IllustrationTHIS IS A CONCERN ISSUE...THE ADJUSTABLE SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR PROTRUDES FROM SIDE POST 1" AT MY HEIGHT SEAT ADJUSTMENT IT PLACES MY HEAD ALONGSIDE THIS ANCHOR POST. ON A SIDE IMPACT (WITH NO SIDE BAGS AVAILABLE ON THIS MODEL YEAR) COULDN'T THIS CAUSE SEVERE (UNNECESSARILY) HEAD INJURY ?*JB
1998 Nissan Altima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Nissan Altima do not stand out strongly from 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 →123Owner complaints
Model-year median: 231
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1998 Nissan Altima
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 123 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: 15 reports
- Electrical System: 15 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 14 reports
- Fuel System, Gasoline: 14 reports
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 12 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
Compare all Altima years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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: 29 of 123 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 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports2 fire reports9 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
2 reportsIN MARCH 2001, I HAD MY CHILD IN A CAR SEAT BUCKLED IN THE BACK MIDDLE SEAT. WHEN I WENT TO GET HER OUT OF HER CAR SEAT WHEN WE STOPPED THE LAP BELT WAS BROKE. I HAD IT REPLACED IN APRIL AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF SEAT BELT AND THEY SAID ALL THEY CAN DO IS ORDER THE SAME ONE …
Read full complaint
IN MARCH 2001, I HAD MY CHILD IN A CAR SEAT BUCKLED IN THE BACK MIDDLE SEAT. WHEN I WENT TO GET HER OUT OF HER CAR SEAT WHEN WE STOPPED THE LAP BELT WAS BROKE. I HAD IT REPLACED IN APRIL AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF SEAT BELT AND THEY SAID ALL THEY CAN DO IS ORDER THE SAME ONE THEY REPLACED THAT BROKE WHICH I DON'T WANT BECAUSE IT ISN'T SAFE IT CAN'T HOLD A 30 LB. KID. WHEN I CALLED 1-800-NISSAN1 THE LADY ON THE PHONE TOLD ME THAT IT ISN'T MEANT FOR CAR SEATS IT PUTS TOO MUCH OF A STRAIN ON THE SEAT BELT CAUSING IT TO BREAK. I CALLED THE HIGHWAY PATROL BECAUSE THAT IS WEAR THEY INSTALL IT AND THEY SAID UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A SEAT BELT BREAK. IT IS ALSO IN THE CAR MANUAL TO INSTALL THE CAR SEAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BACK SEAT AS WELL. I AM LUCKY THAT I WASN'T INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THAT MAY HAVE SEVERLY INJURED OR KILLED MY DAUGHTER. I THINK THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. *AK
Recall campaigns
0No 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
0No 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.