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2010 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Nissan Altima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 231.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

271 reports with mileage · 109 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

25 crash reports9 fire reports20 injury reports

Power Train complaints

73 reports
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33,000 miles · Aug 29, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND UPON RESTART, THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS, WHERE T…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND UPON RESTART, THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10422486

9,000 miles · Jul 14, 2011
Power Train

ON JUNE 26TH,WE LEFT THE HOUSTON AREA ON AN OUT OF TOWN TRIP. AT THE HALFWAY POINT WE EXITED 1-10 AT SCHULENBERG TEXAS AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROX.100 MILES. AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION, I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AT A NORMAL RATE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RESPONDING AND DIDN'T HAVE SUFFICIENT POWER TO S…

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ON JUNE 26TH,WE LEFT THE HOUSTON AREA ON AN OUT OF TOWN TRIP. AT THE HALFWAY POINT WE EXITED 1-10 AT SCHULENBERG TEXAS AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROX.100 MILES. AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION, I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AT A NORMAL RATE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RESPONDING AND DIDN'T HAVE SUFFICIENT POWER TO SAFELY MOVE THRU THE INTERSECTION. I FURTHER DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND COULD HEAR THE ENGINE REVVING BUT FELT LITTLE MOVEMENT FROM THE VEHICLE. IT FELT AS IF THE CAR WAS STUCK IN HIGH GEAR. WE SLOWLY GAINED SPEED AND EVENTUALLY MOVED TO A PARKING LOT WHERE THE CAR CAME TO A STOP;NOT WILLING TO MOVE BEYOND THAT PARKING SPACE. AFTER ALLOWING TO VEHICLE TO COOL FOR AN HOUR, IT ACCELERATED 1-TIME AT IT'S NORMAL RATE BUT SOON RETURNED TO IT'S EARLIER CONDITION. WE ALLOWED IT TO SIT FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS AND DECIDED TO GIVE IT ANOTHER TRY. THE CAR MOVED OFF IN A NORMAL WAY, WE DECIDED SINCE IT WAS UNDERWAY AND BECAUSE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE, WE DECIDED TO RETURN HOME VIA ALL FREEWAY,TRYING NOT TO STOP ANYWHERE. ON JUNE 28,2011 WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE NISSAN DEALER IN ANGLETON TX. THE SERVICE DEPT. CLAIMED THE CVT TRANSMISSION HAD TOO MUCH OIL (HALF QUART) IN IT FROM THE FACTORY WHICH CAUSES THEM TO OVERHEAT WHICH CAUSES THE CONDITION WE EXPERIENCED. THE DEALER STATED THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHER NISSAN ALTIMA OWNERS (CVT TRANSMISSION). THE DEALER STATED THERE IS NO RECALL. THE PROBLEM GIVES NO WARNING WHICH LEFT US PULLING SLOWLY UNABLE TO ACCELERATE WITH FAST MOVING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. NISSAN SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED US OF THIS PROBLEM AND DONE A SELF IMPOSED RECALL. I AM NOT CONVINCED OF NISSAN'S CLAIM OF "TOO MUCH OIL" AS THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR DID THIS BRIEFLY ONCE BEFORE WHILE MOVING VERY SLOWLY IN A PARKING LOT BUT NEVER DID IT AGAIN UNTIL JUNE 26 TH 2011. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10412271

20,000 miles · Jun 22, 2011
Power Train

I OWN A 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA SL AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION FOLLOWING LONG HIGHWAY TRIPS. WHEN I EXIT THE FREEWAY AND COME TO A STOP, I CAN PUSH THE GAS PEDAL DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND EXPERIENCE VERY LITTLE SPEED. I HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND BOTH TIMES THEY STATE THAT THEY CAN'T "RECREATE THE …

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I OWN A 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA SL AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION FOLLOWING LONG HIGHWAY TRIPS. WHEN I EXIT THE FREEWAY AND COME TO A STOP, I CAN PUSH THE GAS PEDAL DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND EXPERIENCE VERY LITTLE SPEED. I HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND BOTH TIMES THEY STATE THAT THEY CAN'T "RECREATE THE PROBLEM". THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY WON'T DRIVE IT LONG ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH DRIVING SHORT OR MODERATE DISTANCES, ONLY LONG HIGHWAY TRIPS. I HAVE ONCE AGAIN RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I REFUSE TO PICK IT UP UNTIL THEY RECREATE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY FACTOR BECAUSE WE WERE ALMOST INVOLVED IN A COLLISION LAST WEEK WHILE ON VACATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10408449

