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
553 reports, newest first.
Exterior lighting, Apr 21, 2023
Low beam light is dim.
Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 4, 2023
Car will not accelerate or moved after stopping at red light..even after pressing the pedal all the way to the floor..very dangerous situation..some one is going to get hurt or kill...Nissan needs to recall because almost every nissan altima experience the same problem..very scary and dangerous situation it happens every day now..car will not move at all or sometimes very slow..please help..Dealers are no help at all
Air bags, Apr 3, 2023
My air bag light is on and will not go out. I have not been in a accident and I am aware of the previous recall on the air bags back in 2016. I tried to have the Nissan dealership in Lithia Springs, GA check on the issue, but they stated they would have to keep the car for at least 3 days to be able to review the problem. I am unable to be without my vehicle for 3+ days for a known issue with the air bags on these cars. My current mileage is around 86,000. I estimate the airbag warning light came on around 75,000. I can't afford to correct this manufacturer defect that could possibly cost my life in an accident if Nissan doesn't fix this soon. I see so many reports of this problem on the nhtsa website, but still no recall has been issued since the original one in 2016. I guess I or my family will just have to sue Nissan if I end up in a accident and the airbags don't deploy. This is really scary how many people are having the same issue with these cars that were under the original recall. It is clear that this is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed ASAP.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 2, 2023
I believe The failure that i'm experiencing is with the vehicle's transmission. The car stalls or refuses to shift gears, has trouble accelerating, and when the car is trying to accelerating the car makes an unfamiliar noise which is quiet loud and noticeable and sometimes shake or full on just pushes forward randomly. I believe the safety for mine and others can be at risk at times because they would be times where the car will not accelerate, even when your foot is pushed all the way on the pedal and as a result the car begins to slow down. This is can be risk depending on where you're driving for an example if you're on the highway or a congested area going at a specified speed. From my understanding after doing research I have found out that several others have been experiencing this same problem, so to my understanding this is a common issue and I'm not sure why it was never addressed. I have taken the car to a mechanic where they said the problem is the CVT Transmission. The Check Engine Light is on. This vehicle has not been in an accident.
Other or unspecified, Mar 31, 2023
Transmission went out at 59000 miles
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 26, 2023
Vehicle will delay acceleration when I have stopped at a stop sign or stop light. When I press the gas pedal it will delay acceleration for a couple of seconds and then final take off. It doesn't happen often and I find that if I turn the engine off and wait a few minutes and start it again, it goes away for several days but does return.
Exterior lighting, Mar 20, 2023
The low beam headlights is very dim. It is almost impossible to see using that and driving at night. Whatever reflecting coating nissan put inside of the low beam headlight has faded away causing the light to not reflect properly and thus providing little to no light when you try to use the low beam headlights. This is extremely dangerous because this significantly reduces the visibility when you are driving at night. The car does not give you any warning about how dim the light. I have not gotten into an accident yet mostly because I avoid driving at night because of these dim headlights. I replaced the headlights on my car and that seems to have done almost nothing to help with visibility.
Latches/locks/linkages, Mar 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V315000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) and a secondary hood latch was installed; however, the failure recurred, causing the windshield to crack with a malfunctioning unknown interior light. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Other or unspecified, Mar 5, 2023
UNKNOWN
Power train, Service brakes, Engine, Mar 4, 2023
Transmission problem.
Air bags, Feb 22, 2023
Based on the air bag warning light showing on my 2016 Nissan Altima I had Lia Nissan of Glens Falls, NY conduct a diagnostic inspection to determine the cause the noted warning light problem on February 22,2023. The technician determined that the air bag system in the back of the passenger seat was not functioning properly with a related code B0020-13 side a/b ih (open). To correct this problem, module i/f seat back, part #87650-phs7a, needed to be replaced at a cost of $2128. The noted part is the entire back side of the passenger seat where the air bag is housed. They also informed me that unless the needed repair was done, the entire air bag system throughout the car would not function, thus creating a major safety hazard. Upon further investigation, I discovered there is a NHTSA recall, #16V244000 dated 2016-04-25, Air Bag: Sensor: Occupant Classification. This recall notice directly relates to problems with the functioning of the front passenger [OCS] air bag system. Noting the potential for non-deployment of the frontal air bag and risk of injury. Upon my contacting Nissan USA and the above noted dealer, they claim no recall exists. The above noted NHTSA recall noted does reflect a clear correlation between my existing air bag system malfunction and the recall mandate for Nissan to address. Instead, they simply claim there is no recall on this vehicle, of which, I strongly disagree. In the meantime, all passengers in my vehicle are at risk. Since there have been no accidents or issues that I have created, it appears very clear that this is a safety equipment problem which Nissan is responsible for and has already been directed to address based the NHSTA recall. It would be appreciated if this matter is addressed since no action by Nissan is forthcoming.
