IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
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 reportsBATTERY BLEW UP SOON AS CONSUMER TURNED ON VEHICLE. THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO VEHICLE ON HOOD AND AROUND THE AREA OF THE BATTERY. *AK
BATTERY EXPLODED UPON START OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE SHOOK WHEN BATTERY EXPLODED. ALSO, BATTERY ACID LEAKED. CONSUMER GOT SOME BATTERY ACID IN EYES. CONSUMER WAS BREATHING THE GAS FROM BATTERY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED BATTERY WAS FAULTY.*AK BATTERY ACID SPRAYED ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, FRONT BODY PANELS, FRON…
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BATTERY EXPLODED UPON START OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE SHOOK WHEN BATTERY EXPLODED. ALSO, BATTERY ACID LEAKED. CONSUMER GOT SOME BATTERY ACID IN EYES. CONSUMER WAS BREATHING THE GAS FROM BATTERY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED BATTERY WAS FAULTY.*AK BATTERY ACID SPRAYED ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, FRONT BODY PANELS, FRONT BUMPER, AND THE HOOD WAS DENTED BECAUSE OF THE BATTERY FAILURE. *SLC
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 …
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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
BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS MADE LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE. DEALER "CLEANED" FOR A FEE AND NOISE BECAME WORSE. NOW AFTER COMPLAINING MULTIPLE TIMES, THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE REAR DRUMS. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 23,000 MILES ON IT. *AK
TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, WILL NOT SHIFT PAST 2ND GEAR, ALL REQUIRED MAINTAINANCE, SERVICES HAVE BEEN PERFORMED.NISSAN WILL NOT HELP. COST OF NEEDED REPAIRS APPROX $5,000. *AK
I FEEL AS THOUGH I HAVE NO STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AT 60 MPH + THE VEHICLE DRIFTS LEFT AND RIGHT WHILE AT THOSE SPEEDS BUT ITS TOUGH TO CORRECT SINCE THE STEERING IS SO LOOSE. IT RECENTLY HAD AN ALIGNMENT AND NEW TIRES BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS
WINDSHIELD WAS STRUCK BY A ROCK AND CAUSED BITS OF GLASS TO SHATTER ONTO DRIVER AND PASSENGER. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND WERE NOT CONCERNED WITH PROBLEM. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING COULD PRESS HORN TO ALERT OTHER DRIVERS, BUT HORN WAS NOT AS LOUD AS IT SHOULD BE. CONSUMER SAID HORN COULD NOT BE HEARD THAT MUCH.*AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY AT 70 MPH MY LEFT REAR TIRE VIOLENTLY BLEW OUT. I GAINED CONTROL OF THE CAR AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OVER TO SHOULDER. TIRE WAS ABSOLUTELY SHREDDED TO PIECES. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS EVIDENCE OF EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE TIRE, AND THERE WERE NO FOREIGN OBJECTS IN ROA…
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WHILE DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY AT 70 MPH MY LEFT REAR TIRE VIOLENTLY BLEW OUT. I GAINED CONTROL OF THE CAR AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OVER TO SHOULDER. TIRE WAS ABSOLUTELY SHREDDED TO PIECES. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS EVIDENCE OF EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE TIRE, AND THERE WERE NO FOREIGN OBJECTS IN ROAD OR IN TIRE. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL WHEN THE TIRE EXPLODED AND AS I CROSSED OVER LANES TO THE SHOULDER. THIS TIRE COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND DEATHS.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )
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.