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2006 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Altima years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Nissan Altima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 231.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

652 reports with mileage · 172 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 221 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 189 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 166 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

43 crash reports14 fire reports34 injury reports

What owners actually said

824 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2014
Engine And Engine Cooling

2006 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR RECALL ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED TWICE, WITHOUT WARNING AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON, WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 07V52700. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECA…

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2006 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR RECALL ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED TWICE, WITHOUT WARNING AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON, WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 07V52700. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10626714

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2014
Electrical System

I WAS PARKED AT A BUS STOP I WAS TOLD TO MOVE I TURNED CAR ON AND IT SHUT OFF I TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT WORKED NEXT DAY I WAS DRIVING CAME TO A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10628644

211,000 miles · Aug 25, 2014
Structure

PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD IS ROTTED THROUGH, NOTICED IT TODAY WHEN MY PASSENGER WAS IN THE CAR AND HIS FOOT DIPPED DOWN THE HOLE THAT WAS CREATED. LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND THE ONLY THING KEEPING THE PASSENGERS FOOT FROM HITTING THE PAVEMENT IS THE CARPET, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE ON A CAR, IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD PHYSICALLY AND IT COULD L…

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PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD IS ROTTED THROUGH, NOTICED IT TODAY WHEN MY PASSENGER WAS IN THE CAR AND HIS FOOT DIPPED DOWN THE HOLE THAT WAS CREATED. LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND THE ONLY THING KEEPING THE PASSENGERS FOOT FROM HITTING THE PAVEMENT IS THE CARPET, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE ON A CAR, IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD PHYSICALLY AND IT COULD LEAD TO FATALITIES DUE TO EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ONLINE AND IT SEEMS TO BE A FAIRY COMMON ISSUE WITH 2002-2006 NISSAN ALTIMAS. TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE FIXED SOON AS THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THE CARPET CAN CATCH ON FIRE BURNING THE ENITRE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10628232

Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 2014
Structure

WHILE MY MECHANIC WAS CHECKING MY BRAKES AND OTHER THINGS HE NOTICED THAT THE FLOOR UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE ARE FULLY RUSTED. WHEN I GOT THE CALL THIS MORNING I IMMEDIATELY WENT ONLINE TO SEARCH FOR THIS. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE AND THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS (WHICH IM NOT SURPRISE). I HAVE SPOKE…

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WHILE MY MECHANIC WAS CHECKING MY BRAKES AND OTHER THINGS HE NOTICED THAT THE FLOOR UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE ARE FULLY RUSTED. WHEN I GOT THE CALL THIS MORNING I IMMEDIATELY WENT ONLINE TO SEARCH FOR THIS. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE AND THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS (WHICH IM NOT SURPRISE). I HAVE SPOKEN TO A BODY SHOP SINCE I WORK FOR AN INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY SAID THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. I ALSO SPOKE TO SOMEONE WHO WORKS FOR NISSAN AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY MAJOR ISSUES WITH MY CAR UNTIL THIS. IT WONT PASS INSPECTION WHICH I HAVE TO DO IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I ALSO HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAD THE SAME CAR DIFFERENT YEAR WITH THE SAME ISSUES AND HE JUST ENDED UP GETTING RID OF IT. IM HOPING TO GET THIS FIX AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. NISSAN SEEMS TO CHARGE ROUGHLY $700 A SIDE TO GET THIS PROBLEM TAKEN CARE OF. THIS IS NOT FAIR TO THE CONSUMER SINCE ITS A FLAW IN THEIR DESIGN. WE SHOULD NOT BE PAYING A DIME TO GET THIS FIX!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10626560

168,000 miles · Aug 18, 2014
Structure

WHILE GETTING THE BRAKES REPAIRED, WE NOTICED A HUGE AREA OF RUST/ROT UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE ROT AREA IS APPROX 22 INCHES IN LENGTH AND ABOUT 10 INCHES ACROSS. OTHER THEN THE HIGH MILEAGE, THE CAR IS IN PERFECT CONDITION. THIS ISSUE MAKES ME CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGER. IN RESEARC…

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WHILE GETTING THE BRAKES REPAIRED, WE NOTICED A HUGE AREA OF RUST/ROT UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE ROT AREA IS APPROX 22 INCHES IN LENGTH AND ABOUT 10 INCHES ACROSS. OTHER THEN THE HIGH MILEAGE, THE CAR IS IN PERFECT CONDITION. THIS ISSUE MAKES ME CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGER. IN RESEARCHING ONLINE, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH NISSAN ALTIMAS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10625971

85,000 miles · Aug 14, 2014
Engine

MY CAR ENGINE STOPPED WORKING AND JUST FINDING OUT SO DID MY COUSINS ON HER NISSAN ALTIMA...ARE THERE ANY RECALLS...[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10622193

100,000 miles · Aug 12, 2014
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARDS WERE SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10621615

108,635 miles · Aug 4, 2014
EngineFire

I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN MY "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MILES FROM MY HIGHWAY EXIT AND LESS THAN 4 MILES FROM MY APARTMENT. A MINUTE OR TWO LATER I HEARD A LOUD THUD FROM MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A VEHICLE CAME ALONGSIDE OF MY VEHICLE AND WAVED FOR ME TO PULL OVER, INDICATING THAT MY VEHIC…

