COMPONENT SPOTLIGHT

Nissan Altima transmission problems

241 distinct owner reports with a transmission-specific component in this snapshot.

General power-train reports are not automatically counted as transmission problems. Related recalls and investigations must also name this component; they are not linked by narrative keyword alone.

16 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports

Reports by model year

Recall and investigation columns show each year’s full history. A report naming several years can appear in more than one row.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

157 reports with mileage · 84 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 owners actually said

241 reports
1995 model year · Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2000
Power Train

THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS THE TRANSMISSION WHICH BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT SERVICED MY CAR SAID IS UNSUAL. THEN ON ABOUT A MONTH LATER THIS PART KNOWN AS A DISTRIBUTOR COMPONENT FAILED. I HAVE SPENT OVER $2500.00 ON REPAIR COST IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. I AM SURE SOMETHING THIS IS NOT NORMAL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #733151

1996 model year · Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 2000
Power Train

HAD CAR TWO MONTHS, EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE, TOOK CAR TO DEALER 3 TIMES COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM, FINALLY TRANSMISSION SHIFTING SOLENOID REPLACED. CON TINUED TO EXPERIENCE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE. RETURNED CAR TO DEALER NO TROUBLE CODES FOUND, WOULDN'T ACT UP. FINALLY TRANSMISSION DRIVE GEAR FAILED, RETURNED TO DEALER. NEED…

Read full complaint

HAD CAR TWO MONTHS, EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE, TOOK CAR TO DEALER 3 TIMES COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM, FINALLY TRANSMISSION SHIFTING SOLENOID REPLACED. CON TINUED TO EXPERIENCE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE. RETURNED CAR TO DEALER NO TROUBLE CODES FOUND, WOULDN'T ACT UP. FINALLY TRANSMISSION DRIVE GEAR FAILED, RETURNED TO DEALER. NEEDS NEW TRANSMISSION, USED TRANSMISSION INSTALLED. TWO BLOCKS FROM DEALER AT GAS PUMP CAR FAILS TO START, SHIFTER LINKAGE NOT PROPERLY ADJUSTED. RETURNED TO DEALER. NEXT MORNING NOTICED PUDDLE UNDER CAR, TRANSMISSION FLUID. RETURNED TO DEALER. THOUGHT FINALLY IT WAS FIXED. NOPE. EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE AGAIN. CALLED DEALER. WILL RETURN MONDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2000. IN FOUR MONTHS THE CAR HAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER 7 TIMES. I FINALLY SUGESTED THAT MAYBE THERE WAS A MISALIGHNMENT BETWEEN ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, THEY AGREED TO TAKE A LOOK. WE ARE NOW MAKING PAYMENTS ON A $10,000.00 CAR THAT IS NOT CAPABLE OF BEING DRIVEN MORE THAN 40 MILES WITHOUT TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING SLIPPING AND IS UNSAFE BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN ITS GOING TO HAPPEN AND I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET WITH CARS COMING BOTH DIRECTIONS. I AM FED UP!!!! WHAT CAN I DO?*AK

NHTSA ODI #732289

1999 model year · Mileage unknown · Sep 15, 2000
Power Train

WHEN CONSUMER WOUND PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE IT MADE A NOISE. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DROVE VEHICLE UP A HILL, AND IT WOULDN'T MOVE. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 11,000 MILES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #870694

1999 model year · Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2000
Power Train

THE GEARSHIFTER HAS BEEN STUCK AT LEAST 100 TIMES IN PARK. MY DAUGHTER, WHO DRIVES THE CAR, HAS BEEN STUCK AT RAILROAD CROSSINGS, HOTEL ENTRANCES, AND MANY INCONVENIENT AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUS LOCATIONS. ONCE, THE CAR GOT STUCK IN PARK RIGHT AFTER TAKING HER CHILD TO THE HOSPITAL..FORTUNATE TIMING. EACH TIME THE CAR HAS BEEN …

Read full complaint

THE GEARSHIFTER HAS BEEN STUCK AT LEAST 100 TIMES IN PARK. MY DAUGHTER, WHO DRIVES THE CAR, HAS BEEN STUCK AT RAILROAD CROSSINGS, HOTEL ENTRANCES, AND MANY INCONVENIENT AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUS LOCATIONS. ONCE, THE CAR GOT STUCK IN PARK RIGHT AFTER TAKING HER CHILD TO THE HOSPITAL..FORTUNATE TIMING. EACH TIME THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE (JAREMKO NISSAN, INC., 6901 E SPRAGUE, SPOKANE, WA 99213, 509-924-6242) MY DAUGHTER IS TOLD NOTHING CAN BE FOUND. BUT THE SERVICE PERSONNEL ADMIT THAT OTHER NISSAN ALTIMA OWNERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. "JUST BRING IN THE CAR NEXT TIME IT'S STUCK" THEY SAY. BUT REALLY, HOW CAN YOU DRIVE IN A CAR THAT'S STUCK IN PARK. I JUST WANT THE PROBLEM FIXED OR RECEIVE ALLOWED REIMBURSEMENT FOR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #730559

