2014 Nissan Altima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Exterior lighting is the leading concern among 1,113 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 26 Altima model years with reports.
Of the 2014 reports, 51 involved a crash and 8 involved a fire. 58 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Latches/locks/linkages, hood, latchMay 28, 2020
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.
Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. If the primary latch is inadvertently released again and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an Owners Manual addendum card with instructions on how to lubricate and maintain the secondary hood latch mechanism, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: Recall 16V-029 remains open for any unremedied 2013-2015 Altimas and this recall applies to all vehicles covered by 16V-029 even if those repairs have already been performed.
Campaign 20V315000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationDec 19, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014, to August 12, 2016, and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured June 4, 2015, to August 19, 2015. An incorrect Occupant Classification System (OCS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have been installed in the front passenger seat. The incorrect ECU and seat combination may misclassify the front passenger seat occupant.
If the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECU and update the OCS software free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 16V911000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationApr 26, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Campaign 16V244000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, hood, latchJan 22, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 6, 2012, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
These vehicles were previously included in recalls 14V-565 and 15V-116, however the previous remedy plan may not have been performed consistently to remove the safety risk. To correct this issue, Nissan will re-notify all affected owners and dealers will replace the hood latch with a new one, free of charge. The recall began on February 17, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 14V-565 and 15V-116.
Campaign 16V029000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalOct 20, 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 15V681000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasolineAug 4, 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified the agency on July 31, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2016 Nissan Maxima vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to August 18, 2015. On October 14, 2015, Nissan expanded the recall to cover an additional 41,388 vehicles, including certain model year 2013-2015 Altima 3.5 vehicles equipped with a V6 engine manufactured March 30, 2012, to August 18, 2015 as well as the vehicles covered by the July 31, 2015 notification. In the affected vehicles, due to an improperly installed o-ring that may not have been seated correctly at the time of assembly, fuel may leak during a crash from the area where the fuel sending unit attaches to the fuel tank.
If fuel leaks from between the fuel sending unit and the tank, it may increase the risk of a fire in the event of a crash.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer ring between the fuel tank and the fuel sending unit. The recall began on September 28, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 15V486000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, hood, latchFeb 27, 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 1, 2013, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will be instructed to modify the bend angle of the hood actuation lever to eliminate potential interference with the hood inner panel. In addition, dealers will clean and lubricate the latch joint as needed. If significant corrosion is observed, the latch assembly will be replaced. This repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 14V-565.
Campaign 15V116000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, softwareMar 25, 2014
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 14V138000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
1,113 reports, newest first.
Suspension, May 16, 2022
Right rear lower control arm separated from frame. Vehicle pulled right toward adjacent lane. In construction zone with no shoulder to utilize. Had to cross into an acceleration lane then slowly make way to safe pull-off. Problem confirmed by visual inspection. No warnings. Nissan did not notify me of a replacement program. Notification was to begin in 2019. Consumer was not informed of a replacement program and had to deal with a failed component and a tow from a construction site.
Exterior lighting, May 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while her cousin was driving 50 MPH during the night, the low-beam headlights became inoperable. The contact activated the hi-beam headlights to illuminate the roadway for greater visibility. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Exterior lighting, May 4, 2022
There is a known issue with Altima headlamps that causes dimming of the lights. This resulted in a class action lawsuit. Though Nissan is making a test available to confirm eligibility for replacement, they are not providing a time frame for when they will provide dealers with parts to correct the issue. This is resulting in a severe inability to see well when driving at night especially if weather events occur and/or lighting of roads changes. I qualified, per dealer, for headlamp replacement but they cannot provide an ETA as to when the work can be done because Nissan is not giving them any sort of time frame. I have chosen to only drive roads I know during night hours, however, unexpected events like sudden rain showers or lighting being off on roadways unexpectedly - is a huge hazard and makes it difficult to see people, animals, and road markings. I am having to limit the use of my vehicle in order to drive safely, however there are times when unknown/unexpected circumstances beyond my control change visibility of roadways and the dim lights cause an enormous safety concern. That Nissan will not even provide an ETA on replacement headlamps is severely irresponsible and negligent. This is an ongoing matter and not limited to one specific date.
