SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← New search

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.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
92Owner complaints

Model-year median: 231

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1996 Nissan Altima

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 92 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Air Bags: 37 reports
  • Electrical System: 11 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 8 reports
  • Power Train: 7 reports
  • Vehicle Speed Control: 6 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    122
    1993    106
    1994    180
    1995    92
    1996    108
    1997    123
    1998    87
    1999
    Compare all Altima years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Air Bags
    37    Electrical System
    11    Engine And Engine Cooling
    8    Power Train
    7    Vehicle Speed Control
    6
    All reported categories
    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    5    Visibility
    5    Exterior Lighting
    4    Structure
    4    Suspension
    4    Unknown Or Other
    4    Fuel System, Gasoline
    3    Steering
    3    Equipment
    1    Fuel/propulsion System
    1    Interior Lighting
    1    Latches/locks/linkages
    1    Seat Belts
    1    Seats
    1    Tires
    1    Wheels
    1

    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: 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

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

    5 reports
    Clear category filter
    Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2002
    Service Brakes, HydraulicVisibility

    BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS SQUEAKED EXCESSIVELY WHETHER NEW OR WORN. FRONT DEFOGGER VENTS ON DASH SEPARATED FROM DASH AS DASH CONTINUES TO SWELL AND DEFORM OVER TIME IN A PREMATURE MANNER I HAVE ALSO OBSERVED THIS DEFECT ON MANY OTHER ALTIMAS

    NHTSA ODI #756891

    Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 2002
    Service Brakes, Hydraulic

    UPON INSPECTION OF BRAKE FAILURE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT UNDERBODY CORROSION PENETRATED THE BRAKE FLUID LINES CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE. FURTHER, CORROSION IS SO PERVASIVE THE CAR IS BEYOND REPAIR. NISSAN HAS DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY AND DECLINED ANY REPARATIONS.*AK

    NHTSA ODI #756849

    Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2001
    Service Brakes, Hydraulic

    I HAVE HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES SQUEAKING ON THIS CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES WORKED ON ON 3 OCCASIONS IN A 6 MONTH PERIOD AND THE BRAKES STILL SQUEAK. I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NISSAN ALTIMA BRAKES OR IF IT IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT WITH MY CAR. I HAVE HAD NEW BRAKE P…

    Read full complaint

    I HAVE HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES SQUEAKING ON THIS CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES WORKED ON ON 3 OCCASIONS IN A 6 MONTH PERIOD AND THE BRAKES STILL SQUEAK. I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NISSAN ALTIMA BRAKES OR IF IT IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT WITH MY CAR. I HAVE HAD NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS PUT ON...SQUEAKED. THEN WE CHANGED TO ORGANIC PADS...SQUEAKED. AT THIS POINT, I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO DO.*AK

    NHTSA ODI #752331

    Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 1999
    Air BagsPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

    GEAR STICK WOULD NOT MOVE INTO PARK. YH

    NHTSA ODI #547543

    Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 1996
    Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

    BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AND HAD A FRONTAL COLLISION. TT

    NHTSA ODI #978168

    Recall campaigns

    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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.

    Go deeper into Nissan Altima problems

    Nissan Altima electrical problems →Nissan Altima transmission problems →