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2004 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Nissan Altima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 231.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

225 reports with mileage · 51 unknown

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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 109 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports3 fire reports9 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

109 reports
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78,500 miles · Aug 3, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT LOW SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND PROGRESSED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. ALSO, ON A SEPARATE …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT LOW SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND PROGRESSED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. ALSO, ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. RECENTLY, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V242000. THE RECALL REMEDY WAS INSUFFICIENT AND DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,280. UPDATED 9/17/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPROGRAMMING OF THE ECM DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS FAULTY. UPDATED 09/18/09.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10279180

79,000 miles · Aug 2, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

NISSAN RECALL RO606 FOR 2003 AND 2004 ALTIMAS AND SENTRAS WITH 2.5 LITER ENGINES TO REPROGRAM THE ECM ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE SINCE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR MAY CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING IF IT CANNOT TAKE A PROPER READING. MY CAR HAS SHUT DOWN SEVERAL TIMES AND SOME WHILE TRAVELING 45 -55 MILES PER HOU…

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NISSAN RECALL RO606 FOR 2003 AND 2004 ALTIMAS AND SENTRAS WITH 2.5 LITER ENGINES TO REPROGRAM THE ECM ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE SINCE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR MAY CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING IF IT CANNOT TAKE A PROPER READING. MY CAR HAS SHUT DOWN SEVERAL TIMES AND SOME WHILE TRAVELING 45 -55 MILES PER HOUR WHICH COULD BE VERY HAZARDOUS WHEN ON A CONGESTED 3 OR 4 LANE HIGHWAY AS I TRAVEL DAILY. THIS IS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS AND FAR DIFFERENT THAN THE RECALL STATES THAT IT ONLY HAPPENS AT LOW SPEEDS. I HAD THE ECM REPROGRAMMED PER THE RECALL BUT STILL HAVE SAME ISSUES OF THE CAR NOT WANTING TO START THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND A SCAN OF THE COMPUTER (ECM BRINGS UP CODE THAT THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR IS FAULTY HOWEVER REPLACEMENT OF THE SENSOR ISN'T COVERED BY THE RECALL AND THE REPROGRAMMING OF THE ECN DOESN'T FIX THE ISSUE. MANY ALTIMA OWNERS HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO PURCHASE AND INSTALL A NEW CRANKSHAFT SENSOR TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM OF THE CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING OR BEING STRANDED BECAUSE IT DOESN'T START ONCE IT SHUTS DOWN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10279108

82,100 miles · Jul 29, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

MY CAR HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING STALLING AND IS HARD TO START. I HAVE HAD A DIAGNOSIS OF THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON MALFUNCTION ON THE CAR AND IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. I HAD THIS SENSOR REPLACED IN 2007 OR 2008. THE CAR HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. UPON ANOTHER DIAGNOSIS, IT IS …

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MY CAR HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING STALLING AND IS HARD TO START. I HAVE HAD A DIAGNOSIS OF THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON MALFUNCTION ON THE CAR AND IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. I HAD THIS SENSOR REPLACED IN 2007 OR 2008. THE CAR HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. UPON ANOTHER DIAGNOSIS, IT IS THE SAME SENSOR. I CONTACTED NISSAN AND THEY STATED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL BUT ADVISED ME TO GO TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A DIAGNOSIS DONE. WHICH I DID AND OF COURSE THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING THAT MY MECHANIC HAD ALREADY STATED. AT THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT THE ORIGINAL PART WHICH IS PLASTIC ALLOWED OIL TO LEAK IN AND CAUSES A BURN OUT OF THE SENSOR SO THEY CHANGED IT TO HAVE A METAL FITTING. WHEN I CONTACTED NISSAN AGAIN, THEY STILL SAID THAT IT WAS NOT A RECALL BUT AN UPGRADE OF THE PART. IN MY EYES, THAT IS NOT AN UPGRADE, THAT IS A REPLACEMENT OF A DEFECTIVE PART THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF BUT ARE ONLY ADDRESSING IN CERTAIN VEHICLES. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ALREADY ON FILE AND ON THE INTERNET OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE SAME PREDICAMENT AS I FIND MYSELF IN WHO HAVE HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE THIS PART REPLACED! I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A TOTALLY UNFAIR PRACTICE THAT NISSAN IS DOING AND I AM ADDRESSING MY CONCERNS TO YOU AND TO NISSAN DIRECTLY IN HOPES THAT AS A CONSUMER, WE COULD OBTAIN SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10278673

83,120 miles · Jun 27, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

04 ALTIMA JUST TURN OFF DOING 65MPH ON THE I5. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT IT WAS NOT IN RUSH HOUR AND DID NOT HIT ANYONE IN FRONT OF ME , BUT THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS NOT SO LUCKY HE HAD TO RUN OUT OFF THE FWY SO THAT HE WOULD NOT HIT ME. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON RIGHT AFTER. I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THE NET AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS MAYBE THOUS…

