IllustrationTHE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD IS MELTING. THIS CAUSES A SHINY SURFACE WHICH IS REFLECTIVE IN THE SUN, CAUSING A MAJOR DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER
2009 Nissan Altima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Altima years
Owner complaints for the 2009 Nissan Altima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 231.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Altima years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
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
890–25K
17025–50K
30750–75K
29375–100K
306100–150K
74150K+
1,239 reports with mileage · 308 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.
- Steering. Review the 859 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 466 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 107 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
36 crash reports8 fire reports19 injury reports
What owners actually said
1,547 reportsTAKATA RECALL LEAK IN THE STEERING WHEEL FLUID HOSE, STEERING WHEEL FLUID LEAKS OUT OF THE RUBBER BAND IN THE STEERING HOSE CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO NOT BE ABLE TO TURN. TAKATA RECALL EMERGENCY BRAKE IS NOT CONNECTED OR WORKING. TAKATA RECALL SUSPENSION BROKEN CAUSING CAR TO RATTLE AND MAKE LOUD NOISES WHILE DRIVING.
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS FLASHING INDICATING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. A SCAN OF THE VEHICLE SHOWS A PROBLEM WITH THE OCCUPANT SENSOR WHICH IS THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALMOST EVERY YEAR OF NISSAN ALTIMA AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT NISSAN SAID THIS VEHICL…
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THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS FLASHING INDICATING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. A SCAN OF THE VEHICLE SHOWS A PROBLEM WITH THE OCCUPANT SENSOR WHICH IS THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALMOST EVERY YEAR OF NISSAN ALTIMA AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT NISSAN SAID THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS WHEN THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE HAD CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH THIS PART.
MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA COUPE WILL NOT START AND IS BLINKING KEY ON DASH BOARD, CHANGED BATTERY IN REMOTE CONTROL, STILL WON'T START. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUM LOCK IS DEFECTIVE CAR WILL NOT START AFTER CHANGING BATTERY AND FUSES DISCONNECTING BATTERY AND CHANGING A RELAY FUSE.
EMAIL TO JACK DANIELSON FROM CONSTITUENT REGARDING THEIR GRANDSON 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE BEING DRIVEN, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO FAIL SAFE MODE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT WITHOUT A TRANSMISSION COOLER AND A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED TO PUT ONE IN THE VE…
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EMAIL TO JACK DANIELSON FROM CONSTITUENT REGARDING THEIR GRANDSON 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE BEING DRIVEN, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO FAIL SAFE MODE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT WITHOUT A TRANSMISSION COOLER AND A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED TO PUT ONE IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT HONOR THE SERVICE BULLETIN. *JS *JS
I PURCHASED MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA IN JANUARY OF 2017.. BY MAY 2017 I NOTICED AS THE CLIMATE CHANGED MY DASH WAS STICKY AND IF YOUR FINGER SCRAPED IT PIECES WOULD COME PFF.. I NOTICED MY DASH WAS MELTING AS THE SUMMER WENT ON AND IT WAS STICKY AND DUST OR A WASH CLOTH I USED TO CLEAN IT PARTICLES WERE STICKING TO THE DASH. WHEN T…
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I PURCHASED MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA IN JANUARY OF 2017.. BY MAY 2017 I NOTICED AS THE CLIMATE CHANGED MY DASH WAS STICKY AND IF YOUR FINGER SCRAPED IT PIECES WOULD COME PFF.. I NOTICED MY DASH WAS MELTING AS THE SUMMER WENT ON AND IT WAS STICKY AND DUST OR A WASH CLOTH I USED TO CLEAN IT PARTICLES WERE STICKING TO THE DASH. WHEN THE SUN IS OUT THE SUN HITS SPOTS WHERE IT BLINDS YOU DRIVING DUE TO THE DASH MELTING..THE DASH SHOULD NOT MELT IN A CAR AND ITS A REAL ISSUE THAT NOW EVEN THOUGH I LOVE MY CAR I WANT TO GET RID OF IT DUE TO THE DASH MELTING.
