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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

What owners actually said

1,091 reports
139,000 miles · Jul 8, 2015
Unknown Or Other

I RECENTLY HAD MY 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA IN THE SHOP FOR AND OIL CHANGE & FRONT BRAKE REPLACEMENT. THE TECH REPORTED A RUST ISSUE ON THE DRIVERS & PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR PANS. HE GOT A NEARBY BODY SHOP TO GIVE A REPAIR QUOTE, WHICH IS ~$700. I TOOK A LOOK UNDER THE CAR MYSELF & WAS SHOCKED TO FIND FLOOR RUST ~18" X 9" ON PASSENGER & D…

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I RECENTLY HAD MY 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA IN THE SHOP FOR AND OIL CHANGE & FRONT BRAKE REPLACEMENT. THE TECH REPORTED A RUST ISSUE ON THE DRIVERS & PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR PANS. HE GOT A NEARBY BODY SHOP TO GIVE A REPAIR QUOTE, WHICH IS ~$700. I TOOK A LOOK UNDER THE CAR MYSELF & WAS SHOCKED TO FIND FLOOR RUST ~18" X 9" ON PASSENGER & DRIVER FLOOR BOARDS. THE RUST HOLES ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL. THERE ARE NO OTHER RUST SPOTS ON THE CAR, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE IS A FACTORY DEFECT. A LOOK ON LINE SHOWED WHAT I SUSPECTED; AN EPIDEMIC OF RUST IN THE SAME LOCATION ON EVERY ALTIMA! MY CAR SPENT ITS FIRST 8 YEARS IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. THE LAST 2 HAVE BEEN IN FLORIDA. THE CAR HAS BEEN GARAGE-KEPT ITS ENTIRE LIFE. THE ISOLATION OF THE RUST IS VERY OBVIOUS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN PROBABLY THE MOST RELIABLE CAR I'VE EVER OWNED, WHICH MAKES THIS RUST ISSUE SO DISAPPOINTING. FROM THE RESEARCH I'VE GATHERED, NISSAN HAS NO INTENTION OF STANDING BEHIND THIS ISSUE. I HAD PLANS TO TRADE THIS CAR IN ON A NISSAN QUEST IN 2016. I WILL BE CROSSING NISSAN OFF THE LIST.

NHTSA ODI #10732836

122,000 miles · Jul 8, 2015
Structure

PASSENGER FLOORBOARD RUSTED OUT AND WAS REPAIRED AT A COLLISION REPAIR SHOP IN DEC. 2013. I FELT BRANCHES AND STICKS THROUGH THE FLOORBOARD. IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 8" IN DIAMETER. IN JUNE 2015 I FOUND WHERE THE DRIVERS SIDE IS NOW RUSTED OUT. THE CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED THE CAR HAS HAD DEEP RUBBER FLOOR MATS IN THE WINTER PAS…

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PASSENGER FLOORBOARD RUSTED OUT AND WAS REPAIRED AT A COLLISION REPAIR SHOP IN DEC. 2013. I FELT BRANCHES AND STICKS THROUGH THE FLOORBOARD. IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 8" IN DIAMETER. IN JUNE 2015 I FOUND WHERE THE DRIVERS SIDE IS NOW RUSTED OUT. THE CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED THE CAR HAS HAD DEEP RUBBER FLOOR MATS IN THE WINTER PASSENGER SIDE REPAIR DONE AT 122,000 MILES DRIVER'S SIDE REPAIR DONE AT 139,000 MILES UPDATED 11/08/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI #10732710

72,000 miles · Jul 6, 2015
EngineSteeringSuspension

FRONT SUB-FAME SEVERELY RUSTED OUT, WHICH SUPPORTS ENGINE AND CONTROL ARMS, MUST BE REPLACED. SAFETY IS COMPROMISED.....UPDATED10/20/15 *BF UPDATED 11/07/2017*

NHTSA ODI #10732302

Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 2015
Unknown Or Other

FRONT FLOORBOARDS RUSTING THOUGH, LOOKING AT OTHER COMPLAINTS THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR.

