2020 Nissan Altima engine problems

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Engine Malfunction" was displayed. Additionally, the vehicle experienced excessive coolant consumption and the engine overheated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the thermostat was replaced; however, the failure recurred and worsened. The vehicle was returned to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a cooling system and head gasket failure. The dealer was contacted and provided with the diagnostic trouble codes, and the dealer recommended an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired and remained parked at the residence for two months. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA complaint #11756811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

When I am driving my car randomly states check engine and makes a beeping noise and then the engine starts to make some type of combustion noise and then slows down and then turns off.

NHTSA complaint #11752874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The warming lights for different items come on at random. Examples :Low washer fluid, gas cap open, speedometer digital speed not showing.

NHTSA complaint #11750677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The car stalls and began to jerk then shuts down the crash symbols comes on and goes off.

NHTSA complaint #11737206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Message popped up while driving saying “engine malfunction power reduced service now”. Pairs with the check engine light coming on

NHTSA complaint #11714289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I received a Recall # R25B1 for my Nissan Altima 2020. I visited my local Nissan Dealer in Chelmsford, MA, on December 30, 2025. They explained that they saw an issue and that I would need a new engine. There are 32,000 miles on this vehicle. They began the process but were then told by Nissan Corporate that it did not meet the requirements of the recall, and they would not be replacing it. I am in the process of heading on a long driving trip and am very concerned with how this was handled. Nissan Customer Relations explained it wasn't covered under warranty, which has nothing to do with a recall. I am very frustrated and disappointed in Nissan. The mechanics at Nissan in Chelmsford took photos and sent them to Nissan, and they still denied it. With the car only having 32000 miles on it, it was probably if anything at the beginning of the failure. Please advise on going forward.

NHTSA complaint #11709354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Need a new engine / gasket confirmed by pep boys. Been at the dealership a lot more than usual lately and they kept telling me everything is fine with my vehicle

NHTSA complaint #11707102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the expressway. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the engine started knocking significantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to slowly pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was later driven to the dealer, where it was test-driven. The dealer informed the contact that there was smoke coming from the vehicle, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V437000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA complaint #11703886 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I am writing to request immediate assistance regarding the recall inspection for my 2020 Nissan Altima Platinum. Last week I received a letter notifying me of an open recall and instructing me to have my vehicle inspected. I brought my car to my local Nissan dealership on Saturday. During the inspection, I was told that metal debris was found in the engine and that the vehicle would need a full engine replacement. I was asked to leave the car at the dealership and was told I would receive a loaner vehicle on Monday. After waiting all day today for an update, I was informed that Nissan declined the engine replacement because the debris found did not “qualify” under the recall. I was told the dealership would clear the debris out of the engine and that I could pick up the car tomorrow. I am very concerned about this decision. Metal debris inside an engine—especially during an active recall related to engine failure—raises serious safety and reliability issues. Simply clearing out the debris does not address the root cause or provide confidence that the vehicle is safe to drive. This matter is urgent, as I must drive more than 1,000 miles soon to take my medically complex daughter to a children’s hospital. I need to trust that my vehicle is safe for long-distance travel. I am requesting a prompt review of my case and a second evaluation to determine whether an engine replacement or another appropriate remedy is necessary to ensure my vehicle’s safety.

NHTSA complaint #11701365 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Unknown. The engine started have overheating issues but never was ran in the overheated zone. We took the car to the dealer and was told the head was cracked. We questioned how that was possible if we never ran it in the overheated zone. We were told they did not know but that several other Customers in the last few weeks have had the same issue. Then we heard about the recall but was told our car was not affected. It needs to be reevaluated. We never ran the car hot.

NHTSA complaint #11699694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA complaint #11695757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V437000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and a case was filed. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint #11685315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I been having issues with my car stalling out and not wanting to start I got the spark plugs replaced by a mechanic and then my car starts over heating I have my car looked at by a mechanic again and I’m told the engine is corrupt by oil and the fuel pump is bad my car can be inspected for this issue as it is having a lot more issues due to the Nissan recalls but my vin doesn’t cover it

NHTSA complaint #11684292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I’ve received notice that my car is subject to engine failure. I’m afraid to drive it and I need this issue fixed ASAP. What should I do?