Air bags, Feb 21, 2023
The "Airbag off" light often illuminates when a 130lb adult is sitting in the passenger seat. I assume this means the airbag is disabled, a severe issue.
Power train, Exterior lighting, Feb 15, 2023
No injuries or accident but this vehicle has two serious problems . 1. The head lights are almost non existent. you can not drive faster than 25 mph with out over driving you lighted area... I consider this a serious issue. .2. when car was new i almost always was getting in the low 30s and as high as 40 mpg now it is always getting in the low 20s consistently ... When i check this on you tube they say that is a warning that the CVT is not working properly . With only 48000 miles on the car , I ask if this is a problem that Nissan should correct ?
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the cruise control activated, the radar obstruction message was displayed, causing the cruise control to deactivate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the radar was faulty and needed to be replaced, along with a radar alignment. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Electrical system, Jan 9, 2023
It's 1 of 3 sensors possible cam shaft position sensors is what the dealership is saying, the car is currently at the dealership being dignoised this is the 3 time its been in the shop. 1st time had fuel pump replaced, than 2nd time for The car would start than stall than start again and when driving it stalled again driving. No warning lights until after car had died. No check engine lights prior either. This is the 2nd time these sensors have gone out in less than 2yrs. I just had them replaced. And the car only has 66,689 miles on it.
Air bags, Dec 31, 2022
My airbag light is on. It just came on one day. (No accident or anything else to cause this to happen) I checked to see if a recall was on my vehicle but it was not. There are other Nissan Altima"s that have a recall for this reason.
Power train, Dec 29, 2022
My car has several problems with accelerating either during highway speeds or from a dead stop. First , the car starts fine and engine runs fine, does not idle rough or stall out. The problems arise after driving for a few miles and I come to a complete stop, either at a stop light or sign. When the light turns green and I attempt to move the car, there is a severe lag in response to get the car moving. When it does start moving (after about 5-6 seconds), it barely rolls forward at less than 1 mile an hour. It does not matter how many times I depress the gas pedal, or if I have it to the floor, the car barely moves without any sound or rise in RPMs. The car may cover a distance from 15 feet to 150 feet at this snail pace until suddenly the RPMs shoot up to 4-5000 and the vehicle takes off like a rocket. The first time this happened I was making a lefthand turn and while sitting in the turn pocket I pressed the accelerator and the car started to creep along and put me right in the way of oncoming traffic which luckily slowed down for me to crawl across. The next time it happened was when I left a stoplight and the car started crawling then suddenly shot off and almost hit the car in front of me which had slowed down for a dip about 30 feet from the stop light. BOTH VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. The car also tends to lose acceleration while driving at highway speeds with the RPMs dropping approximately 1000 RPMs as when crossing intersections leaving me to crawl through a long intersection while now with cross traffic on the green light. This happens during freeway speeds as well. Also, at freeway speeds the car will top out at 40 MPH with the RPMs winding away at 4-5,000 RPMs while traffic is flying by me at 65-75 MPH. All these scenarios are prime conditions for an accident or collision. Symptoms first appeared about two months ago, now daily. The Nissan Dealer refuses to do transmission repair saying the computer throws no codes. Will not take my word on the problems.
Power train, Engine, Dec 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and the RPM’s revved up and the vehicle started shuddering. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated upon restarting the vehicle, the accelerator pedal was depressed and went all the way to the floorboard; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle two more times. The failure persisted but the contact was able to continue driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the mass airflow sensor and intake manifold were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact referenced Nissan Technical Service Bulletin Number: NTB16-121a. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Dec 8, 2022
Car was stopped at a stop sign. When it was clear I attempted to proceed and turn left. The car began to roll then wouldn't accelerate causing me to block both lanes with oncoming vehicles. The rpms revved and the car wouldn’t move. Finally, the car started to go forward and without me pressing the gas it accelerated. I reported the situation to the Nissan Dealer and the Nissan Consumer repair. The mechanic at Nissan said the code is the transmission "death code." The simply said the car has over 84,000 miles so they would not be responsible for the repair. When I told them the situation, they did not discuss safety issues. I asked the man at Nissan Consumer Affairs if the life expectancy of a 2016 Nissan transmission was 108,000 miles. He said Nissan was not responsible for vehicle safety after 84,000 miles. He gave me a case number and and hung up. I then received an email with the case number and a note that said to give the number to my attorney. I do not have an attorney.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Nov 25, 2022
I only had my vehicle(2016NissanAltima) for less than 2 weeks before the vehicles major problems started. The engine consistently Stalls, Surges and Shudders. As well as the Shifter locking itself to where it wont shift out of park. There are no and have never been any warning lights to alert me. The CVT and the Computer are very faulty. To the point the vehicle is now a Death Trap. When driving the car the RPM will randomly accelerate and I have no way to control the vehicle and then vehicle will go into "Limp Mode" consistently and won't go any faster or slower than the speed the car chooses to do. I don't trust anything of what it says on the dashboard as far as Gas amount, Odometer, MILWarnings, Speed or otherwise. If there are no warnings from the car to alert me with, then that is a major issue with the car and is not mechanically sound and very dangerous for me and other drivers on the road. I have had to make the car sit the majority of the short time I have had it. Because I simply won't drive very far because of the dangers it puts me in everytime I have drove it. I have had to spend my money on transportation to and from work instead of making my first car payment. At this point I want to just Opt-out with the vehicle entirely and give it back to the dealership. This car is just unsafe and should not have been sold in the condition it is in. I only got to drive the vehicle 10 days or so before major issues started with the vehicle. I have not a clue what the details of what is wrong with the car. The only warning signal I do see now, is the MIL and that is not even mentioned in the option menu of the car settings etc. This car needs to be re-manufactured so that it can become a safe running vehicle. I don't have the money that it will take to fix the car. It's far too expensive for me or any hard working citizen to ever afford. I don't advise anyone to own a vehicle of this kind.
Electrical system, Seats, Nov 24, 2022
Yes. On 11/21/22 I took my client shopping it took 30 minutes to reach our destination. I unloaded her walker so she could enter the store while I parked my car. Upon parking the car I noticed two burn marks in the leather passenger seat that were not there previously and did not look any near what a cigarette burn would look like. Along with a bluish discoloration surrounding the burn marks including along seam closest to the burn marks. The heated seat function was being used at the time due to temps and clients age.10. Minutes prior to arriving at our destination the passenger asked me to turn off the seat heater on her side, which i did. As I stated it was after I helped her out of the passenger seat and parked the car that i noticed the large burn marks and discoloration. This could have caught fire and severely burned my client and/or caught my entire car on fire which I need for my job and only source of income A layman would be under the assumption that these seat heater would automatically shut off if they reached a certain temp. Now I have a 6 year old vehicle (which I kept clean and in good working order with a damaged leather front passenger seat due to some wiring defect that was not my fault
Fuel system, Gasoline, Nov 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that after retrieving the vehicle following an engine repair, the fuel gauge was inoperable. The contact refueled the vehicle however, a week later the fuel gauge had not moved. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed that fuel sensing unit located in the gas tank had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 33,701.
Power train, Nov 14, 2022
The car has been experiencing transmission problems since about 95,000 miles. I contacted Nissan of North America about the issue and they told me they knew of the issue, extended warranty to 88,000 miles. I bought car used with 87,000 and no issue until 95,000. Issue is, the car stalls in stop and go traffic, it revs and jumps when starting, makes a humming noise while gas pedal is engaged. Took it in for recalls and Nissan of Lagrange even said the CVT transmissions are junk. Nissan needs to recall every car that has this transmission and fix the issue.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 31, 2022
The vehicle will randomly stop accelerating while driving. Also will have a delayed acceleration randomly too.
Power train, Oct 25, 2022
Transmission failing. Will not take off from stand still, then jerks and goes after revving. Jerks badly and shudders when accelerating, then refuses to accelerate to highway speeds over 55mph.