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2021 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2021 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

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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

Limited mileage data: 12 of 70 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Forward Collision Avoidance. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

What owners actually said

70 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 25, 2025
Visibility

Windshield Repair Issue I have a cracked windshield that I attempted to have repaired through my insurance company. The repair company I was sent to was unable to remove the windshield, so they referred me to Nissan, as they are the manufacturer of my vehicle. However, when I went to Nissan, I was informed that they could not r…

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Windshield Repair Issue I have a cracked windshield that I attempted to have repaired through my insurance company. The repair company I was sent to was unable to remove the windshield, so they referred me to Nissan, as they are the manufacturer of my vehicle. However, when I went to Nissan, I was informed that they could not remove the necessary bolts to replace my windshield without breaking my windshield wiper motor. This situation poses significant safety risks. A cracked windshield compromises the structural integrity of the vehicle, reducing its ability to protect occupants in the event of an accident.

NHTSA ODI #11644838

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2025
Seat BeltsSeatsUnknown Or Other

The backseat driver seatbelt does not click locked. The driver seat squeaks and moves. The driver door locks while trying to open.

NHTSA ODI #11642343

Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 2025
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceUnknown Or Other

Purchased the car in June of 2024 with around 33,000 miles. I thought the doors were locked and someone was able to just open my back door when my car was unattended in a store parking lot; the car was supposed to be locked. Lights and horn started going off. Being a female with a child this is a very scary issue. The idea that…

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Purchased the car in June of 2024 with around 33,000 miles. I thought the doors were locked and someone was able to just open my back door when my car was unattended in a store parking lot; the car was supposed to be locked. Lights and horn started going off. Being a female with a child this is a very scary issue. The idea that anyone can get in when you think the doors are locked or vice versa, in the event of an emergency no one can get in because the doors dont unlock. It started with the passenger side rear door lock not working with fob or button. The lock needs to be done manually. The dealership looked at it and said they could not replicate the problem and everything was working. Now both rear door locks dont work with the buttons or the key fob. The rear doors have to be locked and unlocked manually all the time. Car is currently at the dealership and they confirmed the issue and are telling me that the BCM (i believe is what they said) needs to be replaced and reprogrammed. The car only has approx. 42,500 miles. The other issue with the car is the automatic emergency braking system light comes on and flashes on the dash. It is very random and sometimes it doesnt do it at all. There can be nothing in front of me on the road when it starts flashing. It also does it in all weather conditions, and even when its dry. There have been multiple issues with this car since the day I purchased it.

NHTSA ODI #11640747

Mileage unknown · Jan 29, 2025
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

I was driving with my child in the car and the volume on the radio spiked to an extremely high level. This has happened multiple times and the volume control knob is defective so I cannot turn down the volume or the radio off. I brought the vehicle into the Nissan dealer and they diagnosed an internal failure to the A/V contro…

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I was driving with my child in the car and the volume on the radio spiked to an extremely high level. This has happened multiple times and the volume control knob is defective so I cannot turn down the volume or the radio off. I brought the vehicle into the Nissan dealer and they diagnosed an internal failure to the A/V control unit and recommended replacing this. When the volume spikes to full blast, I cannot turn the radio off. They are charging $2000 to have this repaired even though it's a safety hazard and I am distracted while driving to keep trying to turn the volume off or the radio off. The controls do not work and they independently turn the volume on full blast.

NHTSA ODI #11639436

Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2025
Electrical System

Passenger door won’t unlock at all

NHTSA ODI #11638520

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2025
Electrical SystemService BrakesSteeringFire

Due to the Pasadena wildfires the car has been highly affected due to the extreme heat and the ashes

NHTSA ODI #11636408

Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2024
Unknown Or Other

When it rains I cannot see using the backup camera at all. Car also gives false alerts when backing up when raining or after rain.

NHTSA ODI #11629804

Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 2024
Electrical System

The passenger side door won’t unlock at all. By remote nor manually.

NHTSA ODI #11629419

Mileage unknown · Dec 1, 2024
Power Train

TRANSMISSION HAD FRONT SEAL LEAKING.CAR HAS LESS THAN 51,OOO MILES.

