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2005 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Altima years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Nissan Altima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 231.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

908 reports with mileage · 183 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.

  • Structure. Review the 351 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 259 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 141 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

48 crash reports18 fire reports44 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

18 reports
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66,104 miles · Jun 17, 2020
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)EngineCrash

I WAS GIFTED THIS CAR BACK IN APRIL AND SINCE THE CAR RANDOMLY STALLS WHILE IN MOTION A Z WHILE DRIVING WITH NO NOTICE. I'VE GOTTEN INTO 1 ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11329443

Mileage unknown · May 27, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineExterior Lighting

CATALYTIC CONVERTER! AND PRECAT! *TR

NHTSA ODI #11326209

Mileage unknown · Jun 21, 2019
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel/propulsion System

TAKARA RECALL. SENSORS ARE MALFUNCTIONING ALSO MY MUFFLER IS GOING. CHECK ENGINE HAS BEEN ON BUT STARTED BLINKING WHEN SENSOR'S STARTED ACTING UP. CANT AFFORD TO FIX THIS BEING HOW I'M A SINGLE MOTHER AND LOW INCOME. I HERD ABOUT THIS RECALL ON MY 05 ALTIMA. AND HAD TO CHECK IT OUT.

NHTSA ODI #11221630

181,000 miles · Jun 21, 2018
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

TAKATA RECALL MY CAR KEEPS DYING OUT OF NO WHERE. THE BATTERY LIGHT IS ON, THE OIL LIGHT IS ON, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. I WENT TO OREILLYS AND SAID IT WAS THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR:

NHTSA ODI #11103060

Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 2017
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EnginePower Train

TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE; VEHICLE SUDDENLY HAS AN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER ON HIGHWAY AND WILL NOT CHANGE GEARS. CAMSHAFT SENSORS; SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER TRAVELING AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, UNEXPECTED STALLING OR ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN AND NOT RESTART. BOTH VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU ALMOST GET RUN OVER BY THE VEHICLE BEHIND YOU. TH…

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TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE; VEHICLE SUDDENLY HAS AN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER ON HIGHWAY AND WILL NOT CHANGE GEARS. CAMSHAFT SENSORS; SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER TRAVELING AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, UNEXPECTED STALLING OR ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN AND NOT RESTART. BOTH VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU ALMOST GET RUN OVER BY THE VEHICLE BEHIND YOU. THEY COME UP ON YOU TOO FAST, CONTINUING THEIR NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS NOT REALIZING YOUR VEHICLES LOSS OF POWER UNTIL THEYRE RIGHT UP ON YOU THEN HAVE TO EITHER SLAM ON THEIR BRAKES OR MAKE SUDDEN LANE CHANGE WITHOUT PROPERLY SIGNALING WARNING OTHER DRIVERS. TIMING CHAIN GUIDE AND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS; WEAR OUT PREMATURELY CAUSING LOOSENING OF THE TIMING CHAIN, MAKES A VERY LOUD CLANKING OR TICKING SOUND ASBIT HITS THE GUIDE AND CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. STRUTS MOUNTS; CORRODE AND WEAR OUT CREATING A ROUGH AND UNSTABLE STEERING CONTROL AND CLANKING SOUND AS THE STRUTS HIT WHEN DRIVING OVER UNEVEN ROADWAYS, CRACKS, DRIVEWAYS AND SPEED BUMPS. MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER CAUSE THE VIBRATION AND RATTLING IN THE FRONT END. THIS OCCURS IN THE 3.5 LITER ENGINE. THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN SERVICE BULLETINS AND RECALLS ON THE 2.5 LITER ENGINE BUT NOT 3.5. THE ISSUES ARE THE SAME FOR BOTH ENGINES. THE SAME PARTS/MANUFACTURERS ARE USED ON BOTH YET THE 3.5 LITER WASNT INCLUDED. PROBLEMS ARE ONGOING DAILY. ITS VERY UNSAFE.

NHTSA ODI #11031940

135,000 miles · Oct 2, 2017
Electronic Stability Control (esc)

THE CAR STALLED WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CALLED AAA AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO VILLAGE AUTO IN CHESTER NY .THERE THEY REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT SENSORS.I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEMS.SOME OF THE CARS WERE VOLUNTARY RECALLED. I CALLED NISSAN TO REPORT TH…

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THE CAR STALLED WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CALLED AAA AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO VILLAGE AUTO IN CHESTER NY .THERE THEY REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT SENSORS.I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEMS.SOME OF THE CARS WERE VOLUNTARY RECALLED. I CALLED NISSAN TO REPORT THE PROBLEM AND THEY TOLD ME THE RECALL GOES BY VIN NUMBER NOT BY THE MAKE AND MODEL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM OF THE RECALLED CARS YET MY CAR ISN'T BEING RECALLED. IT'S LUCKY THAT THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN AT NIGHT AND MY DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A POLICE TURNAROUND AND FIND A LITTLE SAFETY.

