2004 Nissan Altima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine and engine cooling is the leading concern among 276 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 15th highest complaint count among 26 Altima model years with reports.
Of the 2004 reports, 14 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 11 people were injured.
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
Exterior lighting, headlightsAug 21, 2007
CERTAIN ANZO AFTERMARKET HEADLIGHTS, P/N 02-AZ-NA02-B-A, SOLD FOR USE ON 2002-2004 NISSAN ALTIMA VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION THE LAMP HOUSING SHAPE DEFORMED DISTORTING THE ASSEMBLY ANGLE OF THE REFLECTOR AND INFLUENCED THE AIMING POSITION. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT ANZO AT 909-628-1440.
Campaign 07E063000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, headlightsJul 25, 2007
CERTAIN MAXZONE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES, DEPO BRAND, P/NOS. 315-1145L-AS AND 315-1145R-AS, SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION THE LAMP REFLECTOR SHAPE DEFORMED CHANGING THE SHAPE OF THE OPTIC SURFACE. THIS WILL CHANGE THE OPPOSITE POSITION OF LOW BEAM AND HIGH BEAM OPTICSAND CHANGE THE ANGLE OF INCIDENCE AND ILLUMATED LOCATION WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
MAXZONE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY NONCOMPLIANT HEADLIGHTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 16, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAXZONE AT 909-822-3288.
Campaign 07E054000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine coolingJul 7, 2006
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE, THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR IS AFFECTED BY TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, THESE VARIATIONS IN TEMPERATURE CAN BE LARGE ENOUGH TO CAUSE A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM THE SENSOR.
IF THE INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL FROM THE SENSOR IS SO BRIEF THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) LOGIC DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO DIAGNOSE THE CONDITION, THE ENGINE MAY STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT A LOW SPEED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ECM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 21, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 06V242000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, headlightsMar 13, 2006
CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
Campaign 06E023000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: steering
11 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Suspension, Structure, Apr 1, 2015
FOUND OUT THAT THE SUB-FRAME ASSEMBLY PANELS (FRONT FLOOR PANELS) ARE ROTTING OUT. ISSUE IS IF THEY FAIL CARS TIRES WILL TILT IN AS THE SUSPENSION IS TIDE INTO THE FRONT FLOOR PANELS. *TR
Steering, Mar 27, 2015
ITS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPENED, ITS HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT,EVEN WHEN CHANGING LANE AT LOW SPEED LIKE 20 MPH,IT REQUIRED EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL,THE BINDING FORCES WAS INTERMITTENT AT CERTAIN STEERING WHEEL POSITION,NISSAN SHOULD RECALL THIS(48080-8J000 LOWER STEERING U_JOINT),BEFORE SOMEONE HAVE A DEADLY ACCIDENT. *TR
Steering, Mar 12, 2015
MY NISSAN IS DOING THE SAME THING WITH THE STEERING COLUMN THAT NISSAN JUST RECALLED 2002-2004 FRONTIER AND XTERRA VEHICLES OVER 600,000 VEHICLES WERE RECALLED IN THE US. (THIS RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDE MY ALTIMA) THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT AND JOINT HAS CORROSION THIS IS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY. APPARENTLY MY VEHICLE WAS MADE IN THE SAME PLACE THAT THE RECALLED VEHICLES WERE MADE. SO WHY IS MINE NOT RECALLED. I SEARCHED ONLINE NISSAN HELP AND WAS TOLD THE PARTS PRICE IS ABOUT $129.00 BUT APPARENTLY IN YORK PA IT IS $227.00 FOR THE PART AND ANOTHER $115.00 LABOR. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR EVEN TO A SERVICE CENTER TO GET IT FIXED. SO ON TOP OF THE $360 PLUS DOLLARS TO FIX IT I NOW HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT TOWED $95.00 *TR
