IllustrationTHE CAR WOULD NOT START UNTIL THE BATTERY WAS JUMPED, THEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING TURNED OFF, THE ALTERNATOR WENT DEAD MAKING IT UNABLE TO START. DEALER SAYS THE VEHICLE NEEDS NEW ALTERNATOR. *AK
1995 Nissan Altima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 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: 21 of 180 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 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
37 crash reports7 fire reports24 injury reports
What owners actually said
180 reportsA GASKET ON MY ENGINE STARTED LEAKING AT AROUND 64000 MILES. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT IT WAS A GASKET UNTIL ABOUT 72000 MILES WHEN I REPORTED IT TO NISSAN. SINCE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER ON WARRANTY NISSAN DIDNT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE LEAK IS ON A SECTION OF THE MOTOR THAT IS BETWEEN THE BLOCK AND THE OIL PAN. NISSAN U…
Read full complaint
A GASKET ON MY ENGINE STARTED LEAKING AT AROUND 64000 MILES. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT IT WAS A GASKET UNTIL ABOUT 72000 MILES WHEN I REPORTED IT TO NISSAN. SINCE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER ON WARRANTY NISSAN DIDNT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE LEAK IS ON A SECTION OF THE MOTOR THAT IS BETWEEN THE BLOCK AND THE OIL PAN. NISSAN USED SILICONE VTR TO SEAL THESE TWO PARTS. NISSAN SHOULD HAVE USED A STANDARD PAPER TYPE GASKET. THIS GASKET SHOULD NOT HAVE STARTED LEAKING AT THIS MILEAGE. A NISSAN MAECHANIC THAT I SPOKE TO AT GROSSMANS NISSAN IN OLD SAYBROOK, CT TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A TYPICAL PROBLEM ON THIS MOTOR AND HAS SEEN THE PROBLEM QUITE A FEW TIMES ON ALTIMAS. THIS OIL LEAKAGE COULD BE VERY HAZORDOUS IF IT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE UP ON THE HIGHWAY.
VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN INTERMITTENTLY WHENEVER VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPLACED DEFECTIVE IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR AT CONSUMER 'S EXPENSE. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 5 MPH WHEN SHE SLIGHTLY BUMPED VEHICLE AHEAD, AND THE DRIVER'S AND THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING AND THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER. CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER FOR PARTS . *AK
VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
ELECTRICAL FAILURES. BATTERY FAILED THEN 6 MONTHS LATER THE ALTENATOR FAILED.
CONSUMER WAS PARKED WHEN NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE FROM PARK . DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WILL NOT REPAIR UNLESS COST IS PICKED UP BY THE CONSUMER. *AK
WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, TRAVELING 10 TO 15 MPH, VEHICLE IMPACTED WITH THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. PASSENGER SUSTAINED AN EYE INJURY, BROKEN NOSE, FACIAL SWELLING AND CONCUSSION. DRIVER WAS ALSO INJURED. *AK
WHILE SITTING IN PARKING LOT, WITH NO IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INJURING DRIVER OF VEHICLE. ONCE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, MANUFACTURER SEIZED VEHICLE AND WOULD NOT ALLOW IT TO BE FIXED PENDING INVESTIGATION.
Official recalls
303V150000 · 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.
95V008000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Jan 24, 1995
CERTAIN OF THE BRAKE HOSES FOR THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WERE ROUTED INCORRECTLY SO THAT CONTACT IS MADE WITH A SUSPENSION COMPONENT. THIS CAUSES ABRASION TO THE HOSE AND EVENTUAL LEAKAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A LEAKING BRAKE HOSE REDUCES BRAKING CAPABILITY, INCREASES STOPPING DISTANCES AND INCREASES THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE HOSE WILL BE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE IF IT IS ROUTED CORRECTLY. MISROUTED HOSES WILL BE INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE, REPLACED IF NECESSARY, AND CORRECTLY ROUTED.
94V165000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
Sep 2, 1994
THE SHIFT LEVER LOCK PLATE, WHICH PREVENTS THE SHIFT LEVER FROM BEING INADVERTENTLY MOVED FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR NEUTRAL POSITION, CAN BE BROKEN BY THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT POSITION PIN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INADVERTENT MOVEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER WITHOUT OPERATOR ACTION CAN CAUSE VEHICLE MOVEMENT WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A BRACKET TO PREVENT THE SHIFT POSITION PIN FROM BREAKING THE SHIFT LEVER LOCK PLATE.
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.