NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
824 reportsMileage unknown · Jul 14, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
NISSAN ALTIMA EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.5S ENGINE. PURCHASE DATE: FEB 28, 2006. SOON AFTER PURCHASE I MADE A TRIP TO BEAUFORT, SC. ON RETURN HOME I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND FOUND IT ((OIL) TO BE BLACK, SMELLING BURNT, AND CONSIDERABLY BELOW THE ADD LEVEL. AT THIS POINT, 1676 MILES, I CHANGED THE OIL. CHECKED OIL LEVEL ONCE MORE AT 31…
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NISSAN ALTIMA EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.5S ENGINE. PURCHASE DATE: FEB 28, 2006. SOON AFTER PURCHASE I MADE A TRIP TO BEAUFORT, SC. ON RETURN HOME I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND FOUND IT ((OIL) TO BE BLACK, SMELLING BURNT, AND CONSIDERABLY BELOW THE ADD LEVEL. AT THIS POINT, 1676 MILES, I CHANGED THE OIL. CHECKED OIL LEVEL ONCE MORE AT 3165 MILES AND FOUND THE OIL DOWN 1/2 QUART. DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO VERIFIED THE OIL LEVEL. I ADDED THE OIL OF MY CHOICE. RECHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AGAIN AT 3927 AND FOUND IT TO BE DIRTY AND DOWN 1/2 QUART. CHANGED OIL ONCE MORE. IN FAIRNESS TO THE OWNERS, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THEY BE REIMBURSED THE FULL PURCHASE PRICE PLUS INCIDENTAL EXPENSES. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10162386
2,800 miles · Jul 11, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA IN JANUARY OF 2006. WHEN CAR HAD ABOUT 2800 MILES ON IT, WE WERE EATING DINNER AT A RESTAURANT ACROSS FROM OUR LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP. WHEN WE STARTED THE ENGINE TO LEAVE, IT MADE A HORRIBLE CLATTERING NOISE. MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE OIL AND IT DID NOT REGISTER ON THE DIP STICK. WE IMMEDIATELY D…
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PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA IN JANUARY OF 2006. WHEN CAR HAD ABOUT 2800 MILES ON IT, WE WERE EATING DINNER AT A RESTAURANT ACROSS FROM OUR LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP. WHEN WE STARTED THE ENGINE TO LEAVE, IT MADE A HORRIBLE CLATTERING NOISE. MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE OIL AND IT DID NOT REGISTER ON THE DIP STICK. WE IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT ACROSS THE STREET AND SHOWED IT TO THE SALES MANAGER SINCE SERVICE DEPT WAS CLOSED. WE HAD TO LEAVE CAR THERE OVER THE WEEKEND. WHEN SERVICE DEPT CHECKED OIL, THEY SAID IT WAS LOW AND CHANGED THE OIL, BUT DID NOT MEASURE HOW LOW JUST SAID ABOUT 1 AND 1/2 QUARTS LOW. I WENT TO PICK THE CAR UP AND THEY TRIED NOT TO PROVIDE ME WITH A SERVICE TICKET SAYING IT WAS NO CHARGE. I TOLD THEM I WAS NOT LEAVING WITH OUT A SERVICE TICKET SAYING THAT MY BRAND NEW CAR WAS SO LOW ON OIL THAT IT WAS NOT EVEN REGISTERING ON THE DIP STICK!! THEIR ANSWER WAS WE AREN'T EVEN CHARGING NISSAN FOR IT - LIKE I CARE!! ANYWAY I GOT MY TICKET. WENT BACK A FEW WEEKS LATER AND WAS LOW AGAIN - THEN THEY DECIDED TO REALLY TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND CHANGED THE OIL AGAIN AND SAID TO COME BACK IN 500 MILES. WE DID AND SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WAS DEFINITELY USING OIL AND HE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THAT WAS ABOUT THE TIME THE RECALL CAME OUT IN THE NEWSPAPER. WE ARE STILL WAITING ON OUR ENGINE. HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THIS SINCE ABOUT MARCH. MY HUSBAND WAS TOLD BY SERVICE DEPT THAT NISSAN HAD CHANGED RING MANUFACTURERS AND HAD RECEIVED A FAULTY BATCH. I AM TIRED OF GOING TO NISSAN EVERY 700 MILES TO HAVE MY OIL CHECKED. THAT IS WHY I BOUGHT A NEW CAR!!! WE REQUESTED A NEW CAR, BUT LIKE ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WITH COMPLAINTS, THEY JUST LAUGHED. I GUESS IT IS GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE GETTING KILLED IN A FIRE FOR THEM TO GET OFF OF THE REARS AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING!! I AM TIRED OF HEARING WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO YET!! *JB
NHTSA ODI #10162160
1,200 miles · Jul 9, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