NHTSA ODI #11628170

Mileage unknown · Nov 28, 2024
Forward Collision Avoidance

[XXX] slams on brakes going in reverse for no reason, I wish there was a way to disconnect this to me it's more of a safety issue. Problem is there trying to dumb [XXX] down for all the idiots out there that don't know how to drive.. I don't have that problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOI…

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[XXX] slams on brakes going in reverse for no reason, I wish there was a way to disconnect this to me it's more of a safety issue. Problem is there trying to dumb [XXX] down for all the idiots out there that don't know how to drive.. I don't have that problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11627862

Official recalls

2

23V628000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Sep 8, 2023

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23C3.

21V138000 · Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly

Mar 4, 2021

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Nissan Altima vehicles. The tie rod ball joint fastener was not tightened properly, which could result in the tie rod ball joint detaching from the steering knuckle.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A detached tie rod ball joint can cause a loss of steering control, and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the left and right-side tie rod ball joint fasteners, or install new fasteners as necessary, free of charge. The began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PC795.

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

2

PE23023 · Complete Loss Of Motive Power Due To Engine Failure

Opened Dec 13, 2023 · Closed Jul 18, 2025

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine; Engine And Engine Cooling; Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/mechanical

On December 13, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-023 to investigate allegations of engine failures leading to loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue; MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; and MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50 vehicles. At that time, ODI had received 6 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) and multiple early warning reports, with consumers reporting engine knocking noises accompanied by a loss of engine power while driving. The investigation identified bearing failures in certain vehicles equipped with the subject 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. ODI also identified early warning reports describing thermal incidents that occurred immediately after the vehicle suffered a catastrophic engine failure.  The failures were the result of a manufacturing defect in specific engine bearings (main, A-, C-, and L-link) or other engine components that may cause engine damage and potentially lead to engine failure. Engine failure can result in a loss of motive power event that can increase the risk of a crash.  Engine failure might also result in a fire if internal components detach and impact the engine block creating a hole that allows engine oil to reach hot surfaces. In its April 2024, May 2024, and June 2025 responses to ODI’s information requests, Nissan provided 998 customer reports (including complaints, field reports, and legal claims) and 1,107 warranty claims related to the alleged defect.  When combining ODI and manufacturer report data, there are 1,878 unique VINs that have experienced failures across all subject vehicles.  In one of the early warning reports, ODI identified an incident involving a 2022 Infiniti QX55 that resulted in an engine fire following an alleged engine failure. The 2022 Infiniti QX55 was not included in the scope of this investigation but the vehicle model shares the same 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo engine.  Based on the information included with the early warning report, the fire can be directly related to the alleged defect.   A further review of ODI and manufacturer data, identified 12 allegations of engine compartment fires in subject vehicles; three were confirmed as directly related to the engine failure, and nine reports described an under-hood fire that occurred following a loss of power event. Additionally, ODI identified multiple reports describing an engine block crack or hole surrounded by oil residue following an engine failure. On June 27, 2025, Nissan submitted recall 25V-437 involving 443,899 MY 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue, MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50; and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles. The recall remedy provides the dealer instructions to inspect the engine oil pan for the presence of specific metal debris. For customers with the 3-cylinder 1.5L VC-Turbo engine, if no debris is detected during the inspection, dealers will replace the oil pan gasket, engine oil, and reprogram the vehicle’s Engine Control Module (ECM). For customers with the 4-cylinder 2.0L VC-Turbo engine, if no debris is detected, dealers will replace the engine oil. In the case where specific debris is detected and confirmed by Nissan Powertrain Call Center, dealers will be instructed to replace the engine. In addition, Nissan will extend the vehicle warranty to 10 years and 120,000 miles for the recall subject vehicle population after the dealer performs the inspection. Nissan has implemented multiple corrective actions to address the identified manufacturing defects of certain engine block internal components.  In view of the recall action (25V437) taken by Nissan, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/mechanical