NHTSA ODI #11030789

2 miles · Apr 1, 2017
Electronic Stability Control (esc)

CARS SHUTS OFF WHEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA ODI #10969864

90,000 miles · Sep 13, 2016
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

AN EXISTING RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE SHOULD INCLUDE THE 3.5L ENGINE AS WELL AS CAMSHAFT/CRANKSHAFT AND TCM. ALL CAUSE SIMILAR LIFE-THREATENING SYMPTOMS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY POWERS COMPLETELY OFF BRIEFLY LOSING ALL POWER TO LIGHTS ETC, DECELERATE RAPIDLY AND YOU LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND SPEED CONTROL. VEHICLES COME U…

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AN EXISTING RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE SHOULD INCLUDE THE 3.5L ENGINE AS WELL AS CAMSHAFT/CRANKSHAFT AND TCM. ALL CAUSE SIMILAR LIFE-THREATENING SYMPTOMS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY POWERS COMPLETELY OFF BRIEFLY LOSING ALL POWER TO LIGHTS ETC, DECELERATE RAPIDLY AND YOU LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND SPEED CONTROL. VEHICLES COME UP ON YOU QUICKLY AT NIGHT AND EVEN IF YOU GET THE VEHICLE RESTARTED YOU HAVE NO POWER IN TRANSMISSION AND MERELY LIMP ON AT AN IDLE SPEED. VERY VERY DANGEROUS. WHY IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL 2007 RECALL IS NISSAN TRYING TO SAVE A BUCK. THEY USED THE SAME MFG & SAME PARTS AS IN THE 2.5L. THEY KNOWINGLY WITHHELD IT FROM BEING INCLUDED. I ALSO CONTACTED THEM ABOUT THE TCM. KEEP IN MIND THE WERE BITING THEIR NAILS AFTER BEING PRESENTED WITH A CLASS ACTION SUITE REGARDING THE DEFECTIVE TCM. LUCKILY FOR THEM IT WAS DISMISSED TEMPORARILY. BUT THEY NEVER MENTIONED ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WHEN THEY RESPONDED TO ME AND NEVER OFFERED ANY RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10905980

179,200 miles · Mar 24, 2016
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Fire

TAKATA RECALL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY CAR STARTED MAKING A SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF MY CAR I TURNED DOWN THE MUSIC TO LISTEN TO THE SOUND. AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR MADE ONE LAST SOUND THEN THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING SO I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I GOT OUT TO CHECK THE CAR AND NOTICED I…

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TAKATA RECALL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY CAR STARTED MAKING A SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF MY CAR I TURNED DOWN THE MUSIC TO LISTEN TO THE SOUND. AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR MADE ONE LAST SOUND THEN THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING SO I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I GOT OUT TO CHECK THE CAR AND NOTICED IT WAS SMOKING I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND NOTICED IT WAS ON FIRE. I GRABBED MY KIDS OUT THE CAR AND MY BELONGINGS AND WALKED DOWN THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY JUST IN CASE THE CAR BLEW UP. I CALLED THE AMBULANCE AND NOTIFIED THEM ABOUT THE CAR. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER MY WHOLE ENTIRE CAR WAS IN FLAMES. AS I WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY SOMEONE STOPPED AND LET ME AND MY KIDS SIT IN THE CAR UNTIL MY RIDE CAME. THE FIRE FIGHTERS CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. THEY TOWED THE CAR AND WE LEFT.

NHTSA ODI #10851439

114,000 miles · Oct 23, 2015
Electronic Stability Control (esc)

I PURCHASED MY 2005 ALTIMA IN 2009 FROM A FAMILY MEMBER( OWNER PASSED AWAY). IN 2013, THE VEHICLE STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES IN SLOW TRAFFIC BUT THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WITH WHOM THE CAR WAS PURCHASED ORIGINALLY. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM BUT REPLACED BOTH CAMSHAFT…

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I PURCHASED MY 2005 ALTIMA IN 2009 FROM A FAMILY MEMBER( OWNER PASSED AWAY). IN 2013, THE VEHICLE STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES IN SLOW TRAFFIC BUT THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WITH WHOM THE CAR WAS PURCHASED ORIGINALLY. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM BUT REPLACED BOTH CAMSHAFT AND CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSORS BECAUSE BOTH FOUND TO BE SENDING INCORRECT SIGNAL TO COMPUTER SYSTEM. I WAS CHARGED $505.83. I SENT A LETTER TO NISSAN CORP WITH PAPERWORK, RECEIPT AND THE RECALL OF 2007. THIS WAS FAXED TO ROSELLE ON AUG 7 2013. NISSAN REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME, STATING IT DID NOT MEET THE RECALL REQUIREMENTS. NOW IN 2015, THE SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BUT CAR IS STALLING IN SLOW TRAFFIC OR WHEN I SLOW DOWN TO TAKE A TURN. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY ARE SAYING IT IS NOT THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THEY SUSPECTED IT WAS THE INTAKE TUBE THAT CONNECTS TO THE THROTTLE BODY AND THEY REPLACED THE MASS FLOW METER. THIS COSTS ME $880.35. APPROX 1 1/2 WEEKS AFTER THIS "FIX", THE CAR HAS STALLED TWO MORE TIMES. BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP- WHO REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME THE $880- THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR TWO DAYS AND CANNOT FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. SO- I AM DRIVING A CAR THAT IS DESTINED TO STALL AGAIN AND BECAUSE THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON, THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE RESOLVED? THIS CAR ONLY HAS 114,000 MILES. I WILL NEVER BUY A NISSAN PRODUCT AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI #10785654

Official recalls

1

07V527000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Nov 14, 2007

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR CAN OVERHEAT CAUSING A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM THE SENSOR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL FROM THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION 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. CERTAIN MY 2006 ALTIMAS WHICH HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY REMEDIED UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN 06V223 (NISSAN R0606) ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL SINCE THE REPROGRAMMING FOR 06V223 ALSO INCLUDED THIS REPROGRAMMING. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 31, 2007. 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.

Go deeper into Nissan Altima problems