ON 5/20/2006, I PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE WAITING FOR THE PAPERWORK TO BE COMPLETED, MY HUSBAND NOTICED A BOARD ON THE WALL FOR A CONTEST. OUR SALESPERSON TOLD US THEN THAT NISSAN WAS HAVING A DEALER CONTEST FOR ALTIMA'S. AT THE SAME TIME, NISSAN WAS VERY HEAVILY ADVERTISING ON TV A "SPECIAL" LEASE PRICE FOR THE ATL…
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ON 5/20/2006, I PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE WAITING FOR THE PAPERWORK TO BE COMPLETED, MY HUSBAND NOTICED A BOARD ON THE WALL FOR A CONTEST. OUR SALESPERSON TOLD US THEN THAT NISSAN WAS HAVING A DEALER CONTEST FOR ALTIMA'S. AT THE SAME TIME, NISSAN WAS VERY HEAVILY ADVERTISING ON TV A "SPECIAL" LEASE PRICE FOR THE ATLIMA'S. 2 WEEKS LATER, BEFORE RECEIVING ANY LETTER FROM NISSAN, A COLLEAGUE SENT ME THE LINK FOR THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, SO THAT I COULD READ THE ARTICLE ABOUT NISSAN ALTIMA'S BEING PULLED FROM THE MARKET BECAUSE OF OIL PROBLEMS, WHICH WERE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT I WAS DEFRAUDED BY NISSAN (AND PERHAPS THE DEALER) BY THIS SALE. NO ONE CAN MAKE ME BELIEVE THAT NISSAN DIDN'T DO THIS CONTEST ON PURPOSE IN ORDER TO MOVE AS MANY CARS AS POSSIBLE OFF THE DEALER LOTS. THE 200+ INCIDENCES OF OIL PROBLEMS AND THE LESSER INCIDENCES OF FIRES DID NOT ALL OCCUR WITHIN THE TWO WEEKS BETWEEN THE TIME I BOUGHT MY CAR AND SALES WERE HALTED. I HAVE ALREADY HAD ONE OCCURRENCE WHERE I HAD TO ADD OIL. I THEN HAD TO WAIT 4 DAYS FOR THE DEALER TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE CAR. IRONICALLY, WHEN THE CAR WAS RETURNED THE PAPERWORK DID NOT SHOW ANY RECORD OF MY ADDING OIL (EVEN THOUGH I TOLD 3 SEPARATE PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP). IT DID SAY THAT THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE TO ADD OIL. I DRIVE THIS CAR EVERY DAY BACK AND FORTH TO WORK. TO MATTERS WORSE, I ALSO TRANSPORT MY HUSBAND, WHO IS RECOVERING FROM A 5-ORGAN TRANSPLANT, TO HIS DOCTORS APPOINTMENTS TWICE A WEEK, WHICH ARE OVER AN HOUR AWAY. SHOULD WE HAVE A FIRE, AND NEED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY, MY HUSBAND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO SO. THIS WAS MY FIRST NISSAN. IT IS MY LAST. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10161915
700 miles · Jul 6, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
NISSAN ALTIMA EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. OIL LEVEL WAS AT L AT 700 MILES. ADDED OIL AGAIN AT 1,000 MILES. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10161688
Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
CAR IS USING TOO MUCH OIL. I UNDERSTAND FROM ARTICLES THAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT CERTAIN NISSAN 2006 2.5 ENGINES HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND THAT MY VIN NUMBER FALLS WITHIN THE RANGE. NISSAN HAS NOT NOTIFIED ME AS THEIR CAMPAIGN NUMBER 06V223000 INDICATES, AND I RECEIVE DIFFERENT STORIES WHEN I CALL THEIR 800 NUMBER FOR I…
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CAR IS USING TOO MUCH OIL. I UNDERSTAND FROM ARTICLES THAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT CERTAIN NISSAN 2006 2.5 ENGINES HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND THAT MY VIN NUMBER FALLS WITHIN THE RANGE. NISSAN HAS NOT NOTIFIED ME AS THEIR CAMPAIGN NUMBER 06V223000 INDICATES, AND I RECEIVE DIFFERENT STORIES WHEN I CALL THEIR 800 NUMBER FOR INFORMATION. IT'S A FAILURE, POTENTIAL INJURY, AND POTENTIAL FIRE WAITING TO HAPPEN. I SHOULD NOT NEED TO CHECK THE OIL EVERY COUPLE HUNDRED MILES AND WOULD LIKE NISSAN'S OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT I SHOULD DO, BUT NO ONE IS WILLING TO PUT ANYTHING IN WRITING. WHEN I BRING THE CAR IN TO BE CHECKED, THEY REFUSE TO GIVE ME ANY WRITTEN INDICATION THAT I HAVE BROUGHT IT IN TO THEM EITHER. I AM CURRENTLY DOWN A QUART OF OIL WITH ONLY 1500 MILES ON THE CAR. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10161311
3,200 miles · Jun 29, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH ON NORMAL RESIDENTIAL ROAD CONDITIONS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE SKIDDED CRASHING INTO A MAILBOX. A POLICE REPORT WAS PROCESSED AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE HAD INCIDENCES OF SKIDDING ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS.
