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.

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 →

1,091Owner complaints

Model-year median: 231

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2005 Nissan Altima

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 1,091 owner complaints · 1 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)

Structure: 351 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 259 reports
Engine: 141 reports
Power Train: 115 reports
Electrical System: 97 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

07V527000 — Engine And Engine Cooling

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

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Altima years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Structure

351Engine And Engine Cooling

259Engine

141Power Train

115Electrical System

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

105

0–25K

25–50K

166

50–75K

207

75–100K

239

100–150K

150K+

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

Interior Lighting complaints

1 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Mar 5, 2005

EquipmentInterior Lighting

Read full complaint

2005 NISSAN ALTIMA - THE RADIO PRODUCES AN ACCEPTABLE SOUND BUT THE FACE PLATE LACKS SUFFICIENT LUMINOSITY & CONTRAST FOR THE INFORMATION TO BE SEEN. TYPICALLY, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE DISPLAY WHILE DRIVING AS YOU MUST FACE DIRECTLY IN-LINE WITH THE UNIT. NISSAN WAS CONTACTED 3/4/05 AND ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WERE PROBLEMS AND THAT THEY WERE THE RESULT OF THE RADIO BEING LOCATED TOO HIGH RESULTING IN SUNLIGHT "WASHING" OUT THE DISPLAY. I STATED THE PROBLEM EXISTS AT NIGHT AS WELL AND A CONTRAST/ILLUMINATION ADJUSTMENT WOULD HELP. I ASKED NISSAN TO REPLACE THE RADIO WITH A DIFFERENT UNIT AND THEY REFUSED BUT INDICATED THERE WOULD BE A REDESIGN IN 2006.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10112554

Recall campaigns

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 ↗

Defect investigations

No 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.

Go deeper into Nissan Altima problems

Nissan Altima electrical problems →Nissan Altima transmission problems →