IllustrationAIR CONDITIONER FAILED RESULTED IN LEAKAGE. MJS
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.
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: 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
What owners actually said
123 reportsREAR SUSPENSION REPAIRED TWO TIMES, HOWEVER NOT REMEDIED. YH
CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING, RELAY SWITCH REPLACED BECAUSE
CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT A PARKING LOT WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK HIS VEHICLE ON THE RIGHT CORNER. THEN WHEN CONSUMER TRIED TO DRIVE VEHICLE AWAY FROM THE OTHER VEHICLE, HE STEPPED ON THE BRAKES TO STOP, BUT VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. VEHICLE WENT OVER THE SIDEWALK. *AK
DRIVING 60-65MPH THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE; LOT OF PLAY. WOULD HAPPEN ON STRAIGHT ROADWAY. VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT. HAD AN ACCIDENT. WILL BE TAKING TO DEALER. *AK
MY SON WRECKED MY CAR WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN UNSAFE LEFT TURN. THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLES WERE ABOUT 10 MPH FOR THE NISSAN AND ABOUT 40 MPH FOR THE OTHER VEHICLE (FORD EXPLORER). THE FRONT OF THE NISSAN IS GONE AND THE AIRGABS DIDN'T DEPLOY. LUCKILY, THEY WERE NOT NEEDED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES, BUT I FEET THAT THE IM…
Read full complaint
MY SON WRECKED MY CAR WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN UNSAFE LEFT TURN. THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLES WERE ABOUT 10 MPH FOR THE NISSAN AND ABOUT 40 MPH FOR THE OTHER VEHICLE (FORD EXPLORER). THE FRONT OF THE NISSAN IS GONE AND THE AIRGABS DIDN'T DEPLOY. LUCKILY, THEY WERE NOT NEEDED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES, BUT I FEET THAT THE IMPACT SHOULD HAVE ACTIVATED THEM. I TALKED TO THE DEALER AND ASDED THAT THEY SEND SOMEONE TO LOOK AT THE CAR BUT THEY HAVE NOT TAKEN MY REQUEST SERIOUSLY. I JUST GOT A NUMBER FOR NISSAN CORP THAT I PLAN TO CALL.
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED THE VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *SLC
VENT CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY FAILURE.
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. HOWEVER, CONSUMER HIT HEAD ON WINDSHIELD HARD ENOUGH TO SPIDER CRACK IT. CONSUMER SUSTAINED A MINOR CONCUSSION AND BRUISING OF THE FOREARM AND ELBOW, AND STRAINED HER NECK MUSCLES.
WINDOWS RATTLE EXCESSIVELY WHEN FRIVING OVER 35 MPH.
Official recalls
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 ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.