Nissan Altima - Problems, Statistics, and Analysis

Nissan Altima owners have reported a total of 19,614 problems for their cars built in the 30 model years listed in the chart below. The chart shows the number of problems reported across all service years for each given model year of the Nissan Altima. The 2013 Nissan Altima cars have the most problems reported (2,952 problems).

Table 1. Total number of problems by model year for Nissan Altima

🔍 Common problems of Nissan Altima

The following chart shows the 33 most common problems for Nissan Altima cars. The number one most common problem is related to the vehicle's engine and engine cooling (3,357 problems). The second most common problem is related to the vehicle's power train (2,123 problems).

Table 2. Common problems of Nissan Altima

Problem Category Number of Problems
  Engine And Engine Cooling
3,357
  Power Train
2,123
  Equipment
1,943
  Air Bag
1,843
  Electrical System
1,681
  Structure
1,479
  Steering
1,322
  Exterior Lighting
1,210
  Suspension
885
  Service Brakes
734
   
  Vehicle Speed Control
613
  Visibility
569
  Other Fuel System
347
  Latches/locks/linkage
200
  Electronic Stability Control
191
  Seats
184
  Wheel
169
  Tire
158
  Seat Belt
156
  Forward Collision Avoidance
144
  Gasoline Fuel System
132
  Unknown Or Other
96
  Lane Departure
24
  Back Over Prevention
21
  Air Brake
8
  Child Seat
8
 
4
  Traction Control System
4
  Parking Brake
3
  Interior Lighting
3
  Other/i Am Not Sure
1
  Electronic Stability Control (esc)
1
  Firerelated
1

📉 Compare Reliability Across Model Years Using PPMY Index

It would not be fair to compare the Nissan Altima of an older model year to newer model years since older vehicles have been in service longer and thus are expected to have more problems. In order to compare the reliability across Altima model years, we use the PPMY index which is defined as the problems reported per thousand vehicles per Year. A smaller PPMY index indicates greater reliability of the given model year cars.

    PPMY = P / S / Y * 1000,

where P = total problems reported during the life of a Nissan Altima model year; S = total units sold of the model year; Y = years since the debut of the model year (the age of the vehicle).

The results are shown in Table 3.

Table 3. Use PPMY Index to Compare Reliability Across Altima Model Years

Altima
Model Year
Problems Sales [1] Vehicle
Age
PPMY Index
  2022 52115,3734    
0.11
  2021 117109,2615    
0.21
  2020 281189,1396    
0.25
  2019 347177,6237    
0.28
  2018 323187,8488    
0.21
  2017 517265,4829    
0.22
  2016 785268,39010    
0.29
  2015 1,210468,05311    
0.24
  2014 1,394281,07312    
0.41
  2013 2,952374,39213    
0.61
  2012 590310,61614    
0.14
  2011 319161,28315    
0.13
  2010 528197,11416    
0.17
  2009 2,117195,31317    
0.64
  2008 1,345243,75618    
0.31
  2007 597196,87019    
0.16
  2006 1,035294,87420    
0.18
  2005 1,355373,58521    
0.17
  2004 33290,49822    
0.17
  2003 1,093225,70223    
0.21
  2002 1,304192,88324    
0.28
  2001 199134,54425    
0.06
  2000 199138,02926    
0.06

📊 Number of Problems Reported During the First Year

Another way to measure the reliability across the model years of the Nissan Altima is to use the total number of problems reported during the vehicle's first year in service, as shown in the Table 4.

Table 4. Number of problems in vehicle's; first service year

Model YearProblems Reported
  2025 Altima
5
  2024 Altima
22
  2023 Altima
6
  2022 Altima
9
  2021 Altima
14
  2020 Altima
29
  2019 Altima
48
  2018 Altima
22
  2017 Altima
10
  2016 Altima
23
  2015 Altima
93
  2014 Altima
149
  2013 Altima
349
  2012 Altima
37
  2011 Altima
22
  2010 Altima
52
  2009 Altima
37
  2008 Altima
67
  2007 Altima
74
  2006 Altima
113
  2005 Altima
79
  2004 Altima
18
  2003 Altima
44
  2002 Altima
77
  2001 Altima
33
  2000 Altima
22
  1999 Altima
16
  1998 Altima
17
  1997 Altima
6
  1996 Altima
26


☘ Altima Service Bulletins
⚑ Altima Safety Recalls
☤ Altima Defect Investigations
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