 16 0 36,000 Other & Unspecified
2017 C 521 33 8 55,760 Transmission & Drivetrain
2016 C 790 44 4 57,786 Transmission & Drivetrain
2015 D 1,203 61 11 52,000 Lights
2014 D 1,396 74 11 63,000 Lights
2013 D 2,981 104 19 63,000 Airbags
2012 C 579 41 5 75,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2011 C 320 18 8 72,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2010 C 541 40 14 52,000 Electrical System
2009 D 2,150 55 15 78,000 Steering
2008 D 1,376 73 22 72,000 Body & Structure
2007 C 598 39 29 65,000 Suspension
2006 D 1,043 58 18 90,000 Engine & Cooling
2005 D 1,364 71 25 85,513 Engine & Cooling
2004 B 334 18 3 71,000 Engine & Cooling
2003 D 1,099 61 16 86,500 Engine & Cooling
2002 D 1,321 41 43 87,050 Engine & Cooling
2001 C 202 29 2 70,000 Engine & Cooling
2000 C 199 34 6 84,000 Engine & Cooling
1999 C 110 29 3 88,500 Brakes
1998 B 141 20 3 120,000 Fuel & Propulsion
1997 B 141 40 7 120,000 Airbags
1996 C 117 27 5 83,075 Airbags
1995 B 216 49 11 110,500 Airbags
1994 B 120 37 2 126,000 Airbags
1993 B 150 25 3 122,000 Acceleration & Cruise Control

What breaks on a Nissan Altima

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Engine & Cooling 3,482 17.2%

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2013

Airbags 1,967 9.7%

Worst in 2013

Electrical System 1,775 8.8%

Worst in 2009

Body & Structure 1,769 8.7%

Worst in 2005

Other & Unspecified 1,496 7.4%

Worst in 2013

Steering 1,346 6.7%

Worst in 2009

Lights 1,235 6.1%

Worst in 2013

Suspension 920 4.5%

Worst in 2013

Brakes 769 3.8%

Worst in 2008

Worst in 2016

Worst in 2008

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2013

Exactly what failed on a Nissan Altima

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Body 1,197 45.1%
Engine 432 16.3%
Frontal 215 8.1%
Exhaust System 180 6.8%
Automatic Transmission 150 5.6%
Headlights 120 4.5%
Catalytic Convertor 101 3.8%
Latch 90 3.4%
Automatic Emergency Braking 88 3.3%
Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe 82 3.1%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Nissan Altima, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jan 1995 peak 227 Aug 2026

Nissan Altima problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Nissan Altima

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.