NHTSA ODI #10731651

126,000 miles · Jul 1, 2015
Structure

I BROUGHT MY CAR TO FIRESTONE TO HAVE NUMEROUS REPAIRS DONE ON MY CAR 6/27/15-6/30/15. WHILE THEY HAD THE CAR UP ON THE LIFT, THE TECH NOTICED AND TOLD ME THAT MY FLOOR BOARDS ARE RUSTING OUT AND HE COULD SEE CLEAR THROUGH TO MY CARPETING. MY WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY GETTING DIRTY FROM THE INSIDE AND I COULD NEVER FIGURE O…

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I BROUGHT MY CAR TO FIRESTONE TO HAVE NUMEROUS REPAIRS DONE ON MY CAR 6/27/15-6/30/15. WHILE THEY HAD THE CAR UP ON THE LIFT, THE TECH NOTICED AND TOLD ME THAT MY FLOOR BOARDS ARE RUSTING OUT AND HE COULD SEE CLEAR THROUGH TO MY CARPETING. MY WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY GETTING DIRTY FROM THE INSIDE AND I COULD NEVER FIGURE OUT WHY. I HAVE ASTHMA AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUMES THAT ARE ENTERING MY VEHICLE. THIS NOW EXPLAINS WHY I FEEL THE NEED TO USE MY INHALER MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN I'M IN MY CAR OR GETTING OUT OF MY CAR ON SHORTER TRIPS. FOR INSTANCE, I HAVE A 1.5 MILE RIDE TO THE TRAIN FOR MY COMMUTE TO WORK. BY THE TIME I GET TO THE TRAIN, I'LL NEED TO USE MY INHALER AGAIN ALREADY. MY CAR IS PAID OFF. I HAD PLANNED TO KEEP THIS CAR AS LONG AS I POSSIBLY COULD SO I CAN PAY DOWN DEBT. ALSO, I HAD JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND SPENT AROUND $700 IN REPAIRS ON MY CAR. I'VE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR (I.E., REGULAR OIL CHANGES, TIRE ROTATION, ETC.). I JUST WANT NISSAN TO FIX THE PROBLEM SO I CAN KEEP MY CAR. OTHER THAN THIS ISSUE, I LOVE MY CAR. I'VE HAD VERY FEW MINOR PROBLEMS WITH IT OVER THE YEARS AND I'M OVERALL VERY HAPPY WITH IT, EXCEPT FOR THIS ISSUE. I HOPE YOU CAN GET THEM TO HELP EVERYONE SIMILARLY SITUATED...UPDATED 09/03/15 *BF UPDATED 11/06/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI #10731572

Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 2015
Structure

THIS PAST WEEK I HAD MY CAR TO THE DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND BATTERY. THEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR BRAKES. WHEN I HAPPENED TO LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR, I FOUND THAT THE FLOOR ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WAS ROTTING OUT. THE DEALER IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PROBLEMS WHEN YOU TAKE IT IN, BUT NOBODY MENTIONED THE RUST PR…

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THIS PAST WEEK I HAD MY CAR TO THE DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND BATTERY. THEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR BRAKES. WHEN I HAPPENED TO LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR, I FOUND THAT THE FLOOR ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WAS ROTTING OUT. THE DEALER IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PROBLEMS WHEN YOU TAKE IT IN, BUT NOBODY MENTIONED THE RUST PROBLEM. NOW I HAVE THE UNEXPECTED EXPENSE OF REPAIRING THE FLOOR. AFTER DOING RESEARCH, I FOUND OUT THAT NISSAN HAS KNOWN OF THE PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME NOW, BUT REFUSES TO REIMBURSEMENT OR DO A RECALL. IT MAY NOT BE A SAFETY HAZARD, UNLESS YOUR FOOT GOES THROUGH THE FLOOR, BUT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.

NHTSA ODI #10731376

Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 2015
Structure

DRIVER SIDE FLOORBOARD IS RUSTED OUT

NHTSA ODI #10731185

Mileage unknown · Jun 29, 2015
Latches/locks/linkagesStructureInjury

2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE REAR DOOR HANDLES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED BOTH REAR DOOR HANDLES SNAPPED OFF IN FEBURARY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST TIME THE DOOR HANDLE FAILED, HER SON WAS INURED. *JB UPDATED 09/10/15*LJ

NHTSA ODI #10714819

139,919 miles · Jun 27, 2015
StructureUnknown Or Other

THE FLOOR OF MY 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS RUSTED OUT ON BOTH SIDES, THIS SHOULLD BE A RECALL BECAUSE I HAVE READ THAT OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM

NHTSA ODI #10730809

50,167 miles · Jun 26, 2015
Power Train

MY TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND SOMETIMES CLUNKING NOISE WHEN IT SHIFTS AT LOW SPEED.

NHTSA ODI #10730710

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