15,000 miles · Jun 5, 2011
Power Train

DANGEROUS PERFORMANCE ON 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA. AFTER DRIVING OVER 2 HOURS AT HIGHWAY SPEED, I HAD TO STOP FOR TRAFFIC. I TRIED TO ACCELERATE FOLLOWING THE STOP AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I HAD TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND THEN IT MOVED GRADUALLY AND THEN QUICKLY PICKED UP SPEED. THIS HAPPENED SEVERA…

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DANGEROUS PERFORMANCE ON 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA. AFTER DRIVING OVER 2 HOURS AT HIGHWAY SPEED, I HAD TO STOP FOR TRAFFIC. I TRIED TO ACCELERATE FOLLOWING THE STOP AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I HAD TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND THEN IT MOVED GRADUALLY AND THEN QUICKLY PICKED UP SPEED. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE TRIP AFTER EXTENDED DRIVING TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10404517

5,000 miles · May 25, 2011
Power Train

I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE IN AUGUST OF 2010. IN OCTOBER WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO FLORIDA, AND AT THE END OF A FULL DAY OF TRAVEL, APROX 6 HOURS- WE EXITED I95 IN VIRGINIA TO GO TO OUR HOTEL. WHEN WE CAME TO A STOP SIGN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAMP, WE ATTEMPTED TO CROSS A STATE ROAD TO GET TO OUR HOTEL. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR THE …

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I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE IN AUGUST OF 2010. IN OCTOBER WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO FLORIDA, AND AT THE END OF A FULL DAY OF TRAVEL, APROX 6 HOURS- WE EXITED I95 IN VIRGINIA TO GO TO OUR HOTEL. WHEN WE CAME TO A STOP SIGN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAMP, WE ATTEMPTED TO CROSS A STATE ROAD TO GET TO OUR HOTEL. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR BARELY MOVED AND WE WERE ALMOST T-BONED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. WE GOT TO THE HOTEL AND AFTER A NIGHTS REST THE CAR SEEMED FINE, BUT THE CAR DID THE EXACT SAME THING THE NEXT NIGHT. WHEN WE GOT TO FLORIDA THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND COULDN'T OFFER A SOLUTION. ON THE TRIP BACK TO NY THIS SPRING THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED EVERY DAY AFTER A LONG DRIVE, EVEN THOUGH WE MADE REST STOPS DURING THE DAY. I FEEL THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE TO AVOID A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT AND DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #10403457

7,000 miles · May 17, 2011
Power Train

I PURCHASED MY 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA NEW AT THE DEALERSHIP IN APRIL 2010. AROUND 7K MILES IS WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM. WHEN I AM ACCELERATING, BETWEEN 20-35 MPH MY CAR MAKES A LOUD NOSE AND HITS BETWEEN 4000-5000 RPMS, BUT IT FEELS LIKE IT IS LOSING POWER AND IS VERY SLOW TO SPEED UP. ONCE I HIT OVER 50MPH IT GETS BETTER…

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I PURCHASED MY 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA NEW AT THE DEALERSHIP IN APRIL 2010. AROUND 7K MILES IS WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM. WHEN I AM ACCELERATING, BETWEEN 20-35 MPH MY CAR MAKES A LOUD NOSE AND HITS BETWEEN 4000-5000 RPMS, BUT IT FEELS LIKE IT IS LOSING POWER AND IS VERY SLOW TO SPEED UP. ONCE I HIT OVER 50MPH IT GETS BETTER. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 2 DIFFERENT NISSAN DEALERSHIPS AND THEY SAY THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. AS A SANITY CHECK, I HAVE ASKED 3 OTHER PEOPLE TO DRIVE MY CAR AND THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING I AM. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN TURNING LEFT AT AN UNPROTECTED LIGHT OR TURNING RIGHT INTO TRAFFIC. I GOOGLED THIS AND SEE MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH THE YEAR AND MODEL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10401349

22,000 miles · Apr 21, 2011
Power TrainCrash

AFTER A HARD STOP ON HIGHWAY, CAR TRANSMISSION WAS LOCKED IN A HIGHER GEAR, THUS ACCELERATION ON HIGHWAY WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, AND WAS REAR ENDED, CAR WAS DRIVING AT 5MPH ON THE HIGHWAY FOLLOWING AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE. THERE IS A SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10397039

700 miles · Mar 19, 2011
Power Train

AFTER DRIVING FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME (2 HOURS OR MORE) ON THE INTERSTATE, THE VEHICLE HAS DIFFICULTY RECOVERING FROM A STOP. I ACCELERATE TO MOVE FORWARD AND THE VEHICLE HESITATES. WHEN IT REACHES ABOUT 2000 RPMS, IT ACCELERATES OUT OF CONTROL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY OF…

