FaultScore

1994 Nissan Altima electrical problems

14 of the 120 complaints about the 1994 Nissan Altima are about the electrical system — 12% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 107,000 miles.

C

14

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Ignition 6 42.9%
Electrical System 2 14.3%
12V/24V/48V Battery 1 7.1%
Front Underhood 1 7.1%
Horn 1 7.1%
Interior/Under Dash 1 7.1%
Switch 1 7.1%
Alternator/Generator/Regulator 1 7.1%

Electrical System across every Nissan Altima year

1994 14 0.8%
1995 16 0.9%
1996 11 0.6%
1997 16 0.9%
1998 15 0.9%
2000 26 1.5%
2001 19 1.1%
2002 79 4.5%
2003 90 5.1%
2004 32 1.8%
2005 98 5.6%
2006 72 4.1%
2007 38 2.2%
2008 90 5.1%
2009 466 26.6%
2010 74 4.2%
2011 31 1.8%
2012 44 2.5%
2013 159 9.1%
2014 71 4.1%
2015 54 3.1%
2016 42 2.4%
2017 26 1.5%
2018 37 2.1%
2019 58 3.3%
2020 42 2.4%
2021 21 1.2%
2023 10 0.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 192,000 miles Tampa, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND WAS RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE DISTRIBUTOR WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, AND THEN LATER TOWED BACK TO THE SAME INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 192,000.

NHTSA complaint #11099838 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 107,000 miles Woonsocket, RI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

MY 94 NISSAN ALTIMA SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WAS SOMETIME IN APRIL OF 2004. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN THE CAR STARTED JURKING AND THE ENGINE DIED. I STARTED THE CAR UP AGAIN AND KEPT ON DRIVING FOR ABOUT 1/2 A MILE (I DROVE FOR ABOUT 10 MILES PRIOR TO THIS CAR FAILURE AND THAN AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED IDLE FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS I DROVE BACK HOME FOR 12 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS). WHILE DRIVING TO SCHOOL A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER FOR ABOUT 8 MILES I SLOWED DOWN TO TAKE AN EXIT OF A HIGHWAY AND THE CAR STARTED JURKING AND THE ENGINE STALLED OUT AND DIED I RESTARTED THE CAR AND DROVE FOR ANOTHER 3 MILES WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS THEN PARKED FOR 7 HOURS WHILE I WAS IN SCHOOL AND I DROVE BACK HOME 12 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS. MY BROTHER IN LAW DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO WORK AND HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM TWICE ON TWO SEPERATE DAYS IN ABOUT THE SAME DISTANCE(8-10 MILES). I DROVE THE CAR TO A MECHANIC BUT HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND WAS RELUCTENT IN TRYING TO FIND THE CAUSE TO THE PROBLEM. NEVERTHELESS, HE REPLACED THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP AND THE DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR. I KEPT THE CAR RUNNING IN MY PARKING LOT AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE CAR RAN FINE FOR 3 HOURS THEN THE ENGINE STARTED JURKING IN BETWEEN 2000RPM AND 3000RPM AND THE ENGINE DIED. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT RAN FOR ANOTHER 20MIN AND IT DIED AGAIN AND WOULD NOT RESTART FOR ANOTHER SEVERAL HOURS. I DROVE TO DIFFERENT SHOPS BUT NO MECHANIC WANTED TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS HARD TO FIND. SOME MECHANICS MADE SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG. SO I REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER THE FUEL PUMP AND THE ALTERNATOR AND I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IF YOU HAVE ANY REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM PLEASE LET ME KNOW.THANKS. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE CAR IS NISSAN MOTOR CORPORATION U.S.A GARDENA, CALIFIRNIA. THIS MANUFACTURER WAS NOT IN THE DROP DOWN MENU.

NHTSA complaint #10126375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 19,100 miles NEW Castle, DE

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

DURING COLD WEATHER INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE DISTRIBUTOR FIVE TIMES, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10115401 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 114,000 miles LOS Angeles, CA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

ON 2/12/2004 CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON, AND DROVE TO WORK. WITHIN TWO MINUTES, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS.

NHTSA complaint #10059167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Centreville, VA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED.

NHTSA complaint #10045037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Jose, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

FOR THE PAST 15 MONTHS MY CAR HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE, IT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF SHOPS AND NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. CAR DIES ON ME WHEN IT COME TO A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN, VIHICLE LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON AFTER 60 MPH, WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF, IT WILL NOT TURN BACK ON. I HAVE TO WAIT ABOUT AN HOUR FOR IT TO TURN BACK ON. IT WILL ALSO NOT TURN ON IF THE CAR IS UP ON A LITTLE HILL. CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. AND IT IS ALWAYS JURKING ON ME AS IF IT IS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS.

NHTSA complaint #10003017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mobile, AL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

THE VEHICLE HAD A WIRING FAILURE TWICE SINCE I OWN IT. THE FIRST FAILURE APROXIMATELY 65000, AND THE SECOND FAILURE AT APROX 89000. I TROUBLESHOOTED THE PROBLEM AND AFTER DISASSEMBLING ALMOST THE COMPLETE DASHBOARD FOUND 3 WIRES CHAFFING AGAINST A METAL STANDOFF UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG ABOVE THE A/C BLOWER MOTOR. THIS WIRING HAD NO PROTECTION IN THIS TIGHT AREA. THIS COULD VERY WELL START AN ELECTRICAL FIRE ON THE CAR. I FEEL IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM YOU IN THE EVENT THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL PROBLEM IN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #753561 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Magnolia, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

BAD DISTRIBUTOR, PART NOT AVAILABLE IN AN AREA POPULATION OF OVER 5 MILLION, VEHICLE OUT OF SERVICE 14 DAYS AWAITING PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #740866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Charleston, SC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. TINTERIOR LIGHTS IN THE DASHBROAD WENT OUT/ALTERNATOR BLEW OUT, AND POWER WINDOWS WENT UP VERY SLOWY. ELECTRIC SHOP OR AUTO SHOP COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #841099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Farmingdale, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

CONSUMER STATES AT TIMES THE HORN IS INOPERATIVE. ALSO THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO WARN MOTORIST WITH THE HORN INOPERATIVE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE CORRECTED.

NHTSA complaint #819364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cerritos, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

THE CAR BATTERY EXPLODED.

NHTSA complaint #521955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Miami, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING, AND THEN IT STOPS. CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. CANNOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. TT

NHTSA complaint #973712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dallas, GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VEHICLE AUTOMATIC GEAR FROZE IN PARK AFTER WATER CONDENSATION FROM CUP HOLDER CONTACTED A SOLENOID.SOLENOID SHORTED OUT AND HAD TO BE TOWED. TT

NHTSA complaint #965515 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Francisc, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

PURCHASED CAR 27 DAY USED, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND CAR CUT OFF. TT

NHTSA complaint #964492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1994 Nissan Altima problems

← Full 1994 Nissan Altima report