IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE NOISE WAS MOST PREVALENT DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
2011 Nissan Altima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2011 Nissan Altima do not stand out strongly from 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
410–25K
2325–50K
2750–75K
2775–100K
43100–150K
12150K+
173 reports with mileage · 68 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.
- Power Train. Review the 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports5 fire reports7 injury reports
Service Brakes complaints
8 reportsTAKATA RECALLS. I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH MY SEALS AROUND MY WINDOWS. WHEN IT RAINS MY CAR GETS WATER IN THE DOORS.STATIONARY
THERE IS AN ELECTRIC SYSTEM ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. I HAVE HAD THE ISSUE 4 YEARS. THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKES WILL LOCK UP AND THE ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER. IN ORDER TO START THE CAR THE BATTERY DISCONNECTED FIRST AND THEN PLUG BACK IN AND THEN IT WILL START BACK UP.IN THE PAST I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHI…
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THERE IS AN ELECTRIC SYSTEM ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. I HAVE HAD THE ISSUE 4 YEARS. THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKES WILL LOCK UP AND THE ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER. IN ORDER TO START THE CAR THE BATTERY DISCONNECTED FIRST AND THEN PLUG BACK IN AND THEN IT WILL START BACK UP.IN THE PAST I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE NEVER FOUND ANY ISSUES ON THE DIAGNOSTICS.
MY VDC CONTINUE TO POP ON AND SLOW DOWN MY CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED AND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE END BEGAN TO SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN IT RAINED, THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT A LOUD GRINDING NOISE FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED AND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE END BEGAN TO SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN IT RAINED, THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT A LOUD GRINDING NOISE FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ROTORS AND THE SHOCKS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,425. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
BRAKE PEDAL SQUEAK UPON DECOMPRESSION. FOUND RING OF BRAKE FLUID ON MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR CAP. DEALERSHIP STATED OVERFILLED AND WIPED BRAKE FLUID INSPECTED MC FOR RECALL -- NO LEAK. RING CAME BACK AFTER TWO DAYS. DEALERSHIP STATED MASTER CYLINDER KICKING FLUID BACK UP -- NO LEAK -- MC REPLACED NOT DUE TO RECALL. MASTER CYLIN…
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BRAKE PEDAL SQUEAK UPON DECOMPRESSION. FOUND RING OF BRAKE FLUID ON MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR CAP. DEALERSHIP STATED OVERFILLED AND WIPED BRAKE FLUID INSPECTED MC FOR RECALL -- NO LEAK. RING CAME BACK AFTER TWO DAYS. DEALERSHIP STATED MASTER CYLINDER KICKING FLUID BACK UP -- NO LEAK -- MC REPLACED NOT DUE TO RECALL. MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED DUE TO FLUID BEING KICKED BACK UP. BRAKE PEDAL SQUEAK WENT AWAY. *TR
WHEN DRIVING SPEEDS AS LOW AS 25 MILES PER HOUR, THE BRAKES STARTED TO GRAB. I FIRST NOTICED THAT WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE, WHEN RELEASED, THE PEDAL SEEMED TO STICK, AS IF THERE WERE GUM ON THE BOTTOM OF MY SHOE, PERHAPS STICKING TO THE PEDAL. I CHECKED THE PEDAL AND IT WAS CLEAR. THEN I NOTICED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT SLOWER RAT…
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WHEN DRIVING SPEEDS AS LOW AS 25 MILES PER HOUR, THE BRAKES STARTED TO GRAB. I FIRST NOTICED THAT WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE, WHEN RELEASED, THE PEDAL SEEMED TO STICK, AS IF THERE WERE GUM ON THE BOTTOM OF MY SHOE, PERHAPS STICKING TO THE PEDAL. I CHECKED THE PEDAL AND IT WAS CLEAR. THEN I NOTICED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT SLOWER RATES OF SPEED, AS I EASED ON THE BRAKE, IT SEEMED TO DEPRESS AGAIN, THEN THE BRAKES WOULD GRAB HARDER. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID IT WAS THE BRAKE BOOSTER--$700 ESTIMATE TO FIX. I DID NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, SO I TOOK IT TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO EVALUATED THE ISSUE, AND CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION--BRAKE BOOSTER. HE SHOWED ME THAT IT WAS BUSTED. HE WAS CONSIDERABLY CHEAPER, SO I HAD HIM TO FIX THE BRAKE BOOSTER. IT FIXED THE ISSUE THAT I WAS FEELING IN THE PEDAL WHEN STOPPING, HOWEVER, THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO GRAB, EVEN AT SLOWER RATES OF SPEED (<25MPH). AT SLOWER SPEEDS, THE BRAKES GRABBED HARD ENOUGH TO THROW PASSENGERS FORWARD IN THE VEHICLE. HE CONTACTED NISSAN AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY MASTER CYLINDER, BUT ONLY IF IT WAS LEAKING. MY MASTER CYLINDER DID NOT APPEAR TO BE LEAKING, BUT IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT IT HAS TO BE A FAULTY CYLINDER. I READ SEVERAL REPORTS OF NISSAN'S MASTER CYLINDERS LEAKING CAUSING THE BRAKE BOOSTER TO FAIL. THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN JONESBORO SAID THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER, BUT THE RECALL IS FOR LEAKING MASTER CYLINDERS ONLY. MY MC IS NOT LEAKING, AND THEREFORE, AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. *TR
Official recalls
111V371000 · Suspension
Jul 19, 2011
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN ALTIMA SEDAN VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 25, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 10, 2011 AT THE CANTON, MISSISSIPPI PLANT. THE TRANSVERSE LINK BOLT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TORQUED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE BOLT TO BECOME LOOSE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, CREATING A RATTLING NOISE AND VIBRATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE BOLT COMES OUT COMPLETELY, THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL REPLACE THE TRANSVERSE LINK BOLTS AND NUTS AND TIGHTEN THEM TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 8, 2011. 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.