IllustrationI WAS TRAVELING AT 50MPH WHEN I HIT THE BACK OF A TRUCK AND HAD TO REPLACE MY HOOD, FRONT BUMPER, HEADLIGHT MOUNTS, A/C CONDENSOR, GRILL, AND OTHER PARTS. MY AIRBAGS ON BOTH SIDES DID NOT COME OUT. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY.
1994 Nissan Altima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Nissan Altima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 231.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Altima years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 16 of 106 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
34 crash reports2 fire reports24 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
40 reportsANOTHER VEHICLE RAN STOP LIGHT, HIT MY WIFE HEAD ON. MY WIFE SUFFERED INJURIES TO HER FACE AND MOUTH WHEN SHE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. POLICE ESTIMATE THAT OTHER VEHICLE WAS GOING OVER 50 MPH, MY WIFE WAS STOPPED. NEITHER DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. AIRBAGS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE DEPLOYED (ALSO A NISSAN). I …
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ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN STOP LIGHT, HIT MY WIFE HEAD ON. MY WIFE SUFFERED INJURIES TO HER FACE AND MOUTH WHEN SHE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. POLICE ESTIMATE THAT OTHER VEHICLE WAS GOING OVER 50 MPH, MY WIFE WAS STOPPED. NEITHER DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. AIRBAGS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE DEPLOYED (ALSO A NISSAN). I WISH TO FORMALLY REPORT THE FAILURE OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IN MY VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35-40 MPH HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A TELEPHONE POLE IN WHICH DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, AND DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THIS CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
AIR BAG LIGHT IS BLINKING.*ET
WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY STREET TRAVELLING ABOUT 20MPH, PULLED INTO THE LEFT HAND TURNING LANE AS PROCEEDING TO MAKE THE TURN, A VEHICLE IN THE FAST LANE HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND TOTALLED IT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. AIRBAG DEPLOYED LATER AFTER THE CRASH AS DRIVER UNBUCKLED SEATBELT, RESULTED IN INJURY.…
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WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY STREET TRAVELLING ABOUT 20MPH, PULLED INTO THE LEFT HAND TURNING LANE AS PROCEEDING TO MAKE THE TURN, A VEHICLE IN THE FAST LANE HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND TOTALLED IT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. AIRBAG DEPLOYED LATER AFTER THE CRASH AS DRIVER UNBUCKLED SEATBELT, RESULTED IN INJURY. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK *ML
VEHICLE HIT A ROCK ON SIDE OF A HILL AT ABOUT 40MPH WHILE SPINNING, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
DRIVER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. PASSENGER IN RIGHT FRONT SEAT WAS HIT IN THE FACE BY THE DEPLOYING AIR BAG AND WAS PERMANENTLY BLINDED IN BOTH EYES. *AK
AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT FAILED SEVERAL TIMES, CAUSING AIR BAG LIGHT TO FLASH.
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 35 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY PROPERLY IN A FRONT END CRASH, INJURY TO THE DRIVER AND HIS PASSENGER WAS MORE SEVERE THAN IF THE AIR BAG HAD DEPLOYED PROPERLY, THE DRIVER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED WHIPLASH. *AK *SLC
Official recalls
203V150000 · Air Bags:frontal
Apr 25, 2003
NISSAN IS RECALLING MY 1994 AND EARLY 1995 ALTIMA VEHICLES FOLLOWING REPORTS THAT PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS IN THESE VEHICLES HAD CAUSED A NUMBER OF MODERATE-TO-SEVERE EYE INJURIES. NISSAN HAS DEVELOPED A NEW PASSENGER AIR BAG THAT IS LESS POWERFUL WHEN IT INFLATES IN A CRASH TO REDUCE THE RISK OF AIR BAG INFLATION-RELATED INJURIES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: NISSAN EXPECTS THAT THIS NEW AIR BAG CAN HELP REDUCE THE RISK OF AIR BAG INFLATION-RELATED INJURIES.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL REPLACE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AT NO CHARGE TO THE CONSUMER. THE MANUFACTURER HAS REPORTED THAT OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 28, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
94V035000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Feb 28, 1994
ENGINE MOVEMENT CAN BE TRANSMITTED TO THE AIRFLOW METER/FILTER HOUSING AND SUPPORT BRACKET, WHICH IS MOUNTED IN THE ENGINE AIR DUCT, CAUSING THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING TO PULL OUT OF THE CABLE GUIDE. THIS MAY PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS RELEASED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL REPOSITION THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING IN THE SUPPORT BRACKET TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SLACK FOR ENGINE MOVEMENT. A RUBBER STOPPER WILL BE CLAMPED TO THE CABLE TO MAINTAIN THE CORRECT POSITION FOR THE CABLE AT THE SUPPORT BRACKET. IN ADDITION, THE THROTTLE CABLE WILL BE TESTED FOR PULL OUT RESISTANCE FROM THE GUIDE IN THE EVENT THE CABLE WAS DAMAGED. THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY WILL BE REPLACED, IF NECESSARY.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA01015 · Passenger Air BAG-RELATED Facial/eye Inj
Opened Aug 9, 2001 · Closed Apr 24, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal
BY LETTER DATEDAPRIL 11, 2003, NISSAN NOTIFIED NHTSAIT WILL CONDUCT A CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG MODULE WITH A DEPOWERED AIR BAG MODULE IN MODEL YEAR 1994 - EARLY 1995 (BUILT PRIOR TO MARCH 2, 1995) NISSAN ALTIMA VEHICLES. THE REPLACEMENT MODULE WILL BE PROVIDED AT NO CHARGE TO OWNERS.THE DEPOWERED AIR BAG SHOULD REDUCE THE OVERALL RISK OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT-RELATED INJURIES. THE AIR BAG REPLACEMENT CAMPAIGN TO BE CONDUCTED BY NISSAN, WHICH WILL ENHANCE SAFETY AND BE MONITORED BY NHTSA, SUFFICIENTLY ADDRESSES THE SAFETY CONCERNS RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE ATTACHED REPORT
PE01008 · Passenger Air BAG-RELATED Eye Injuries
Opened Mar 13, 2001 · Closed Aug 9, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal
No summary supplied.