Steering, Mar 11, 2015
PROBLEM VEHICLE IS 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH 50,000 MILES. NOTICED WHEN DRIVING THAT STEERING WHEEL WAS BINDING WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE VEHICLE. SEEMS LIKE POWER STEERING IS GOING OUT. HAD EVERYTHING CHECKED WITH FLUID AND POWER STEERING PUMP. NOT THAT SO DURING THE COURSE OF THE DRIVE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BIND BOTH DURING TURNING AND WHEN RETURNING THE WHEEL TO STRAIGHT. THE BINDING (REQUIRING BOTH HANDS) TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALSO REQUIRED EXTRA EFFORT TO RETURN THE WHEELS TO STRAIGHT BECAUSE THE BINDING PREVENTED THE WHEELS FROM RETURNING TO STRAIGHT . THE BINDING IS BAD ENOUGH THAT IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT. BECAUSE OF THE EFFORT REQUIRED TO TURN THE WHEEL AND THE DIFFICULTY IN STRAIGHTENING THE WHEELS. THE BINDING FORCE WAS INTERMITTENT AND SEEMED TO BE RELATED TO CERTAIN PLACES IN THE ORIENTATION OF THE WHEEL. AFTER RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I DISCOVERED THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH SIMILAR YEAR AND MODEL OF CAR. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE MAJOR ACCIDENTS COULD HAPPEN. I AM AFRAID THE STEERING IS GOING TO GO OUT COMPLETELY AND CAUSE A HEAD ON COLLISION. *TR
Steering, Jun 19, 2013
THE POWER STEERING LAST WEEK HAS STARTED TO TIGHTEN UP IN PLACES. WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL, THERE IS A HARD SPOT THAT THE WHEEL SEEMS TO GET "STUCK" OR "CATCH" AT. I TOOK IT INTO A MECHANIC AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THE STEERING RACK WOULD MOST LIKELY NEED TO BE REPLACED. I DID MORE RESEARCH ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE IN NISSAN ALTIMA VEHICLES. THE MECHANIC ALSO TOLD ME HIS 2003 ALTIMA HAD TO HAVE THE SAME REPAIR LAST YEAR ABOUT THIS TIME. *TR
Steering, May 27, 2013
THE VEHICLE MAKES A CLUNKING SOUND AND POWER STEERING ?STICKS? WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. THOUGH NO ACCIDENTS, THERE HAVE BEEN NEAR MISSES DUE TO ME NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN ON TIME. THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR
Steering, May 26, 2011
DESCRIPTION/ISSUE: MY 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA'S STEERING IS VERY STIFF AND HARD TO TURN. I WOULD LIKE AVOID ANY LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND PREVENT ANY RISK OF CRASHING. I WILL GET THIS FIX IMMEDIATELY BUT WANTED TO OFFICIALLY REPORT THIS. I DID SOME SEARCHING ONLINE AND FOUND OTHERS WHO OWN ALTIMAS HAVE REPORTED AND FOUND VERY SIMILAR ISSUES WITH VERY TIGHT STEERING. PLEASE HELP INVESTIGATE IF NISSAN ALTIMAS HAVE STEERING DEFECTS TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS? PLEASE HELP INVESTIGATE IF THERE IS A MANDATORY RECALL BY THE MANUFACTURER. PLEASE NOTE - I HAVE CONFIRMED NISSAN FRONTIER MODELS HAVE ALREADY STARTED THE RECALL. THE ALTIMA PROBLEM I HAVE DESCRIBED ABOVE IS THE SAME. SINCERELY, CONCERNED ALTIMA CONSUMER
Steering, May 18, 2011
I HAVE A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S, I HAVE BEEN HAVING STEERING PROBLEMS AND HAVE HAD 3 MECHANICS LOOK AT IT AND CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE STEERING. WHEN I TAKE TURNS IT IS REALLY TIGHT, I HAVE TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL BACK MYSELF. I TRIED EMAILING NISSAN OF NORTH AMERICA, THEY DID NOT RESPOND, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM FROM WHAT I READING ONLINE. THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, PLEASE HELP ME FIND A WAY. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE. THERE IS ALSO A CREAKING SOUND ON THE LEFT SIDE IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR THAT STARTED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE STEERING PROBLEM. THIS STEERING PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. I HAVE HAD THE SWAY BAR LINKS CLEANED THINKING IT WAS THAT , BUT THAT DID NOT WORK A FEW MECHANICS INCLUDING A NISSAN MECHANIC CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG. *TR