Power train, Apr 28, 2022
I bought a used 2014 Nissan Altima on/around April 13th 2022. Two weeks later my transmission gave out with barley any warning. I was driving to pick up my daughter after work when I noticed some delayed shifting. Assuming it was the car needing transmission fluid, I drove home and had planned to take the car to get it serviced at the dealership where I bought it the next day. When I left my house with my daughter the next day I got maybe 10 miles from my house when the transmission completely failed and the engine light came on. I was stalled in the middle of the road, with no working gears. The dealership I bought the vehicle from towed the car and put me in a loaner for two weeks. No clue on the price of repairs or if I’ll even be able to afford it.
Exterior lighting, Apr 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at night, he was unable to see the road clearly while using the headlights. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the headlight assemblies to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Latches/locks/linkages, Apr 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the hood of the vehicle suddenly unlatched, causing significant damages to the hood and roof of the vehicle and shattering the front windshield. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
Exterior lighting, Apr 8, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that when headlights were activated, the illumination was very dim. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Exterior lighting, Apr 4, 2022, crash
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while their son was driving approximately 55 MPH in the evening, a police officer crashed into the front passenger side door. The front rearview mirror was also impacted. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The police officer was unable to see the vehicle due to the headlight clarity being low on the contacts vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic, however the failure was not diagnosed. The headlights were not replaced. The driver was injured but decided not to receive medical treatments. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
Air bags, Seat belts, Mar 17, 2022
the passenger seat airbag light stays on,seat belt light stays on
Latches/locks/linkages, Mar 3, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the hood inadvertently flew open while driving. The inadvertent opening caused damage to the hood. The contact pulled off the highway and securely latched the hood. The contact then drove the vehicle safely to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 48,000.
Suspension, Feb 20, 2022
Lower control arm on rear left broke as I was driving 35mph and lost control. Highly unsafe.
Structure, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 17, 2022, crash
Hood flew opened while driving.
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 17, 2022
Latches, locks, linkages, hood. Recall number 372379
Engine, Feb 14, 2022
CVT failed Car struggled to move if you go to 0 stop in signal or in freeway due to heavy traffic. Engine warning sign appeared in dashboard.
Suspension, Feb 13, 2022
The rear lower control arm snapped on the vehicle and Nissan is aware of this issue through p9324 that I found online. Per the online information it is only covering 13 models in the salt belt states in the US and 13 & 14 models in Canada. This is a very dangerous condition and should be a recall of all models and years that have these parts installed in all salt belt areas.
Exterior lighting, Feb 9, 2022
IT'S A ROAD HAZARD YOU CAN NOT SEE AT NIGHT DUE TO THE LOW CAPACITY OF LIGHTING ON THE VEHICLE. THE LOW BEAM IS NOT ACTIVE DRIVING WITH A HIGH BEAM ON THE SHINES AS IF YOU HAD THE LOW BEAM ON. ON A VEHICLE AND HAVING TO CALL FOR A RIDE AT NIGHT. THE LIGHTING SYSTEM CLEARLY HAS SOME MALFUNCTIONING. NISSAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM IT NOT THE BULBS IT IS ACTUALLY THE HEAD LAMPS
Chest clip, Buckle, Harness, Child seat, Feb 9, 2022
The contact owns a Baby Trend Travel System, Model Number: TS44D23A, Manufactured Date: September 23, 2020. The car seat was being utilized in a 2014 Nissan Altima. The base latch would not release as a result, the car seat was not able to release easily. Additionally, the child was not able to be properly secured while using the seat. The contact also stated that the chest strap would tighten without warning. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The car seat was not repaired or replaced. The VIN was not available.
Suspension, Feb 6, 2022
My wife made a left hand turn and heard a noise and the car started to handle poorly. She called me and thought she had a flat tire. I went to the scene and determined the tires weren't flat but the rear left control arm was broken off. I was able to get it to our mechanics shop. When we put it on the hoist we could see not only was the left side broken off completely but the right side is cracked in the same spot on that side as well. The traction control light did light up when it happened but not before.
