2001 Nissan Altima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine and engine cooling is the leading concern among 168 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 21st highest complaint count among 26 Altima model years with reports.
Of the 2001 reports, 23 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 25 people were injured and 4 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Exterior lighting, headlightsSep 14, 2007
CERTAIN EAGLE EYES HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES, P/NOS. DS517-B001L AND DS517-B001R, SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE OPTICEL SURFACE OF THE REFLECTOR IS CORRODED INHIBITING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE UPPER AND LOWER BEAMS WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM TO THE PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
EAGLE EYES WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY NONCOMPLIANT HEADLIGHTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 11, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT EAGLE EYES AT 1-800-568-1098.
Campaign 07E074000 on NHTSA.gov
Tires, tread/beltFeb 23, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GTA-02 , SIZE P205/55R16 89H TIRES. THE RECALLED TIRES ARE IDENTIFIED BY DOT SERIAL #W2 T2 VF3 XXX OR W2 T2 VF3 XXXX; WHERE XXX MAY BE 289, 299, 309, 319, 329, 339, 349, 359, 369, 379, 389, 399, 409, 419, 429, 439, 449, 459, 469, 479, 489, 499, 509, 519, 529, 010, 020, 030, 040, 050, 060, 070, 080, 090, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 170, AND WHERE XXXX MAY BE 1800, 1900, 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, 2900, 3000, 3100, 3200, 3300, 3400, 3500, 3600, 3700, 3800, 3900, 4000, 4100, 4200, 4300, 4400, AND 4500. WITH INCREASING MILEAGE, THE TIRES MAY DEVELOP SHOULDER AREA CRACKING. CONTINUED USE OF A TIRE WITH THIS CONDITION MAY LEAD TO EXPOSURE OF THE BELT EDGE.
UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, A BELT EDGE SEPARATION IS POSIBLE, WHICH COULD RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE.
BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE WILL REPLACE THE TIRES WHICH WERE INSTALLED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON THESE ALTIMA VEHICLES. FIRESTONE IS CONDUCTING THE OWNER NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED FIRESTONE DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FIRESTONE AT 1-800-465-1904.
Campaign 01V065000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: equipment
9 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Equipment, Dec 11, 2009
SECOND TIME MANIFOLD GASKET PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. IT HAS A ROUGH IDLES WHEN STOPPED AT LIGHTS, IN GEAR, NEUTRAL OR IN PARK. NISSAN NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. BOTH INSTANCES HAVE INCLUDED THE ENGINE STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. *TR
Visibility, Equipment, Apr 27, 2009
BACK REAR WINDOW REGULATORS NOT FUNCTIONING. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Equipment, Mar 24, 2009
NISSAN ALTIMA GLE 2001 REQUIRED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACEMENT ON 10/11/03 UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE CAR IDLED VERY HIGH WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT. THE SAME PROBLEM HAS RECURRED. WHEN CONSULTING CARCOMPLAINT.COM THERE ARE OVER 80 OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS. MY DAUGHTER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND DID NOT REPORT IT. SHE HAD IT REPAIRED WITHOUT WARRANTY COVERAGE. I SUGGEST THAT YOU GO TO WWW.CARCOMPLAINT.COM/NISSAN/ALTIMA/2001 AND READ THE COMPLAINTS. I AM SURE THIS DEFECT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE 2001 ALTIMA. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Equipment, Oct 16, 2008
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND UPON DIAGNOSTICS IT SAYS CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS DEFECTIVE HOWEVER AFTER REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND SENSOR PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. *TR
Equipment, Dec 22, 2007