NHTSA ODI #10161097
200 miles · Jun 27, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE; THERE WAS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE NOISE FROM THE ENGINE WAS OBSERVED BEFORE THE ENGINE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION WAS DISCOVERED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ALERTED AND DIRECTED THE CONTACT TO ADD OIL EVERY 700 MILES. …
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE; THERE WAS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE NOISE FROM THE ENGINE WAS OBSERVED BEFORE THE ENGINE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION WAS DISCOVERED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ALERTED AND DIRECTED THE CONTACT TO ADD OIL EVERY 700 MILES. THE DEALER EXPLAINED SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE PISTONS THEREFORE; THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT WILL TAKE UP TO TWO MONTHS FOR THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE TO BE AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED AND EXPLAINED OIL SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE ADDED.
NHTSA ODI #10160909
7,000 miles · Jun 26, 2006
Vehicle Speed Control
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE CRUSING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF. THE DASH LIGHTS STARTED TO GET DIM SECONDS BEFORE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ROLLED TO A STOP. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WHEN PARKED, ALTHO…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE CRUSING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF. THE DASH LIGHTS STARTED TO GET DIM SECONDS BEFORE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ROLLED TO A STOP. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WHEN PARKED, ALTHOUGH IT WAS ONLY ABLE TO BE SHIFTED INTO PARK AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE STARTED UP NORMALLY AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE AFTERNOON DURING DAMP ROAD CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 05/26/06 WHICH DETERMINED THAT THE CONTACT WAS PUTTING BAD GAS INTO THE VEHICLE. THE SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 06/09/06 AND 06/17/06 WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELLING AT 45 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER 3 ADDITIONAL TIMES, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10160737
Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE LETTER THAT WE RECEIVED FROM NISSAN NORTH AMERICA INC. AFTER THE PURCHASE OF OUR NEW 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA. MY WIFE AND I FEEL THAT NISSAN DEFRAUDED US WHEN WE MADE OUR PURCHASE OVER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. WE FEEL VERY STRONG THAT FRAUD OCCURRED BEING THAT THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO US UPON PUR…
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THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE LETTER THAT WE RECEIVED FROM NISSAN NORTH AMERICA INC. AFTER THE PURCHASE OF OUR NEW 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA. MY WIFE AND I FEEL THAT NISSAN DEFRAUDED US WHEN WE MADE OUR PURCHASE OVER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. WE FEEL VERY STRONG THAT FRAUD OCCURRED BEING THAT THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO US UPON PURCHASE BUT WAS DISCLOSED TO US WITHIN TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING A NISSAN PRODUCT. TODAY WE MADE CONTACT WITH OUR SALES REPRESENTATIVE WENDY HOOTEN AT POWER NISSAN TEMPE AND BOTH MY WIFE AND I WERE TREATED VERY POORLY. ALL THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS FOR A FULL PURCHASE PRICE REFUND TO PUT TOWARDS ANOTHER ONE OF NISSAN'S PRODUCTS AND WE WERE TOLD VERY HARSHLY THAT THEY WOULD NOT DO THAT. WHAT WAS TOLD TO US BY WENDY WAS THAT THEY COULD ONLY OFFER US A TRADE IN PRICE ON A BRAND NEW VEHICLE WITH ONLY 755 MILES WHICH TO DATE HAS USED 1 QUART OF OIL. FURTHER