Exterior lighting, Jan 31, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the headlamps failed to illuminate as needed for safe driving. The contact stated that the high-beam headlights were used while driving at night. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to a website informing him of a previously settled lawsuit. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000. The VIN was invalid.
Exterior lighting, Jan 27, 2022
The low beam headlights are almost non existent. The only way to get sufficient lighting for nighttime driving is to use the hi beam lights exclusively. There is no safe speed to operate vehicle with only the low beams. It is not an issue with bulbs, but rather the entire headlight assembly. I will put a date in the "additional details" box, but it is an issue that has been an ongoing degradation of the lights and not a date specific problem.
Exterior lighting, Jan 27, 2022
My 2014 Nissan Altima has dangerously dim headlights. At night driver and passengers cannot tell the lights are on. In foggy, rainy, and snow conditions at night, they are virtually useless. I have had new bulbs installed, which did not improve the problem. I have been told the problem emanates from a manufacturer defect in the headlight assembly. Both headlight assemblies must be replaced, which is very costly. This safety issue could cause a traffic accident. We often must turn the high beams on just to see the roadway. This could also cause another driver to be blinded.
Suspension, Lane departure, Jan 24, 2022
The rear lower control arm failed and broke in half, causing springs, shocks, struts, pins, knuckles, bolts to fracture/break or collapse. The tire bowed inward at the top and made loud knocking and rattling noises for six months. I took to three different Nissan dealers, and all told me nothing was wrong. 1/6/22 I was driving on I-90S in Chicago, IL, and when the rear driver control arm failed and craked, utterly separating. The electronic stability control, lade departure, and blindspot warning system all deactivated and gave me malfunction code on the display screen in my dash. The steering wheel loosened and turned 30-40 degrees left, causing the vehicle to spin. I was able to take back control of the car after almost being hit and killed, getting to the shoulder hitting the concrete guard rails. Nissan parts director inspected my vehicle and determined that my vehicle indeed met the failure criteria based on what occurred and the damage. Nissan N.A. denies any fault despite approving to pay and replace some but not all parts and damage caused by their defective parts. It is currently under repair order warranty approved by Nissan N.A. and being investigated because the vehicle has frame damage as result now also but continues to deny any fault.
Other or unspecified, Jan 21, 2022
I WAS DRIVING AS WE WERE GETTING ONTO THE HIGHWAY THE HOOD POPPED UP AND WE PULL ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY ANS NOTICE IT WAS DAMAGED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CORNER TOP OF THE HOOD. I TOOK THE VEHICLE WITH RECALL ON AUGUST 30,2021 AND REALIZE NO ONE CALLED BACK SO, I STOPPED IN AND THEY TOLD ME THE BODY SHOPS WERE ALL FULL AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET TO MY CAR UNTIL 9/22/21 BUT I STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER EVERY TIME EMAIL HIM HE WOULD SAY THEY STILL OVERWHELM DONE TO STORM THAT OCCURS IN NEW JERSEY IN SEPTEMEBER SO I NEEDED MY CAR BECAUSE THE WARRANT HAD RAN OUT SOI COULDN'T GET A LOANER. SO I TOLD THEM I CAN'T LEAVE MY CAR UNTIL I WAS SURE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE BODY SHOP INSTEAD OF IT SITTING THERE. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT DO THE RECALL UNTIL REPAIR ON THE HOOD HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE SO HAVE NOT RETURNED YET SO NOW IM WONDERING IF CAN GET TAKEN CARE OF AT THE DEALERSHIP NEAR HOME BRIDGEWATER NJ DEALERSHIP.
Latches/locks/linkages, Jan 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the hood inadvertently opened and hit and cracked the windshield on the passenger’s side. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and closed the hood. There were no injuries sustained. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that the hood was bent and would no longer open as needed. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V315000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
Air bags, Jan 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the passenger’s side air bag warning light would remain off with an adult passenger seated in the passenger’s seat. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.