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04 ALTIMA JUST TURN OFF DOING 65MPH ON THE I5. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT IT WAS NOT IN RUSH HOUR AND DID NOT HIT ANYONE IN FRONT OF ME , BUT THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS NOT SO LUCKY HE HAD TO RUN OUT OFF THE FWY SO THAT HE WOULD NOT HIT ME. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON RIGHT AFTER. I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THE NET AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS MAYBE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME DANGEROUS PROBLEM. (ECM, CRANKSHAFT , AND CAMSHAFT SENSORS) GONE BAD. I CALLED DEALER AND THEY WILL NOT EVEN DIAGNOSE THE CAR WITH OUT CHARGING FOR THE INSPECTION AND CHARGING ALMOST $600.00 FOR A PROBLEM THAT NISSAN SHOULD COVER AS A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10275085

45,000 miles · Jun 15, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE ECM. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, HE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE CRANKSHAFT AND CAM SHAFT. THESE TWO COMPONENTS CAUSE SEVERAL VEHICLES TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR HAS BEEN PERFORMED. THE CONTACT FE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE ECM. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, HE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE CRANKSHAFT AND CAM SHAFT. THESE TWO COMPONENTS CAUSE SEVERAL VEHICLES TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR HAS BEEN PERFORMED. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN TO HIS VEHICLE AFTER THE ECM IS REPLACED. HIS VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AND HE FEELS THAT THIS WILL NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 45,000.

NHTSA ODI #10273828

91,000 miles · Jun 5, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE TOOK APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES TO RESTART AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN BECAUSE THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V242000 AND NISS…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE TOOK APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES TO RESTART AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN BECAUSE THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V242000 AND NISSAN RECALL NUMBER R0606, BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WOULD HAVE TO BE PERFORMED BEFORE THE DEALER COULD REPAIR THE RECALL ISSUE. IN ADDITION, THE CRANKSHAFT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $200 BEFORE THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR COULD BE REPAIRED. THIS DID NOT MAKE SENSE TO THE CONTACT SO SHE CALLED THE NISSAN MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY WILL NOT RETURN HER CALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

NHTSA ODI #10272934

63,252 miles · May 17, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

CKP "CRANK POSITION SENSOR" TROUBLE CODE FOUND WHEN SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS LOOKS IDENTICAL TO ISSUE FOUND IN RECALL 06V242000. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10268939

86,000 miles · Apr 30, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

CAR STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED. LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. CAR'S DTC CODE SAID THE FAULT WAS CAUSED BY THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THIS 2004 ALTIMA HAD BEEN TO DEALER FOR THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10267380

103,000 miles · Mar 14, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

I OWN A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. ON SEPTEMBER 2007, WHILE DRIVING ALONG A BUSY HIGHWAY IN ARIZONA OUR VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CAR WAS SERVICED AT NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL ON CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. THE RECALL STATED THAT IT WAS ONLY TO BE RE-PROGRAMMED BUT WE CHOSE TO REPLACE THE PART INSTEAD. STARTING ON OCTOBER 2008, THE "SERV…

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I OWN A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. ON SEPTEMBER 2007, WHILE DRIVING ALONG A BUSY HIGHWAY IN ARIZONA OUR VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CAR WAS SERVICED AT NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL ON CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. THE RECALL STATED THAT IT WAS ONLY TO BE RE-PROGRAMMED BUT WE CHOSE TO REPLACE THE PART INSTEAD. STARTING ON OCTOBER 2008, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CODE READ "CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR". I HAVE READ A RECALL FOR 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03V455000, THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CONSEQUENCES MATCH EXACTLY ON WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH MY VEHICLE. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 2003 AND IT WAS MANUFACTURED ON JUNE 2003. MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10261800

65,447 miles · Jan 7, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS REPROGRAMMED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V242000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). AFTER THE REPAIR, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP A…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS REPROGRAMMED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V242000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). AFTER THE REPAIR, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT ERROR CODES APPEARED FOR THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THE TECHNICIAN FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WAS POSSIBLY A MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER AND ENGINE. THE FAILURE HAS NOT YET BEEN PROPERLY REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,447 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,666.

NHTSA ODI #10254112

Official recalls

1

06V242000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Jul 7, 2006

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE, THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR IS AFFECTED BY TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, THESE VARIATIONS IN TEMPERATURE CAN BE LARGE ENOUGH TO CAUSE A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM THE SENSOR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL FROM THE SENSOR IS SO BRIEF THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) LOGIC DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO DIAGNOSE THE CONDITION, THE ENGINE MAY STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT A LOW SPEED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ECM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 21, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

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.

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