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.
Power train, Engine, Jan 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic for an oil change, the independent mechanic informed her that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the independent mechanic hard reset the code; however, while she was driving the vehicle, the ABS warning light, the brake warning light, TPMS warning light, traction warning light, check engine warning light, and other unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic who diagnosed that the vehicle’s computer was not communicating as designed. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the CVT transmission and ECM needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would only cover 50% of the transmission repair under an unknown recall as the vehicle had been out of warranty for 5 months. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
Suspension, Wheels, Jan 9, 2022
When driving my rear control arm, on my nissan altima 2014 rusted and corroded so much that it broke in the back. When taking it to pep boys, they had said the left side was only a matter of time as well before that too suffered a similar fate. I live in Michigan which constantly uses salt to help the roads during winter. I have received an invoice of 2700 for repairs and after some googling I saw that Nissan had a major issue with this, that's great, however I was never notified via mail, emial, phone, nothing. I had no way of knowing this was going to, or happen, until after the fact.
Suspension, Jan 4, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, he heard an abnormal knocking sound coming from the rear of the vehicle and lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle drove towards the right lane, but the contact was able to veer to the side of the road as there were no other vehicles around. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear passenger’s side lower control arm was fractured and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact exited the vehicle and noticed that the rear driver’s side lower control arm was fractured. The contact continued to drive the vehicle slowly to his residence. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the VIN was not included in an unknown recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jan 4, 2022
transmission felt as if it was slipping into different gears while driving forward. pulled vehicle over put it in park and then put it in reverse- at that time the vehicle went forward instead of reverse. at that time the vehicle was put into park and turned off. Waited a few minutes and then turned vehicle back on, put it into drive and it took 10 sec to drive forward I then put the vehicle in reverse and the same thing happened, it took 10 seconds to move in reverse. took the vehicle in and the repair man said it was the CVT- I have 93K miles on the car. It has been in storage since July 2020.
Exterior lighting, Dec 12, 2021
The headlights are failing. We have replaced the bulbs and it does not fix the issue. When driving at night, we must use the high beams. This issue is a hazarded and could lead to hitting an object in the road due to the failure of the head lights.
Exterior lighting, Dec 9, 2021
My headlights are dimming. I’ve had the bulbs replaced, my battery replaced and the wiring checked. No one can seem to find why these are dimming
Exterior lighting, Dec 3, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the contact noticed that the headlights were very dim, making it difficult to see the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the dealer refused to repair the vehicle. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
Exterior lighting, Nov 27, 2021
Lights are very dimmed at night even the high beam. Can barely see at night when driving. Lights need to be changed to a brighter set ASAP before an accident or death happens.
Engine, Nov 19, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while his mother was driving in stop and go traffic, the vehicle stalled without warning. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to his home. Upon doing research online, the contact discovered a technique that would cause the vehicle to reset itself once the failure occurred. The contact eventually took the vehicle to a dealer; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact also found information that the failure with his vehicle could be linked to the camshaft sensor or crankshaft sensor. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000. The VIN was not available.
Suspension, Exterior lighting, Nov 17, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, a grinding sound was present coming from the rear of the vehicle. While driving over a bump in the road, the rear of the vehicle collapsed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the rear suspension had detached, and the front and rear axles were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. Additionally, the front low-beam headlights had stopped operating and the bulbs were replaced but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not yet contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000
Exterior lighting, Nov 15, 2021
WITH HEADLIGHTS ON DIM IT LOOKS AS IF THE LIGHTS ARE NOT ON AT ALL VERY DIM TO NO VISIBILTY. HAVE TO DRIVE WITH LIGHTS ON BRIGHT.
Structure, Nov 11, 2021
My hood slammed open when I was driving on the parkway. I entered the parkway ( Route 28) in Pittsburgh, Pa during rush hour. Three to four cars entered the road seconds before me. While I attempted to gain speed to keep up with the rush hour traffic and avoid being hit by the on coming traffic my car hood slammed open. The auto body shop stated the fenders on both side need to be repaired or replaced. There may be damage to the hood, unknown until repair is performed. I had the hood latched recalled correction done to my car in late August or early September 2021. The latch is more prone to disengage after the repair. Nissan chooses not to make any repairs to my car.
Exterior lighting, Nov 8, 2021
Front lights very dim, cracked light covers
Steering, Nov 4, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the steering wheel was shaking violently. In addition, there was an abnormal clicking noise from the tires. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 350,000. The VIN was invalid.
Electrical system, Structure, Other or unspecified, Oct 31, 2021
Many people complain about the sunroof leaking and the compressor. This will be the second time having issues with compressor. It effects my defrost which can be a serious safety hazard. Water accumulates in the floor boards and the headliner which causes mold and mildew which leads to respiratory issues. I paid 1200 to replace the compressor one year ago and not I am having the same issues. I see many people talk about this issue online. Standing water on the floor boards and air does not cool.