TALKING WITH WENDY THIS MORNING, SHE DIVULGED THAT POWER NISSAN TEMPE HAS PULLED ALL OF THE NISSAN ALTIMA CARS WITH THE 4 CYLINDER ENGINE. THEREFORE, THIS ACTION WARRANTS THAT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF THE NISSAN ALTIMA!!! SINCE SHOPPING FOR A CAR, WE LOOKED AT THE NISSAN AND TOYOTA PRODUCTS BEING THAT OUR FAMILY HAS BEEN IN THE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR INDUSTRY FOR OVER 30 YEARS; WE FELT THAT WE WOULD BE GETTING THE BEST CAR FOR OUR MONEY BEING THAT WE USUALLY KEEP OUR CARS FOR SEVERAL YEARS BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE!!!!!! AT THIS POINT WE ARE NOT COMFORTABLE KEEPING THIS CAR AND AGAIN WE ARE ONLY ASKING FOR THE FULL PURCHASE PRICE ON A TRADE IN FOR ANOTHER NISSAN PRODUCT. I DOING SO WE WANT THE REFUND TO BE KEPT SEPARATE FROM THE PURCHASE PRICE OF A NEW VEHICLE. IN OTHER WORDS, WE DO NOT WANT POWER NISSAN TEMPE TRYING TO MAKE UP THE MONEY THEY FEEL THEY HAVE LOST WITH THIS TRANSACTION ON THE NEW VEHICLE THAT WE WANT TO PURCHASE. OUR HOPES ARE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE WE HAVE TO CONSULT WITH A LEGAL REPRESENTATION, OUR LAWYER. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10160721
Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
WE PURCHASED A NEW NISSAN 2006 ALTIMA 2.5 ON 05/31/06. TWO DAYS LATER, JUNE 2ND, IT WAS ON THE NEWS THAT NISSAN TOLD THEIR DEALERS TO STOP SELLING THIS CAR DUE TO ENGINE FIRES AND EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. WITHIN A WEEK WE RECEIVED AN UN-DATED LETTER FROM NISSAN TELLING OWNERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND TO MONITOR OIL LEVEL. FURTHE…
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WE PURCHASED A NEW NISSAN 2006 ALTIMA 2.5 ON 05/31/06. TWO DAYS LATER, JUNE 2ND, IT WAS ON THE NEWS THAT NISSAN TOLD THEIR DEALERS TO STOP SELLING THIS CAR DUE TO ENGINE FIRES AND EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. WITHIN A WEEK WE RECEIVED AN UN-DATED LETTER FROM NISSAN TELLING OWNERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND TO MONITOR OIL LEVEL. FURTHER WORD WOULD COME IN 60 DAYS - TWO MONTHS! I WAS TOLD THAT ON JUNE 1 THEY STOPPED SELLING THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. ONE DAY AFTER MY PURCHASE! WE THEN CONTACTED NISSAN WITH THE PHONE NUMBER THAT WAS ON THE LETTER. WE TOLD THEM WE WOULD LIKE TO RETURN THIS CAR AND GET SOMETHING ELSE OR OUR MONEY BACK. THEY LAUGHED! THE DEALER DID THE SAME, AND GAVE ME A VERY LOW TRADE IN PRICE. WE FEEL THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO MONITOR THE OIL ON A BRAND NEW CAR. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR ITS RELIABILITY AFTER WE HAD LEMON LAW PROBLEMS WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT LOOKS LIKE WE GOT ANOTHER LEMON! WE HAD THIS CAR FOR LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AND UNDER 600 MILES AND DO-NOT FEEL SAFE. THEY HAVE ALREADY MADE AN ADMISSION OF THIS PROBLEM IN THEIR LETTER ABOUT MONITORING THE OIL WHICH COULD RESULT IN ENGINE FIRES IF NOT PROPERLY MAINTAINED. AS A CONSUMER BUYING A NEW CAR I SHOULD NOT BE BURDENED BY THIS PROBLEM BETWEEN RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGES AND BE EXPOSED TO POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH. THIS WAS OUR FIRST NISSAN PURCHASE AND NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE DEALERSHIP MADE US FEEL VERY POORLY ABOUT THEM. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH MY PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN IT. I DO NOT WANT MY FAMILY OR MYSELF IN AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE AT ALL! AND I HAVE TO WAIT 60 DAYS FOR SOME SORT OF ACTION! WHY SHOULD WE WAIT FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN, AN ENGINE FIRE OR ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE SOMETHING CAN BE DONE? TO MAKE ME A SATISFIED CUSTOMER TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK AND REPLACE IT OR REFUND ME! *JB
NHTSA ODI #10160720