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I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN MY "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MILES FROM MY HIGHWAY EXIT AND LESS THAN 4 MILES FROM MY APARTMENT. A MINUTE OR TWO LATER I HEARD A LOUD THUD FROM MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A VEHICLE CAME ALONGSIDE OF MY VEHICLE AND WAVED FOR ME TO PULL OVER, INDICATING THAT MY VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE OR SMOKING. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHICH HAPPENED TO ALSO WITHIN YARDS OF MY EXIT. I EXITED MY VEHICLE AND POPPED MY HOOD AS MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS SMOKING. MY ENGINE WAS ON FIRE AND PROCEEDED TO BURN AS I CALLED 911 AND A WRECKER SERVICE. IT APPEARS THAT A CONNECTING ROD WAS LIBERATED AND EXITED THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE BLOCK WHILE I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THIS CAUSED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AND OIL VENTING FROM THE ENGINE THAT LANDED ON THE HOT SURFACES IGNITED AND BURNT THE ENGINE HARNESSES, DRIVE SHAFT BOOTS AND OTHER PLASTIC AND RUBBER COMPONENTS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. IT WAS DETERMINED BY A MECHANIC THAT THE PRE-CAT HEADER LOST CATYST MATERIAL AND WAS INGESTED INTO THE ENGINE DURING THE OVERLAP CYCLE OF THE CAM TIMING. THIS DESTROYED THE INTERNAL SURFACES OF THE PISTON CHAMBER, THUS LEADING TO OIL CONSUMPTION AND ENGINE RECIPROCATING COMPONENT FAILURE. GMC/NISSAN DEMAAGD (BATTLE CREEK, MI) WHO HAD SOLD ME THE VEHICLE USED WITH APPROXIMATELY 95,000 MILES ON IT IN AUGUST 2013 (ONLY 10 MONTHS EARLIER) WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE REPAIRS AND ESTIMATED $7,000 FOR A NEW ENGINE AND $3,850 FOR A USED ENGINE. I AM EXCEPTIONALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT NISSAN WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR OF THIS VEHICLE, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY THE RESULT OF A DESIGN FLAW AS THE INTERNET IS FULL OF SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THIS MODEL, MAKE AND YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10618655

76,000 miles · Jul 28, 2014
Structure

PUT CAR ON HOIST AND SAW THE DRIVER'S FLOOR PAN WAS RUSTED TOTALLY THROUGH. HOLE IS ABOUT 16" X 16". IT WASN'T THERE IN JANUARY OF 2014. BODY SHOP SAYS THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR NISSAN ALTIMAS. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10617011

94,000 miles · Jul 24, 2014
Structure

DURING A ROUTINE BRAKE INSPECTION, MY MECHANIC FOUND THAT SECTIONS OF MY VEHICLE'S FLOOR APPROXIMATELY UNDER THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S FEET ARE SEVERELY RUSTED. IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CARPET/INSULATION IS EXPOSED IN SPOTS. I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THIS ISSUE AS THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 100K MILES AND HAS NO …

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DURING A ROUTINE BRAKE INSPECTION, MY MECHANIC FOUND THAT SECTIONS OF MY VEHICLE'S FLOOR APPROXIMATELY UNDER THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S FEET ARE SEVERELY RUSTED. IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CARPET/INSULATION IS EXPOSED IN SPOTS. I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THIS ISSUE AS THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 100K MILES AND HAS NO OTHER RUST OR CORROSION PROBLEMS. AFTER SOME SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT INITIATED A RECALL. AT THIS POINT I AM FACED WITH AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR ON WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO A POORLY ENGINEERED AND MANUFACTURED DESIGN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10615975

Official recalls

3

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.

06V223000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Jun 21, 2006

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER PERFORMANCE OF THE PISTON RINGS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE OIL IS NOT MAINTAINED AT LEAST AT THE MINIMUM LEVEL, ENGINE DAMAGE CAN OCCUR AND IN EXTREME CASES RESULT IN AN ENGINE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM OR ENGINE COMPUTER). YOUR VEHICLE WILL ALSO BE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS BEEN CONSUMING ENGINE OIL AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE. IN A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF VEHICLES, ENGINE REPLACEMENT WILL BE NEEDED. ON JUNE 9, 2006, NISSAN NOTIFIED OWNERS OF THE POSSIBILITY OF EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE OIL AT A PROPER LEVEL. FOLLOW-UP LETTER TO OWNERS ADVISING THEM OF THE STATUS OF THE RECALL WAS SENT DURING AUGUST 2006. FOLLOWUP LETTER TO OWNERS WAS SENT ON NOVEMBER 15, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

06V046000 · Suspension:rear

Feb 13, 2006

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE REAR SUBFRAME MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRACK IN A BRACKET WHICH HOLDS PART OF THE REAR SUSPENSION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE BRACKET IS CRACKED, THE STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE MAY BE AFFECTED UNDER SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR SUBFRAME TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY AND REPLACE IT, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 27, 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.

Go deeper into Nissan Altima problems