Exterior lighting, Oct 31, 2021
Headlights are very dim to the point it's a safety issue. Only getting worse over time and it looks like I have no headlights on . Have to drive with brights on to see road and other cars can see me .
Exterior lighting, Oct 23, 2021
Lowbeam headlight projector malfunction. Even with replacement, low beam lights are not lighting the road.
Steering, Oct 19, 2021
The contact's girlfriend owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while his girlfriend was driving approximately 60 MPH, the steering wheel was uncontrollable. The steering wheel failed to correctly move left or right. The contact stated that the steering wheel turned a full 360 degrees. The driver was able to safely pull over to the shoulder. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the control arms on the driver’s and passenger’s side had fractured. Additionally, two bolts needed to be sheared off. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the owner never received a recall notification. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed to cover half the cost of the repairs. The contact is concerned about receiving reimbursement for repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
Power train, Oct 19, 2021
I bought my used branded 2014 Nissan Altima 1-2 years ago and did not have any issues with it until recently. Earlier this summer I received 2 notifications for my vehicle 1.) Recall notice to Reprogram Transmission Control Module and the 2nd doc. I received was a doc. which stated Nissan had extended their CVT Transmission warranty for their 2013-2016 Nissan Altimas. Some weeks ago later I started to have issues with my vehicle as it was not driving properly. I then started contacting both my local Nissan and Corporate. Nissan confirmed my vehicle VIN was one of the vehicles with transmissions issues and that I needed a transmission replacement for a cost of $4,324.11. I then opened a case and Corporate as there have multiple complaints/class actions for the same reason and they came back and stated they could not assist because I was out of the warranty year/milage. Nissan delivered a faulty transmission which they were very aware of at some point after delivery and although my transmission held off before it completely needed to be replaced I am looking for Nissan to assist financially for a new transmission which they quoted me $4,324.11 as they manufactured and delivered a faulty transmission which is a common issue with these vehicles. There have been class-action suits regarding the Continuously Variable Transmissions (“CVTs”) in model year 2013–2016 Nissan Altima vehicles.
Other or unspecified, Oct 19, 2021
I am trying to ship my vehicle from Grafenwoehr, Germany (military base) to Colorado, United States. I have the safety recall for my hood but none of the dealerships near me, can help me fix the issue so I can ship my vehicle back to the states. I was told I need some documentation saying this. So I can ship my vehicle. Can i get help please.
Air bags, Seats, Oct 5, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 NISSAN Altima. The contact stated that the airbag warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted and stated that the airbag harness under the driver’s seat had malfunctioned. The airbag and seat had not been replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under the warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 41,000.
Latches/locks/linkages, Oct 4, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the primary hood latch inadvertently released, causing the windshield to crack, and denting the hood and fenders. The check engine and air bag warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened, but the contact had not heard from the manufacturer since. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V315000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) which was associated with the VIN. However, the contact never received notification of the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 203,000.
Suspension, Power train, Sep 30, 2021
My 2014 Nissan Altima’s transmission has to be replaced. The Nissan dealership gave me a quote of $4,093.00 to replace it. The car starts to run fine, then when at a stop and go, the car doesn’t go when I step on the gas or is delayed in going and the RPM’s are high and it feels forced. I was on the freeway and the car lost speed which was very scary because I could’ve have caused an accident. My safety and that of others was put at risk. I’ve had to stop using the vehicle until I can repair this costly issue. There were not any lights or warning messages in the car when this happened. Now that I’ve done research I know that there are many complaints and lawsuits related to the transmission issues Nissan has had for many years and they’ve done nothing about it. They should take responsibility and issue a recall on these vehicles to correct the issue.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 28, 2021
I been trying to fix my vehicle recalls at my nearest location but they just don't got the time to work on my car, i experienced a terrible situation when i was driving on the freeway back from Los Angeles my hood opened i thank good i was driving less than 65mph with a few cars around me and my reactions was not too panic and slowly looking in all directions was able too pull aside of the freeway and closed the hood, I had family in my car and I just thank god nothing major happened I just can't imagine how terrible the situation could of end for my family and mine if i would of been going faster and not paying attention we could of lost our lives , i really do not feel safe at all driving this vehicle with my family anymore but this is our only transportation , I honestly want Nissan to upgrade me a new car i do not feel safe at all even after you guys fix it , I do not want to risk a similar situation again pleas contact me at [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Engine, Sep 27, 2021
I was driving and I had noticed car was about to stall out. I was in major traffic and my car shut completely down in rush hour traffic. There's a recall for CTV transmission. I had taken my car to the dealership numerous of time for them to fix the recall. The service representative had advised that they don't have the CTV parts yet. So on October 14 2021 my 2014 Nissan Altima SV shutdown on a major highway a d that God I didn't get hit. I had to call a tow truck and they towed my car to the Nissan dealership. I'm still waiting on Nissan Headquarters for an answer. Also Nissan Headquarters gave me a case number