MY 2001 NISSAN PATHFINDER WAS PURCHASED 3 YEARS AGO. A BOSE 6-CD PLAYER CAME INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. THE 6-CD PLAYER STOPPED WORKING, AND DISPLAYS AN ERROR MESSAGE, "ERR 2". MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THIS PROBLEM WAS ADDRESSED WITH THE NISSAN DEALER (SERVICE DEPARTMENT) IN BUENA PARK CALIFORNIA ON DECEMBER 21, AT 6:40PM. I WAS INFORMED THAT I COULD PURCHASE A NEW CD PLAYER, HOWEVER THIS WOULD BE QUITE COSTLY. THE NISSAN DEALER FURTHER STATED, WHEN A CUSTOMER WHOSE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY HAS THIS SAME PROBLEM, THEY DO NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE CD PLAYER IS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER. NO REPAIR SHOP WILL LOOK AT MY SYSTEM. APPARENTLY, THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON WITH NISSANS. OTHER THAN PURCHASING A NEW CD PLAYER, THERE HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF CONSUMER REPAIR SHOP. NISSAN SEEMS UNCONCERNED WITH THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. *TR
Equipment, Jan 4, 2005
WHEN USING THE AIR CONDITIIONING UNIT IN THE 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, THERE IS A BUZZING OR WHIRRING NOISE DURING OPERATION. VEHICLE NOISE IS ANNOYING. I FEEL THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE IS GREATLY DIMINISHED AS A RESULT OF THE NOISE AND WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO SELL THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THE IMPROPERLY FUNCTIONING A/C. UNDER WARRANTY, I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK NUMEROUS TIMES. THE FIRST TIME, THE DEALER REPLACED A CLUTCH BEARING, THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT TIME, THE DEALER REPLACED THE CONDENSING UNIT AND EXPANSION VALVE TO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE NOISE. THE NEXT COUPLE OF TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT A REQUEST OF NISSAN USA WAS MADE TO SEND A FACTORY TECH OUT TO FIND A SOLUTION. NISSAN REFUSES TO SEND ANYONE OUT TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. NISSAN WANTED THE DEALER TO FIND A SIMILAR VEHICLE TO COMPARE THE NOISE, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A COMPARABLE VEHICLE TO DO THAT CHECK. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT AND THIS HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED. I AM FED UP WITH NISSAN NOT TAKING CARE OF MY SITUATION.*AK
Electrical system, Equipment, Oct 30, 2004
FLAPPING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND VEHICLE LOSS POWER. BELTS CAME APART GOING APPROXIMATED 65 MPH. TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP. FOUND BELTS MISSING FROM PULLEYS. DEALERSHIP INSTALLED DRIVE BELTS AND PERFORMS SEVERAL RECALL SERVICES RELATED TO 03V455000 & 03V4777000. ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. BATTERY DISCHARGES OVERNIGHT SEVERAL TIMES. ERRATIC IDLE/STALLS OVER TIME. AUGUST 2004 CAR STALLS ON FREEWAY DRIVING 65 MPH. CAR TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP THAT REPORTS LOSS OF SPARK ON CYL 2, BUT FAILS TO FIND PROBLEM. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHO FINDS ECM FAILURE. REQUIRES 800.00 TO FIX. *JB
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Vehicle speed control, Equipment, Nov 4, 2003
MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, WITH APPROX 89000 MILES, HAS STARTED EXPERIENCING ENGINE FAILURE AT CRUISING SPEEDS (50-70 MPH) ON THE FREEWAY. IT IS INTERMITTENT WITH NO APPARENT WARNING. FIRST, ALL GUAGES, INCLUDING GAS, TEMPERATURE, RPM AND ODOMETER, FALL TO ZERO. THE CAR JERKS AS IF DOWNSHIFTED, AND SLOWS DRASTICALLY, AND THE GAS PEDAL DOES NOT ACCELERATE THE CAR. IT HAS HAPPENED 7-8 TIMES IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS. THE RADIO DISPLAY LIGHT ALSO BLANKS OUT, NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELATED OR A SEPARATE PROBLEM.*AK
Equipment, Sep 2, 2003
I AM ONE OF MANY WHO HAVE HAD THE OIL DIPSTICK BREAK OFF IN THEIR 2001 NISSAN SENTRA. I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE MINE USING SUPER GLUE AND A DOWEL ROD SAVING ME HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. HOWEVER, ANYONE IS NOT AWARE OF THIS WILL HAVE TO DO WHAT NISSAN SUGGESTS AND THAT IS TO REQUIRE PEOPLE TO USE THEIR SERVICES FOR A DEFECTIVE PART OF NISSSAN'S DESIGN. I HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO OTHER PLASTIC FAILURES WHERE UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE (AN O-RING ON THE GROOVE IN THE PLASTIC) CAUSES PLASTIC TO BECOME BRITTLE.*AK