NHTSA complaint #11684347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V437000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The local dealers were contacted; however, the recall information failed to show while entering the VIN information. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA complaint #11674643 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I am the owner of a 2020 Nissan Altima (VIN: [XXX] ), and I am reaching out to formally report a serious, ongoing issue with the vehicle’s engine performance. I have paid out of pocket for repairs, yet the issue persists, resulting in continuous inconvenience, emotional distress, missed work, and significant financial strain. After researching, I believed my vehicle might have been subject to a recent recall due to widespread reports of engine failure and related concerns in this model. However, the dealership denied any open recalls related to my VIN. The conflicting information, combined with the unresolved mechanical failure, has caused immense frustration. I am requesting a full review of this matter, including whether this issue qualifies under any known recalls, customer service campaigns, or warranty extensions. I am prepared to escalate this issue legally if necessary. Please acknowledge this complaint and inform me of next steps. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11674027 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the message "Engine Malfunction" was displayed, and the check engine, traction control, and Forward Collision Avoidance warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the mass air flow sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred days later. The vehicle was then taken to an independent machinic where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The contact stated that the battery was replaced three additional times by several independent mechanics; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA complaint #11673595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

My check engine light comes on & the it will go off then back on again…

NHTSA complaint #11672057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

My car is said malfunction Loss of engine power

NHTSA complaint #11671307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Since August of 2024 I noticed that my vehicle had strange noises coming from the engine and I was having a coolant loss but did not see anything on the ground. I then took my car to Nissan in New Orleans and they were recommending that I replace my entire engine. I’m not sure of their findings but still to this moment my vehicle still makes the same noise from the engine and still is having a coolant loss. I did notice that the coolant is overfilling in the reservoir tank and leaks out.

NHTSA complaint #11671182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

On the way to work a warning error message came across the dash board saying “ Engine Malfunction Power reduced. Service now” then is turned off. The engine light didn’t come on until a month later saying P0101. P0101 was fixed but the engine malfunction still comes and goes.

NHTSA complaint #11640985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

While accelerating from a complete stop, the car stalled with tires, powertrain, and steering wheel all locked. For 15 seconds, the steering wheel, tires, and car was unable to be manipulated. During acceleration, the speed was less than 15mph when it came to an abrupt stop. Another car behind me almost hit me when my car came to a stop. Car was just serviced for another warranty issue a few months ago by Nissan dealership.

NHTSA complaint #11604036 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

RECEIVED ENGINE MALFUNCTION REDUCED POWER SERVICE NOW MESSAGE WHILE DRIVING (RECEIVED MESSAGE 6 TIMES SO FAR). ERROR GOES AWAY WHEN I SHUT CAR OFF AND RESTART IT, NO CODE IS FOUND WHEN SCANNED AT NISSAN DEALERSHIP. CAR SEEMS TO SHIFT WEIRD DURING A STOP AND FEELS LIKE IT RUNS ROUGH BUT NOTHING IS EVER FOUND AT DEALERSHIP TO BE THE CAUSE.

NHTSA complaint #11600421 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I was driving on the Freeway and without warning my car reduced speed. Then there was a warning bell that showed engine malfunction power reduced. Then the check engine light came and my rear and front warning indicator came on

NHTSA complaint #11595567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

It’s been 2 times that I get the WARNING ⚠️ Sign of Engine Malfunction Power Reduced Service now and at the same time another warning that’s says Malfunction see owners Manual and my car looses it’s power

NHTSA complaint #11595276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Engine failed prematurly with less than 40k miles. All service was completed in a timely fashion. Nissan is taking a long time to get back to me with what next steps are. They are still investigating after 10 days. Pls help.

NHTSA complaint #11591858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

My 2020 Nissan Altima is having issues with the transmission . When you accelerate the engine Jerks, Vibrates , Shutters. It hesitates even when stopping acts like it doesn’t want to shift into another gear . My Tires are always loosing air as well . The Front of my car is always making a sound think suspension issues .

NHTSA complaint #11574113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Vehicle goes into limp mode (shows all engine warring signs flashing ) and my speed goes down to 5-15 miles. This happens instantly and my car will jerk and basically stop where it is at. This is happening when the temp. is below 0 and it is snowing. There is no warring or time to get out of the way of traffic and on the hwy cars are coming up on you. Someone can hit you from behind instantly when this happens. My vehicle has been towed twice to the dealer and i have filed 3 complaints with NIssan consumer care but this is not resolved. All they can do is reset the computer each time. The dealer tells me this is happening all the time but they can not get it do duplicate when they have it . I have 18K miles and this has happened 3 times in total.

NHTSA complaint #11573431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.