2005 Nissan Altima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Structure is the leading concern among 1,091 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 26 Altima model years with reports.
Of the 2005 reports, 48 involved a crash and 18 involved a fire. 62 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Engine and engine coolingNov 14, 2007
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR CAN OVERHEAT CAUSING A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM THE SENSOR.
IF THE INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL FROM THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION 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. CERTAIN MY 2006 ALTIMAS WHICH HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY REMEDIED UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN 06V223 (NISSAN R0606) ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL SINCE THE REPROGRAMMING FOR 06V223 ALSO INCLUDED THIS REPROGRAMMING. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 31, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 07V527000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, headlightsOct 25, 2007
CERTAIN TYC HALOGEN TYPE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES P/N 20-6644-00 SOLD AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR 2005-2006 NISSAN ALTIMA PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE PHOTOMETRIC WERE MISALIGNED WHICH DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
MISALIGNMENT OF THE LIGHTS DIMINISHES FRONTAL ILLUMINATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
GENERA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 25, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT GENERA AT 714-522-6688.
Campaign 07E087000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine and engine cooling
259 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 31, 2005
THE CAR FAILED TO START AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR 13 MONTHS. THE CAR ACTED AS IF IT WAS FLOODED, CRANKING BUT NOT FIRING. TO START THE CAR I HAD TO HOLD THE GAS PEDAL DOWN UNTIL THE CAR FIRED AND STARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER RECENTLY PURCHASING GASOLINE. WE ONLY USE 2-3 DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS WITH GOOD REPUTATIONS. IT SEEMED TO HAPPEN THE FIRST COLD SPELL OF NOVEMBER 2005. THE DEALER SAID THESE CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULDN'T CAUSE FLOODING AND IF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP US. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED BUT AS A PRECAUTION, I RAN THE GAS TANK ALMOST EMPTY AND PUT IN A BOTTLE OF GAS TREATMENT. I ALSO PLAN, IF POSSIBLE, ON BUYING MY GAS FROM ONLY ONE SOURCE FROM HERE ON OUT. *NM
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Dec 28, 2005
THE CAR FAILED TO START ONLY TWO WEEKS AFTER BUYING IT, AND THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED. THE CAR ACTS AS IF IT'S FLOODED, CRANKING BUT NOT FIRING. BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED AFTER RECENTLY PURCHASING GASOLINE (THE SAME GASOLINE RETAILER IS USED FAIRLY CONSISTENTLY) AND DRIVING THE CAR IMMEDIATELY HOME IN COLD, BUT NOT SEVERELY COLD, TEMPERATURES. THE DEALER SAID THESE CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULDN'T CAUSE FLOODING, BUT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEMS AND NOW REFUSES TO RESEARCH IT FURTHER. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS HAS ADVISED OF A RECALL THAT MAY BE APPLICABLE, BUT THE DEALER DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AWARE OF IT AND I'M IN THE PROCESS OF FOLLOWING UP ON THIS POINT. *NM
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Power train, Visibility, Dec 23, 2005
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND CLUSTER MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH LESS THAN 800 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A PINGING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE MID SECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY STATED THIS NOISE WAS NORMAL. A LOCAL MECHANIC DETERMINED IT WAS A BROKEN CATALYTIC CONVERTER. BASED ON COMPLAINTS ON A WEBSITE SHE FELT THAT A CLAMP NUT MAY BE LOOSE. THIS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER 90 MINUTES IN THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT BECAME DIZZY BY WHAT SHE FELT MAY BE RELATED TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE TRANSMISSION JERKED, AND HESITATED IN LOW GEARS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER PARTIALLY DEFROSTS THE DRIVER'S SIDE, BUT DID NOT WORK AT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE DEFROSTER. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 3, 2005
DT: CONTACT STATED HER CAR STOPPED ON HER WHILE DRIVING TWO-THREE TIMES SINCE MID AUGUST 2005. THE CAR STARTED SHAKING PRIOR TO STOPPING. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. SHE WANTED TO FILE A COMPLAINT BECAUSE SHE DID NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE CAR. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 2, 2005
DT:THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. THERE WERE NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ON BEFORE THE ENGINE STALLED. THE ENGINE MADE A METAL GRINDING NOISE WHEN IT LOST ALL POWER. HE WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY STATED THE CAM SHAFT BROKE DUE TO A MATERIAL DEFECT. THE CAM SHAFT WILL BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Aug 4, 2005
DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING AT 65 MPH. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED TWICE, ONCE WAS IN LOS ANGELES, AND ONCE IN LAS VEGAS. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AFTER THE INCIDENT ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR LATER. AFTER IT RESTARTD IT WILL DRIVE FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND SHUT DOWN AGAIN. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP ,THEY REPAIRED IT TWICE. ALREADY THE FIRST TIME THEY REPAIRED VEHICLE IT WAS A KEY PROBLEM, BUT HE KNEW THAT IT WAS NOT. THE SECOND TIME CHANGED THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE ( ECM). THE VEHICLE IS NOW READY TO BE TAKING BACK TO THE DEALER THE THIRD TIME. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THAT HE COULD NOT TURN IN THE CAR, AND THEY DID NOT CARE. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed control, May 31, 2005
DT: CAR JUST STOPS SOMETIMES AND IT WILL NOT START. CONSUMER ALMOST HAS TO FLOOD THE ENGINE BEFORE IT STARTS. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER SHE NEEDED TO PUMP THE GAS 3 TIMES BEFORE SHE STARTED THE CAR. SHE HAD VEHICLE IN THE REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THE CAR WAS IDLING VERY FAST. THEY PUT A THROTTLE CHAMBER IN IT, THEN IT STARTED TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN . DEALER SAID IT WAS UNSAFE BECAUSE IT WAS RACING TOO HIGH; THEY ORDERED A NEW PART FOR THE CAR. IT IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. *AK UPDATED 02/07/06. *JB
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Mar 15, 2005
AT ABOUT 9,500 MILES, FAULTY STARTER CAUSED THE CAR FAILED TO START AND STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED FROM AND THEY TESTED RIGHT THEN, THE CAR WON'T START BUT SPARKS WITH ALOT OF WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAIL PIPE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW ON 7/4/04 WITH 50 MILES ON IT.*AK
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 7, 2004
I BOUGHT THE CAR ON 9/20/04. ON 10/3/04 I NOTICED THAT, THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL. DIPSTICK SHOWED OIL LEVEL WAS BELOW LOW MARK. DEALER INSPECTION TRACED OIL LEAK TO THE GALLEY PLUG. *NM