Nissan Altima - Problems, Statistics, and Analysis

Nissan Altima owners have reported a total of 19,401 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 (2,940 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 (3,333 problems). The second most common problem is related to the vehicle's power train (2,107 problems).

Table 2. Common problems of Nissan Altima

Problem Category Number of Problems
  Engine And Engine Cooling
3,333
  Power Train
2,107
  Equipment
1,917
  Air Bag
1,818
  Electrical System
1,653
  Structure
1,475
  Steering
1,317
  Exterior Lighting
1,196
  Suspension
866
  Service Brakes
721
   
  Vehicle Speed Control
607
  Visibility
567
  Other Fuel System
343
  Latches/locks/linkage
196
  Electronic Stability Control
191
  Seats
181
  Wheel
167
  Tire
156
  Seat Belt
153
  Forward Collision Avoidance
135
  Gasoline Fuel System
132
  Unknown Or Other
96
  Lane Departure
23
  Back Over Prevention
19
  Child Seat
8
  Air Brake
7
 
4
  Traction Control System
4
  Interior Lighting
3
  Parking Brake
3
  Electronic Stability Control (esc)
1
  Firerelated
1
  Other/i Am Not Sure
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 47115,3734    
0.10
  2021 93109,2615    
0.17
  2020 258189,1396    
0.23
  2019 316177,6237    
0.25
  2018 314187,8488    
0.21
  2017 492265,4829    
0.21
  2016 772268,39010    
0.29
  2015 1,190468,05311    
0.23
  2014 1,375281,07312    
0.41
  2013 2,940374,39213    
0.60
  2012 584310,61614    
0.13
  2011 316161,28315    
0.13
  2010 526197,11416    
0.17
  2009 2,117195,31317    
0.64
  2008 1,344243,75618    
0.31
  2007 596196,87019    
0.16
  2006 1,035294,87420    
0.18
  2005 1,351373,58521    
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
Compare Reliability: