2016 Nissan Altima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 553 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 10th highest complaint count among 26 Altima model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 28 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 32 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
Structure, emergency, escape/egress/exitDec 19, 2018
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles, previously remedied under recall number 17V-040. The door latch-lock cable may not have been routed properly in the rear door when the remedy was applied. As a result, the cable may interfere with the window regulator causing the rear passenger door to unlatch and inadvertently open without warning when the window is lowered.
If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will secure the latch-lock cables in the correct position using the new remedy procedure, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7669.
Campaign 18V915000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchJan 18, 2017
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles. The rear door latch/lock cable on the vehicles may have been improperly routed. As a result, lowering a rear window may inadvertently cause that door to unlatch and open.
If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will correct the rear door latch/lock cable routing, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 17V040000 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
Representative owner complaints: engine
86 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine, Oct 8, 2018
NOV 2017, ALTIMA HAD 18,173 MILES, NOT ONE YEAR OLD AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVE IT. TOOK IT TO DEALER IN SAN DIEGO, DIAGNOSIS WAS A P0101 CODE (MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR/ORANGE PCV VALVE). THEN AT 20,598 MILES, I SAW MY LIFE FLASH BEFORE MY EYES. I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 5 IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DOING 72 MPH WITH A TRUCK BEHIND ME AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ALTIMA WILL NOT ACCELERATE! MEANWHILE THE RPM'S ARE JUMPING UP AND DOWN. AGAIN THE DEALER SAID IT WAS CODE P0101, REPLACED THE PCV VALVE AGAIN. NEXT AT 20,833 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. DEALER INFORMED ME THERE WAS CARBON BUILD UP IN THE THROTTLE BODY AND FOUND CODE P0101 AS WELL. AT THAT POINT THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY WITH A NEW ONE. AT 24,095, THE DEALER STATED BOTH SHOCKS WERE LEAKING. BOTH SHOCKS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED. AT 25,076 MILES THE BACK DRIVER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ACUATOR. AT THE SAME ENCOUNTER, THE BACK DRIVER WINDOW DID NOT ROLL DOWN MORE THAN HALF WAY. FOUND VAPOR BARRIER AND CABLE DAMAGED. ALSO, DURING THIS TIME POOR ACCELERATION WAS NOTICED AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND DELETED STOP LAMP RELAY. FINALLY ON THIS VISIT NEW HEAT SHIELDS AS WELL. THIS CAR HAS SPENT 25 DAYS OF ITS LIFE AT A NISSAN DEALER. THIS CAR IS SCARY AND DEFECTIVE.
Power train, Engine, Oct 6, 2018
ON A MAIN ROAD, MY CAR JUMP/ JERKS GOING A LIL PAST 40MPH HOWEVER MY RPM GOES UP TO 3/4..WHILE IN IDLE AT STOP LIGHT, TO GO AFTER GREEN, PRESSING GAS, CAR DOES NOT MOVE..THEN ONCE IT MOVES( 3-5 SECS LATER AFTER PRESSING GAS) RPM JUMPS TO 3/4, BUT ONLY GOING 20MPH..THEN ONCE IN GEAR, IT'S LIKE I'M GOING FAST BUT REALLY I'M NOT
Power train, Engine, Oct 4, 2018
FIRST TIME, CAR STARTED AT 50,000 MILES. DROVE THE CAR FOR 4200 MILES, REGULAR MAINTENANCE, HAD OCCASIONAL DRAG IN ACCELERATION AND RPM NEEDLE FLUCTUATION, CALLED IN AND SAID IT WAS PRETTY NORMAL DUE TO THE HEAT. RANDOMLY CAR JUTTERS AND LOSES ACCELERATION, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AT 54,000 MILES ON IN TOWN HIGHWAY ROAD. CAR WILL NO LONGER WILL ACCELERATE BEFORE 5-6 RPMS CONSISTENTLY FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS THEN WILL KICK AND ACCELERATE. CODE PULLED READ TRNSMISSION FLUID SYSTEM EAS THE PROBLEM. TOOK CAR IN NEXT DAY AFTER FIGHTING WITH POCATELLO NISSAN KIA BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AT IT FOR A WEEK. HAD TO HAVE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. DROVE THE CAR FOR ANOTHER 1500 MILES AND SAME THING BUT I CAUGHT THE DRAG AND NEEDLE FLUCTUATION SOON ENOUGH THAT THE CAR DIDN'T GET NEARLY AS BAD ON THE REGULAR IN TOWN ROADS. TOOK IT IN A SECOND TIME AND TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AGAIN. GOING ON 56600 MILES AND NOTICING A DRAG AND FLUCTUATION AGAIN ON IN TOWN ROADS BUT NISSAN WONT LOOK AT IT TIL THE ISSUE CAN BE REPLICATED AGAIN.