I HAVE A NISSAN ALTIMA JUST BOUGHT 2016. WHEN DRIVING 20 MIN OR MORE WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP ABOUT 3 SECONDS AFTER. YOU FEEL A SHIFT OR JOLT, IN THE ENGINE THE HARMONIC BALANCER OR TIMING CHAIN. I WAS DRIVING 70 DOWN I45 BUSY TRAFFIC, AS AUDIAL AND ALL A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTS LOOSING POWER AND I WAS ALMOST HIT IN THE REAR BY A …
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I HAVE A NISSAN ALTIMA JUST BOUGHT 2016. WHEN DRIVING 20 MIN OR MORE WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP ABOUT 3 SECONDS AFTER. YOU FEEL A SHIFT OR JOLT, IN THE ENGINE THE HARMONIC BALANCER OR TIMING CHAIN. I WAS DRIVING 70 DOWN I45 BUSY TRAFFIC, AS AUDIAL AND ALL A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTS LOOSING POWER AND I WAS ALMOST HIT IN THE REAR BY A MAC TRUCK. WHEN I WAS SAFELY AT A STOP, I KILLED IT AND IT CRANKED BACK UP WITH HALF THE POWER. 1500 RPMS
THE CAR WILL NOT START. I HAD THE CAR TOWED AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT IT WILL COST HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX IT. THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROL MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT APPEARS THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT IS NOT SAFE. THE CAR WAS PARKED AND TURNED ON, BUT WOULD NOT START.
WHEN I GIVE BREAK IT MAKES NOISE SO WENT TO MEINKE AND THEY CONFIRM THERE IS SUSPENSION ISSUE. THEN I HAVE CHECKED ONLINE SO FOUND THERE WAS RECALL FOR WHICH I DIDN'T RECEIVE LETTER. I FOUND IS RISK TO DRIVE AND EXPECTING NISSAN TO COVER THIS. I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE BUT FACING SOME SMALL ISSUE FROM 2016 ONWARD.. RE CAL…
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WHEN I GIVE BREAK IT MAKES NOISE SO WENT TO MEINKE AND THEY CONFIRM THERE IS SUSPENSION ISSUE. THEN I HAVE CHECKED ONLINE SO FOUND THERE WAS RECALL FOR WHICH I DIDN'T RECEIVE LETTER. I FOUND IS RISK TO DRIVE AND EXPECTING NISSAN TO COVER THIS. I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE BUT FACING SOME SMALL ISSUE FROM 2016 ONWARD.. RE CALL REF. HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/RCL/2009/RCAK-09V358-6281.PDF
THE CAR ONLY GOES 20 MILES OF HOUR ON HWY AND IT STALLS IF YOUR AT A RED LIGHTNING OR STOP SIGN AND WANT HARDLY CLIMB HILLS OR MOUNTAIN AND IT SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING BURNING PLEASE HELP ME THE ONLY CAR I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH 3 KIDS
Official recalls
410V401000 · Equipment:electrical:navigational System(global Positioning System)
Sep 10, 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY GARMIN TECHNICIANS BY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND INSERTING A SPACER ON TOP OF THE BATTERY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN DIRECTLY AT 1-866-957-1981 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
09V358000 · Suspension
Sep 16, 2009
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 ALTIMA AND MAXIMA PASSENGER CARS. THE UPPER FRONT STRUT INSULATORS MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED OUT OF SPECIFICATION RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT INSULATOR TO CRACK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE STRUT INSULATOR IS CRACKED, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT ROD TO COME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING POSITION, WHICH COULD AFFECT VEHICLE STABILITY AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FRONT STRUT INSULATORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-NISSAN1 (1-800-647-7261).
09V006000 · Structure:body:door
Jan 9, 2009
NISSAN IS RECALLING 225 MY 2009 ALTIMA VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 214, "SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION WELD ON THE DOOR ASSEMBLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
Remedy: ALL THE AFFECTED VEHICLES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIPS AND REMEDIED AT THE FACTORY. NO VEHICLES HAD BEEN RETAILED.
08V464000 · Wheels
Sep 15, 2008
NISSAN IS RECALLING 3,403 MY 2009 ALTIMA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 16-INCH ALLOY WHEELS. SOME THESE WHEELS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO SPECIFICATION. THIS COULD CAUSE ONE OR MORE OF THE FIVE LUG NUTS ATTACHING THE WHEEL TO THE VEHICLE TO BECOME LOOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE LUG NUTS BECOME LOOSE, IT COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF IT IS EQUIPPED WITH ONE OF THE AFFECTED WHEELS. IF IT IS, THE WHEELS WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEW ONES THAT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATION. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING SEPTEMBER 2008. 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.