Steering, May 5, 2010
A DEFECTIVE STEERING UNIVERSAL ASSEMBLY. OCCURRED SUDDENLY. I COULD BARELY STEER THE CAR. VERY DANGEROUS . THANK GOODNESS IT HAPPENED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY.58,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I WROTE NISSAN CANADA ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY CONTACTED ME BY TELEPHONE. I WAS TOLD THAT NISSAN DIDN'T CONSIDER IT A PROBLEM, THE REPAIR COST ME $539.00. IT'S NOT THE REPAIR COST THAT IS IMPORTANT, IT'S THE DANGER TO THE PUBLIC; NOT ONLY TO THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE, BUT TO THIRD PARTIES. I HAVE SINCE L,EARNED OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. IT IS JUST ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY IS DEFECTIVE. *TR
Steering, Apr 11, 2010
PROBLEM VEHICLE IS 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH 80,000 MILES. NOTICED WHEN PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AFTER CAR HAD SIT OVERNIGHT IN GARAGE THAT STEERING WHEEL WAS BINDING WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE VEHICLE. DURING THE COURSE OF THE DRIVE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BIND BOTH DURING TURNING AND WHEN RETURNING TO STRAIGHT. THE BINDING CAUSED EXTRA EFFORT (REQUIRING BOTH HANDS) TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALSO REQUIRED EXTRA EFFORT TO RETURN THE WHEELS TO STRAIGHT BECAUSE THE BINDING PREVENTED THE WHEELS FROM RETURNING TO STRAIGHT ON THEIR OWN. THE BINDING WAS BAD ENOUGH THAT IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE EFFORT REQUIRED TO TURN THE WHEEL AND THE DIFFICULTY IN STRAIGHTENING THE WHEELS TO STOP TURNING. THE BINDING FORCE WAS INTERMITTENT AND SEEMED TO BE RELATED TO CERTAIN PLACES IN THE ORIENTATION OF THE WHEEL. AFTER RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I DISCOVERED THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH SIMILAR YEAR AND MODEL OF CAR AND THEY ALL REFERENCED THE LOWER UNIVERSAL JOINT IN THE STEERING LINKAGE AS THE PROBLEM PART (NISSAN PART 48080-8J000). WHEN I REMOVED THE PART IT WAS RUSTY AND EXTREMELY TIGHT (I WILL HOLD ONTO THE OLD PART IN CASE ANYONE WANTS TO SEE IT OR USE IT AS EVIDENCE). THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS BACK ORDERED BY NISSAN WHEN I ORDERED IT FROM THE DEALER. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SELLING LOTS OF THIS PART AND THE PART HAS BEEN TAKING A FEW DAYS TO TWO WEEKS TO ARRIVE DUE TO HIGH DEMAND. CLEARLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN OF THIS PART. WHEN I FINALLY GOT THE NEW PART (48080-8J000 LOWER STEERING U-JOINT) AND INSTALLED IT THE STEERING WORKED SMOOTHLY AGAIN. *TR
Steering, Mar 25, 2008
STEERING BECOMES TIGHT TURNING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. BETTER WHEN IT'S WARM, WORSE WHEN IT'S COLD. OVER THE COURSE OF 4 WEEKS THE TIGHTENING HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT WHEEL CAN ONLY BE TURNED WITH BOTH HANDS AND PULLING HARD. SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE IT WON'T TURN AT ALL, THEN LOOSENS BACK UP JUST ENOUGH TO COMPLETE TURN. INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP DIAGNOSED IT INCORRECTLY, DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED IT CORRECTLY BUT THE PART TO FIX IT IS BACK ORDERED FOR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS BECAUSE SO MANY CARS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAD TO PREPAY TO ORDER THE PART, AND SCHEDULE THE REPAIR. HAD TO DRIVE AROUND FOR ANOTHER 2 WEEKS WAITING FOR THE PART AND HOPING THE STEERING DOESN'T LOCK UP COMPLETELY. *TR