On December 13, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-023 to investigate allegations of engine failures leading to loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue; MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; and MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50 vehicles. At that time, ODI had received 6 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) and multiple early warning reports, with consumers reporting engine knocking noises accompanied by a loss of engine power while driving. The investigation identified bearing failures in certain vehicles equipped with the subject 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. ODI also identified early warning reports describing thermal incidents that occurred immediately after the vehicle suffered a catastrophic engine failure.  The failures were the result of a manufacturing defect in specific engine bearings (main, A-, C-, and L-link) or other engine components that may cause engine damage and potentially lead to engine failure. Engine failure can result in a loss of motive power event that can increase the risk of a crash.  Engine failure might also result in a fire if internal components detach and impact the engine block creating a hole that allows engine oil to reach hot surfaces. In its April 2024, May 2024, and June 2025 responses to ODI’s information requests, Nissan provided 998 customer reports (including complaints, field reports, and legal claims) and 1,107 warranty claims related to the alleged defect.  When combining ODI and manufacturer report data, there are 1,878 unique VINs that have experienced failures across all subject vehicles.  In one of the early warning reports, ODI identified an incident involving a 2022 Infiniti QX55 that resulted in an engine fire following an alleged engine failure. The 2022 Infiniti QX55 was not included in the scope of this investigation but the vehicle model shares the same 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo engine.  Based on the information included with the early warning report, the fire can be directly related to the alleged defect.   A further review of ODI and manufacturer data, identified 12 allegations of engine compartment fires in subject vehicles; three were confirmed as directly related to the engine failure, and nine reports described an under-hood fire that occurred following a loss of power event. Additionally, ODI identified multiple reports describing an engine block crack or hole surrounded by oil residue following an engine failure. On June 27, 2025, Nissan submitted recall 25V-437 involving 443,899 MY 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue, MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50; and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles. The recall remedy provides the dealer instructions to inspect the engine oil pan for the presence of specific metal debris. For customers with the 3-cylinder 1.5L VC-Turbo engine, if no debris is detected during the inspection, dealers will replace the oil pan gasket, engine oil, and reprogram the vehicle’s Engine Control Module (ECM). For customers with the 4-cylinder 2.0L VC-Turbo engine, if no debris is detected, dealers will replace the engine oil. In the case where specific debris is detected and confirmed by Nissan Powertrain Call Center, dealers will be instructed to replace the engine. In addition, Nissan will extend the vehicle warranty to 10 years and 120,000 miles for the recall subject vehicle population after the dealer performs the inspection. Nissan has implemented multiple corrective actions to address the identified manufacturing defects of certain engine block internal components.  In view of the recall action (25V437) taken by Nissan, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Engine And Engine Cooling

On December 13, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-023 to investigate allegations of engine failures leading to loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue; MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; and MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50 vehicles. At that time, ODI had received 6 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) and multiple early warning reports, with consumers reporting engine knocking noises accompanied by a loss of engine power while driving. The investigation identified bearing failures in certain vehicles equipped with the subject 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. ODI also identified early warning reports describing thermal incidents that occurred immediately after the vehicle suffered a catastrophic engine failure.  The failures were the result of a manufacturing defect in specific engine bearings (main, A-, C-, and L-link) or other engine components that may cause engine damage and potentially lead to engine failure. Engine failure can result in a loss of motive power event that can increase the risk of a crash.  Engine failure might also result in a fire if internal components detach and impact the engine block creating a hole that allows engine oil to reach hot surfaces. In its April 2024, May 2024, and June 2025 responses to ODI’s information requests, Nissan provided 998 customer reports (including complaints, field reports, and legal claims) and 1,107 warranty claims related to the alleged defect.  When combining ODI and manufacturer report data, there are 1,878 unique VINs that have experienced failures across all subject vehicles.  In one of the early warning reports, ODI identified an incident involving a 2022 Infiniti QX55 that resulted in an engine fire following an alleged engine failure. The 2022 Infiniti QX55 was not included in the scope of this investigation but the vehicle model shares the same 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo engine.  Based on the information included with the early warning report, the fire can be directly related to the alleged defect.   A further review of ODI and manufacturer data, identified 12 allegations of engine compartment fires in subject vehicles; three were confirmed as directly related to the engine failure, and nine reports described an under-hood fire that occurred following a loss of power event. Additionally, ODI identified multiple reports describing an engine block crack or hole surrounded by oil residue following an engine failure. On June 27, 2025, Nissan submitted recall 25V-437 involving 443,899 MY 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue, MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50; and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles. The recall remedy provides the dealer instructions to inspect the engine oil pan for the presence of specific metal debris. For customers with the 3-cylinder 1.5L VC-Turbo engine, if no debris is detected during the inspection, dealers will replace the oil pan gasket, engine oil, and reprogram the vehicle’s Engine Control Module (ECM). For customers with the 4-cylinder 2.0L VC-Turbo engine, if no debris is detected, dealers will replace the engine oil. In the case where specific debris is detected and confirmed by Nissan Powertrain Call Center, dealers will be instructed to replace the engine. In addition, Nissan will extend the vehicle warranty to 10 years and 120,000 miles for the recall subject vehicle population after the dealer performs the inspection. Nissan has implemented multiple corrective actions to address the identified manufacturing defects of certain engine block internal components.  In view of the recall action (25V437) taken by Nissan, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Engine