Engine, May 5, 2018
ENGINE LOSES POWER WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY,HAVE TO PULL OVER AND WAIT TWO OR THREE MINUTES THEN IT STARTS UP AGAIN.CAN NOT TRUST TO DRIVE IN TRAFFIC.I HAVE TAKEN THIS CAR TO NISSAN SHOP BUT THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE IN A WHILE,ALSO WHEN CAR LOSES POWER THE DASH GOES OUT.THE CAR IS A LEMON
Engine, May 5, 2018
ENGINE USES POWER WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY,HAVE TO PULL OVER AND WAIT TWO OR THREE MINUTES THEN IT STARTS UP AGAIN.CAN NOT TRUST TO DRIVE IN TRAFFIC.I HAVE TAKEN THIS CAR TO NISSAN SHOP BUT THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE IN A WHILE
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Apr 23, 2018, crash
AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF CAUSING SUDDEN DECREASE IN SPEED, THEN RESTART ON IT'S OWN WITHIN 10-15 SECONDS. WHEN CAR SHUTS OFF ALL DASH LIGHTS TURN OFF AND THERE'S NO THROTTLE RESPONSE. THE LAST TIME IT SHUT OFF I WAS GOING AROUND A BEND AND CAUSED CAR TO COLLIDE WITH GUARD RAIL.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Apr 2, 2018
I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR MY CAR STALLED OUT. IT TOOK 30 SECONDS OF PRESSING ON THE GAS FOR IT TO BEGIN TO MOVE. *TT *TR
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Feb 20, 2018
WHILE ALREADY IN MOTION THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED EXTREMELY SLOWLY ONCE AGAIN AS I HAVE REPORTED ON THIS WEBSITE BEFORE, BUT THIS TIME IT WAS MORE DANGEROUS BECAUSE AS I WAS MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY, I WAS PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR AND WHEN THE RPM GOT TO 2000, IT STOPPED AND THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING EXTREMELY SLOW. THERE WAS A 18 WHEEL TRUCK APPROACHING ME FAST FROM BEHIND, BUT I COULD NOT GET ANY SPEED. LUCKILY HE SWERVED ON TO THE NEXT LANE AND PASSED ME. THE RPM METER STOPPED AT 2000 AND IT TOOK 22 SECONDS TO GET FROM 60 MPH TO 75MPH AS THE VIDEO SHOWS. IT HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES DURING THIS DRIVE AND I WAS ABLE TO RECORD EACH INSTANCE PANNING FROM THE GAUGE DISPLAY TO THE ACCELERATOR SHOWING I AM PRESSING IT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THE VEHICLE DOESN'T RESPOND. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO NISSAN AND WHEN I SHOWED THE VIDEO TO THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, HE IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO BLAME THE ISSUE ON MY FLOOR MATS. HE SAID THAT IT APPEARS THE FLOOR MATS WERE PREVENTING THE ACCELERATOR FROM GOING DOWN THUS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT GAIN SPEED. HOWEVER I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE AS THE FLOOR MAT WAS NOT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR AT ALL. YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE MY FOOT PRESSING IT DOWN ALL THE WAY WITHOUT ANY INTERFERENCE FROM THE MAT. IN ADDITION, IF THE FLOOR MAT WAS PREVENTING THE ACCELERATOR FROM BEING PUSHED ALL THE WAY DOWN AS HE CLAIMS, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO GAIN SPEED, ALL BE IT EXTREMELY SLOW? THAT RIGHT THERE PROVES HIS THEORY WRONG BECAUSE IF THE ACCELERATOR WAS INDEED STOPPED BY THE MAT, THEN THE MPH AS WELL AS THE RPM WOULD MAINTAIN AT THE SAME RATE. I ALSO REMINDED HIM THAT THIS HAPPENED ON A LOCAL STREET WHEN I WAS ONLY GOING 35 MPH AND THE ACCELERATOR WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WHERE NEAR THE FLOOR BOARD. NISSAN ADVISED ME THEY WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE AND ARE CONTACTING NISSAN TECH SUPPORT FOR DIRECTION
Power train, Engine, Jan 8, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE AND FAILED TO DRIVE SMOOTHLY ON OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO OLYMPIA NISSAN (2220 CARRIAGE ST SW, OLYMPIA, WA 98502), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, THE RPMS ACCELERATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE SPEED INCREASED TO 40 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 26, 2017
I HAVE BEEN HAVING CHRONIC ISSUES WITH ENGINE ON MY 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA. INITIALLY (11/2016), THE CAR WOULD "JUMP/SKIP" WHEN I WOULD TRY TO ACCELERATOR AND EVEN FEELING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO CUT OFF ON ME. WHEN I CALLED I WAS INFORMED IT WAS DUE TO DEFECT AND IT WAS ON RECALL. THE ISSUES APPEARED TO RESOLVE UNTIL 11/2017 I STARTED EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE BUT WORSE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND BACK HOME. THIS OCCURRED ON FLORIDA TURNKPIKE AND LOCAL HIGHWAYS. CARS WERE HOOKING AT ME BECAUSE I WAS NOT ABLE TO PROCEED WHEN LIGHT TURNED GREEN, EVEN THOUGH I WAS FLOORING THE CAR PEDAL. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP, I WAS INFORMED IT WAS MY TRANSMISSION AND THEY HAD TO REBUILD IT. AFTERWARDS, I CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR CUTTING OFF ON ME AND ACCELERATION ISSUES. I BROUGHT IT BACK, AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE CRANK SENSOR. THEY REPLACED IT BUT KNOW THE ENGINE CONTINUE TO SOUND LIKE IT IS WORKING OVERTIME TO PERFORM AND MAKE A CONSTANT HIGH PITCH SOUND. I AM BRING IT BACK TO THEM A 3RD TIME TO INVESTIGATE.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Nov 8, 2017
MY TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING FIRST IN THE CITY AND IT CONTINUED TO WHEN I WENT ON THE HIGHWAY TO THE POINT I HAD NO POWER AND THE WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. I HAD TO HAVE THE COMPUTER IN THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND THE CAR STILL IDLES AS IF IT WILL CUT OFF AT ANY MOMENT. THAT WAS AT 40K AND I JUST HAD TO REPLACE THE O2 SENSOR AT 60K