1997 model year · Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2000
Power Train

CAR BUCKS AT ALL SPEEDS, ALL GEARS, ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS. HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY LANG'S AUTO (R5674) AND BOB SHARP NISSAN IN WILTON, CT. NEITHER COULD IDENITIFY PROBLEM ON COMPUTER OUTPUT, BUT MULTIPLE MECHANICS COULD FEEL BUCKING. BUCKING IS SIGNIFICANT AND JARS PERSONS IN THE CAR. NISSAN DEALER HAD THE CAR FOR THREE WEEKS …

Read full complaint

CAR BUCKS AT ALL SPEEDS, ALL GEARS, ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS. HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY LANG'S AUTO (R5674) AND BOB SHARP NISSAN IN WILTON, CT. NEITHER COULD IDENITIFY PROBLEM ON COMPUTER OUTPUT, BUT MULTIPLE MECHANICS COULD FEEL BUCKING. BUCKING IS SIGNIFICANT AND JARS PERSONS IN THE CAR. NISSAN DEALER HAD THE CAR FOR THREE WEEKS AND FINALLY GAVE IT BACK REPORTING THEY COULD NOT IDENITIFY PROBLEM OR FIX IT. SUGGESTED PREMIUM GAS AND DRY GAS WHICH WE HAVE DONE AND IT HAS NOT HELPED. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. WE HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND CAN NOT TAKE THEM IN THAT CAR AS THEY WOULD BE JARRED. WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL RECOURSE WITH DEALER AS ORIGINAL DEALER WENT OUT OF BUSINESS AND THE ONE WE WENT TO CAN NOT FIX AND WILL NOT CONTINUE TO TRY. CAR IS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 80/ WEEKDAY FOR COMMUTING PURPOSES AND ON WEEKENDS. THE BUCKING DOES NOT SEEM TIED TO ANY OTHER EVENT (GEARS, SPEEDS, ETC.) *AK

NHTSA ODI #726419

1995 model year · Mileage unknown · Jun 16, 2000
Power TrainVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

VEHICLE JUMPED INTO DRIVE AND ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING A COLLI SION WHICH RESULTED IN MINOR INJURIES. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT NOTIFIED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #863695

1995 model year · Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2000
Power Train

TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK. VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO BE TAKEN OUT OF PARK GEAR. WHEN IT'S TAKEN OUT OF GEAR,IT DOES NOT READ CORRECTLY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #858577

1995 model year · Mileage unknown · Dec 22, 1999
Power Train

COULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE. VEHICLE COULD ONLY MOVE IN A FORWARD DIRECTION. VEHICLE COULD NOT ENGAGE OVERDRIVE. ENGINE REVVED AT 4000+ AT 30MPH. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO COURTSEY NISSAN OF PLANO TX. IMMEDIATELY. SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM WERE EVER ISSUED. SOLENOID R, CARRI…

Read full complaint

COULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE. VEHICLE COULD ONLY MOVE IN A FORWARD DIRECTION. VEHICLE COULD NOT ENGAGE OVERDRIVE. ENGINE REVVED AT 4000+ AT 30MPH. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO COURTSEY NISSAN OF PLANO TX. IMMEDIATELY. SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM WERE EVER ISSUED. SOLENOID R, CARRIER ASSEMBLY AND GASKET WERE REPLACED. SERVICE MGR. AND TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THIS WAS A FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE. BASICALLY , THEY COULD NOT OR WOULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THIS HAPPENED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716362

1995 model year · Mileage unknown · Dec 14, 1999
Power Train

VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS SHIFTING GEARS EVENTUALLY VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE GEAR. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #549964

1997 model year · Mileage unknown · Aug 9, 1999
Power Train

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND STALLS, AND CANNOT SHIFT GEARS WHEN IN MOTION AND WHEN MORE THAN THREE PEOPLE AR E IN THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #844653

Related Official recalls

1

94V165000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Sep 2, 1994

THE SHIFT LEVER LOCK PLATE, WHICH PREVENTS THE SHIFT LEVER FROM BEING INADVERTENTLY MOVED FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR NEUTRAL POSITION, CAN BE BROKEN BY THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT POSITION PIN.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: INADVERTENT MOVEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER WITHOUT OPERATOR ACTION CAN CAUSE VEHICLE MOVEMENT WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A BRACKET TO PREVENT THE SHIFT POSITION PIN FROM BREAKING THE SHIFT LEVER LOCK PLATE.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Related NHTSA investigations

0

No component-matched exact-year investigations in this snapshot.