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1996 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Nissan Altima are lower than the model-year median of 231.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 9 of 92 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 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

20 crash reports5 fire reports10 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

37 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jun 21, 2013
Air BagsElectrical SystemSuspensionCrash

MY CAR CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP, BUT MY CAR JUST DIDN'T & MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. EVEN BEFORE THE CRASH, THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF, & I CAN BARELY SEE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS! ALSO, MY CAR MAKES LOUD CRANKING NOISES WHEN I TURN. EVERY CAR I SEE LIKE MINE, HAS A SMASHED UP FRONT…

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MY CAR CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP, BUT MY CAR JUST DIDN'T & MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. EVEN BEFORE THE CRASH, THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF, & I CAN BARELY SEE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS! ALSO, MY CAR MAKES LOUD CRANKING NOISES WHEN I TURN. EVERY CAR I SEE LIKE MINE, HAS A SMASHED UP FRONT END & HAS ALL THE SAME ISSUES. I CAN'T CURRENTLY AFFORD A NEW CAR, BUT I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE MINE, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE. HELP ME PLEASE! WHO CAN I CONTACT? I STRONGLY BELIEVE THESE CARS ARE NOT FIT FOR DRIVING. I NEED MY PROBLEMS SOLVED FAST BEFORE SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS HAPPENS! IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW DANGEROUS THESE CARS TRULY ARE, I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT SOMETHING ELSE TO KEEP MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD SAFE. I DON'T HAVE THE MEANS AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE TO BUY A SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE VEHICLE. I EVEN HAD TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM COLLEGE, BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO GET MYSELF THERE. IT'S VERY DEVASTATING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10520991

82,150 miles · Jul 16, 2004
Air Bags

I HAVE A 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE. THE AIR BAG SYSTEM DEVELOPED A PROBLEM, I.E. THE INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OUT - IT CONTINUED TO FLASH. UPON DIAGNOSIS BY THE NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO BE A MALFUNCTIONING CONTROL MODULE. THIS WILL CAUSE THE UNIT TO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. I HAVE LEARNED TH…

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I HAVE A 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE. THE AIR BAG SYSTEM DEVELOPED A PROBLEM, I.E. THE INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OUT - IT CONTINUED TO FLASH. UPON DIAGNOSIS BY THE NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO BE A MALFUNCTIONING CONTROL MODULE. THIS WILL CAUSE THE UNIT TO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. I HAVE LEARNED THROUGH THE NHTSA WEBSITE THAT NISSAN HAS HAD PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THESE AIR BAG SYSTEMS, AND MY PROBLEM MAY BE A CONTINUATION OF THESE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10081181

70,000 miles · Jul 13, 2004
Air Bags

AIR BAG MODULE. LIGHT ON DASH STARTED TO FLASH . TOOK CAR TO DEALER SHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE AIRBAG MODULAR AFTER THEY CHECK OUT THE COMPUTER. I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER IF THEIR WAS A RECALL ON THIS AND HE SAID NO. I ASKED IF THIS WAS COMMON AND HE SAID HE HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE IN THIS MODEL AND YEAR. THE PART COST OVER $55…

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AIR BAG MODULE. LIGHT ON DASH STARTED TO FLASH . TOOK CAR TO DEALER SHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE AIRBAG MODULAR AFTER THEY CHECK OUT THE COMPUTER. I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER IF THEIR WAS A RECALL ON THIS AND HE SAID NO. I ASKED IF THIS WAS COMMON AND HE SAID HE HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE IN THIS MODEL AND YEAR. THE PART COST OVER $550.00 NOT INSTALLED. HE TOLD ME TO TRY TO FIND ONE IN A JUNK YARD, TOLD ME HOW TO REMOVE AND INSTALL SAME AND EVEN OFFERED TO LET ME BORROW THE SPECIAL TOOL NEEDED TO REMOVE AND INSTALL SAME. THEN I WAS TO BRING BACK CAR TO HAVE THE LIGHT RESET, AS THIS WOULD DETERRMINE IF THE MODULAR THAT I GOT WAS ANY GOOD. IF LIGHT DIDN'T RESET THEN THAT MODULAR WAS NOT GOOD. IT WAS LAST YEAR WHEN THE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND I HAVE NOT AS YET FOUND A MODULAR IN A JUNK YARD. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10080934

74,000 miles · Jul 24, 2003
Air BagsCrash

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A RIGHT-ANGLED FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. NEITHER THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK *CB

NHTSA ODI #10024923

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 2003
Air Bags

AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT

NHTSA ODI #10013880

116,000 miles · Oct 24, 2002
Air Bags

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND THE AIR BAG COULD BE INOPERATIVE IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED.*JB

NHTSA ODI #8021515

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2002
Air Bags

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CONTROL UNIT FOR THE AIRBAG HAD FAILED. CONSUMER FEELS UNSAFE, AIRBAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

NHTSA ODI #8008947

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2002
Air Bags

AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT THAT IS LOCATED ON DASH FLASHES CONSTANTLY WHEN VEHICLE BEING DRIVEN. THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8002248

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2001
Air Bags

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE IN MOTION. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #889757

Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2001
Air BagsCrash

WAS DRIVING 60MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE SIDE SWIPE ALTIMA ON PASSENGER'S SIDE BY DOOR AREA. DRIVER'S FRONT HIT DIVIDER, AND AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #879521

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Nissan Altima problems