On December 13, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-023 to investigate allegations of engine failures leading to loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue; MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; and MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50 vehicles. At that time, ODI had received 6 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) and multiple early warning reports, with consumers reporting engine knocking noises accompanied by a loss of engine power while driving. The investigation identified bearing failures in certain vehicles equipped with the subject 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. ODI also identified early warning reports describing thermal incidents that occurred immediately after the vehicle suffered a catastrophic engine failure.  The failures were the result of a manufacturing defect in specific engine bearings (main, A-, C-, and L-link) or other engine components that may cause engine damage and potentially lead to engine failure. Engine failure can result in a loss of motive power event that can increase the risk of a crash.  Engine failure might also result in a fire if internal components detach and impact the engine block creating a hole that allows engine oil to reach hot surfaces. In its April 2024, May 2024, and June 2025 responses to ODI’s information requests, Nissan provided 998 customer reports (including complaints, field reports, and legal claims) and 1,107 warranty claims related to the alleged defect.  When combining ODI and manufacturer report data, there are 1,878 unique VINs that have experienced failures across all subject vehicles.  In one of the early warning reports, ODI identified an incident involving a 2022 Infiniti QX55 that resulted in an engine fire following an alleged engine failure. The 2022 Infiniti QX55 was not included in the scope of this investigation but the vehicle model shares the same 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo engine.  Based on the information included with the early warning report, the fire can be directly related to the alleged defect.   A further review of ODI and manufacturer data, identified 12 allegations of engine compartment fires in subject vehicles; three were confirmed as directly related to the engine failure, and nine reports described an under-hood fire that occurred following a loss of power event. Additionally, ODI identified multiple reports describing an engine block crack or hole surrounded by oil residue following an engine failure. On June 27, 2025, Nissan submitted recall 25V-437 involving 443,899 MY 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue, MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50; and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles. The recall remedy provides the dealer instructions to inspect the engine oil pan for the presence of specific metal debris. For customers with the 3-cylinder 1.5L VC-Turbo engine, if no debris is detected during the inspection, dealers will replace the oil pan gasket, engine oil, and reprogram the vehicle’s Engine Control Module (ECM). For customers with the 4-cylinder 2.0L VC-Turbo engine, if no debris is detected, dealers will replace the engine oil. In the case where specific debris is detected and confirmed by Nissan Powertrain Call Center, dealers will be instructed to replace the engine. In addition, Nissan will extend the vehicle warranty to 10 years and 120,000 miles for the recall subject vehicle population after the dealer performs the inspection. Nissan has implemented multiple corrective actions to address the identified manufacturing defects of certain engine block internal components.  In view of the recall action (25V437) taken by Nissan, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

AQ22003 · Hertz/vehicles Rented With Open Recalls

Opened Dec 16, 2022 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch

NHTSA is opening this audit query to investigate whether The Hertz Corporation (Hertz) has complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Safety Act). The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a rental company shall not rent a vehicle subject to a safety recall unless the recall remedy has been performed. 49 U.S.C. § 30120(i).NHTSA is in receipt of information that indicates Hertz rented vehicles to customers without having performed required recall repairs. Accordingly, we are opening this audit query to seek additional information concerning this issue.

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