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AFTER DRIVING FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME (2 HOURS OR MORE) ON THE INTERSTATE, THE VEHICLE HAS DIFFICULTY RECOVERING FROM A STOP. I ACCELERATE TO MOVE FORWARD AND THE VEHICLE HESITATES. WHEN IT REACHES ABOUT 2000 RPMS, IT ACCELERATES OUT OF CONTROL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY OFFERED FOR ME TO BRING IT IN WHEN I AM GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE, BUT I HAD TO STOP BEFORE I ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THIS OCCURRED AROUND 700 MILES. WHEN I'M AT STOP LIGHTS I DON'T PANIC, BUT THIS IS UNSAFE FOR INTERSTATE DRIVING. NISSAN WILL NOT REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION UNDER THE WARRANTY AS THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10392226

7,000 miles · Jan 24, 2011
Power Train

IT OCCURRED TO ME IN JULY 2010. CAR WAS 7 MONTHS OLD WITH MILEAGE OF ~7,000 KM. THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION - WITH ACCELERATION PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED ENGINE WAS REVVING UP TO ~2,200 RPM AND CAR BARELY ACCELERATED LIKE IT WAS SLIPPAGE IN THE TRANSMISSION. SWITCHING TO SPORT OR MANUAL MODES WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. THERE IS "H…

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IT OCCURRED TO ME IN JULY 2010. CAR WAS 7 MONTHS OLD WITH MILEAGE OF ~7,000 KM. THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION - WITH ACCELERATION PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED ENGINE WAS REVVING UP TO ~2,200 RPM AND CAR BARELY ACCELERATED LIKE IT WAS SLIPPAGE IN THE TRANSMISSION. SWITCHING TO SPORT OR MANUAL MODES WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. THERE IS "HIGH FLUID TEMPERATURE PROTECTION MODE" DESCRIBED IN MANUAL, BUT THERE IS NO WARNING LIGHT/CHIME THAT TRANSMISSION ENTERS THIS MODE. DRIVER NOT BEING AWARE OF VERY LIMITED ACCELERATION CAN FIND HIMSELF IN VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION LEADING TO FATAL ACCIDENT, E.G. WHEN PULLING OUT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. IT OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES, NEVER ANY WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. FINALLY TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, BUT UNTIL NOW (JANUARY 2011) NISSAN DID NOT ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND DID NOT TAKE ANY PREVENTIVE ACTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10378381

9,500 miles · Nov 23, 2010
Power Train

PURCHASED MY NEW ALTIMA 3.5 A FEW MONTHS AGO. HAD A PROBLEM THE SECOND WEEK, SEEMED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, I ACCELERATED BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. HAD TO ACCELERATE A LOT TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE VERY LITTLE AND VERY SLOWLY. HAD I BEEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTE…

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PURCHASED MY NEW ALTIMA 3.5 A FEW MONTHS AGO. HAD A PROBLEM THE SECOND WEEK, SEEMED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, I ACCELERATED BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. HAD TO ACCELERATE A LOT TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE VERY LITTLE AND VERY SLOWLY. HAD I BEEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED A FEW TIMES AS I PARKED IN A PARKING GARAGE. UPON RETURNING TO THE CAR HOURS LATER THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED FINE. MONTHS LATER AFTER A 3 1/2 HOUR DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY, I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY EXIT AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS TIME IT CONTINUED TO HAPPEN AT LOW SPEEDS, THE CAR ONLY ACCELERATED PROPERLY AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE FOLLOWING DAY (MONDAY) I DROVE THE CAR TO MY NISSAN DEALER TO CHECK OUT THE PROBLEM, I NEVER HAD ANY WARNING LIGHTS AT ALL. THEY RAN TESTS, FOUND NOTHING, ROAD TESTED AND DETERMINED I HAD A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. BRAND NEW CAR. THIS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO MY FAMILY AND MYSELF. NISSAN IS REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION AS I WRITE THIS REPORT, BUT THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO TO PREVENT OTHERS FROM SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. I WAS LUCKY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10367236

Official recalls

3

10V401000 · 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.

10V193000 · Structure

May 7, 2010

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 ALTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 7, 2010 THROUGH APRIL 13, 2010. SOME OF THE FRONT SIDE MEMBER ASSEMBLY COMPONENTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WELDED TO SPECIFICATION DUE TO A TOOL MAINTENANCE ERROR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF SEVERAL STRUCTURAL WELDS ARE OUT OF SPECIFICATION ON A SINGLE VEHICLE, IT MAY HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE VEHICLE CRASH PERFORMANCE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 13, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT 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).

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