2017 Nissan Altima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 391 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 13th highest complaint count among 26 Altima model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 24 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 23 people were injured.
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
Representative owner complaints: air bags
73 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Air bags, Sep 10, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with an electrical fault inside the air bag, and it was determined that the air bag inside the seat back needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer stated that the electrical fault from the air bag was not under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Steering, Air bags, Aug 11, 2026
I was driving home from the store like 4 blocks away and on the road there’s dip n the road you can’t avoid it so after i drive over it the airbag light comes on with hitting anything.
Air bags, Jul 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle with a passenger inside the vehicle, the air big warning light illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to two separate dealers to be inspected, and it was determined that the air bag sensor module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact to reach out to the Better Business Bureau to report the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 27,016.
Air bags, Jul 14, 2026
AIRBAG LIGHT UNEXPECTANTLY CAME ON WITHOUT ANY COLLISION ACTION, OR OTHER UNUSUAL ACTIVITY ON 5/28/26. DELAY GETTING CAR FOR INSPECTION DUE TO PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. ON 6/29/26 CAR CHECKED A NISSAN DEALERSHIP. INSPECTED AND CHECKED CODES. CODED AS B0020-13 FOR AIR BAG MODULE DEFECTIVE. RECOMMENDED REPLACING DRIVER SIDE FRONT SEAT BACK. THIS NISSAN ALTIMA 2017 NOT UNDER RECALL, AND CALL NOT UNDER WARRANTY. SAFETY OF DRIVER AND PASSENGERS AT RISK.
Air bags, Seats, Apr 25, 2026
The passenger airbag system failed, specifically the occupant sensor and the pad beneath the passenger seat. These components are responsible for detecting whether a passenger is present and ensuring the airbag deploys correctly in a crash. I've also been told that I may be at risk of not having my airbag deploy in an accident. My vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I am a single mother. My child rides in the vehicle regularly, and my elderly parents occasionally ride in the passenger seat . Because the occupant sensor has failed, the passenger airbag may be suppressed entirely in the event of a collision. No passenger in the front seat would have airbag protection in an accident, and it's possible I would not either. We have been driving under these conditions for an extended period of time without a remedy. A trusted independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and confirmed the fault. They diagnosed the issue as a failure of the occupant classification sensor and seat pad, and noted that recalibration was attempted. The recalibration did not resolve the problem, and the airbag warning light remains on. I have not yet taken the vehicle to a Nissan dealership for diagnosis. It has not been inspected by Nissan, law enforcement, or insurance representatives. The airbag warning light on the dashboard has been illuminated continuously for many months. The light is solid, not flashing, which my mechanic indicated reflects a confirmed, persistent fault in the system rather than an intermittent issue. There were no prior symptoms before the light appeared.
Air bags, Apr 22, 2026, crash
I was hit by a school bus on the interstate and my air bags didn't deploy. My car is throwing a code that all 4 did.
Air bags, Feb 8, 2026
No initial incident created this problem. The airbag light randomly comes on for driver left side airbag. It has never been deployed, nor has the vehicle had any impact or damage. The computer shows fault code B0020-13 (AB Side Module Open). Despite resetting it, the light will only stay off for a while. It appears as occasional short in the sensor but I have been told to replace the whole seat. Several owners discuss the same issue on this car in Nissan forums. I've never gotten the code to show as "active" only "past" but nobody can tell me if this will impact whether the airbag will deploy in an accident.
Air bags, Seats, Jul 29, 2025
As appears to be the case with many other 2017 Nissan Altima drivers, the light indicating the Passenger Side Air Bag is OFF remains on even when adults are in the seat. When the dealership took a look at the issue, they said the Occupant Control Sensor System required replacement, and quoted ~$1,000 to fix this issue. This is a cost we weren't able to bear, and so we have had to use the car with NO functional passenger side airbags for several years. The OCS failed approximately 5 years after the car was purchased. For a safety-critical feature, it is concerning that there is no remedy for the public. This issue appears identical to the OCS problem identified in NHTSA Campaign #16V-244 (Reference #NTB16-054b) from August 25, 2016. It appears that the 2017 Nissan Altima was excluded from this recall, despite suffering the same manufacturing issues.
Air bags, Jul 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective air bag sensor and was informed that the air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The dealer reset the air bag warning light, but the warning light returned. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 82,000.
Air bags, May 27, 2025, crash
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving 25-30 MPH she crashed into a parked 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 that was parked illegally on the road. There were no warning lights illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. There were no reported fires. A police report. The driver hit her head on the steering wheel, sustaining a concussion, and medical attention was provided at the emergency room. The fire department was on the scene. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Air bags, May 24, 2025
I'm reaching out because my 2017 Nissan Altima has developed a serious issue with the passenger airbag system. The airbag warning light turned on recently (about a couple months ago now) and I took the vehicle to a Nissan dealership, twice, for diagnosis. They informed me that the passenger side seat airbag module is non functional and the repair would cost $2,667.29. I was shocked and disappointed to hear this. My car has never been in an accident, is well maintained, and is less than 10 years old. A critical safety feature like an airbag system should not fail without cause, especially in a relatively modern vehicle. After researching this issue, I discovered that other Altima owners have reported similar problems with the occupant classification system or related components. While I understand recalls vary by model year, I believe this issue is part of a broader trend and should be addressed accordingly. I'm requesting that Nissan provide assistance in covering the cost of this repair, whether through warranty extension, goodwill support, or by investigating whether this is a known defect taht merits broader action. This is a safety issue that I hope Nissan will take seriously. I look forward to your response and assistance in resolving this matter. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Air bags, Apr 29, 2025
There has been no accident. The car has 60k miles and I barely drive that car, twice a month, as I work from home. The airbag light appeared all of a sudden. When I check forums, I realize that hundreds of people are experiencing the same issue. There should be an investigation and Nissan needs to issue a recall on these airbags
Power train, Electrical system, Air bags, Feb 24, 2025
All 4 door lock actuators Airbag System Malfunctioning CVT Slipping at 83,000 miles Broken Motor Mount
Air bags, Feb 1, 2025
Warnining light stays on for airbag. Dealership confirmed seat needs to be replaced as airbag is defective and not working. Obviously not drivable unless a board member of Nissan would allow their loved ones to drive a vehicle without an airbag.
Air bags, Jan 21, 2025
No incident has happened yet. I am finding that there is a lot of discussion about faulty air bags on Nissan Altima's of all years. Mine is a 2017 Nissan Altima and my airbag light is on. There is a lot of discussion online of MANY people having the same issues and Nissan charging an arm and a leg to fix. If it is something that is wrong with so many cars then why is this not a recall? I have not taken it to a dealer as they want to charge over $200 to take a look at something that is obviously wrong with all of these cars. At what point does a recall go into effect? How many similar complaints have you received on this issue with Nissan Altima's?
Air bags, Oct 24, 2024
The airbag light turns on whenever someone else drives the car and moves the driver seat. The light stays on until we clear the code and then starts over again when someone moves the seat. The airbag code said that there was a problem with the sensor in the driver seat and the airbag may not deploy. The dealer wants more than $3,000 to fix this problem but I believe it is a manufacturer defect that affects safety and there should be a recall. I have read that there are many other drivers of 2017 Altimas who are having the exact same problem as I am having.
Air bags, Oct 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The contact stated that there not been an air bag deployment. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,150.
Air bags, Oct 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the front passenger’s seat air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the front passenger’s seat occupant sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 65,000.
Air bags, Oct 10, 2024
My passenger occupancy sensor has triggered an airbag off warning light. I took it to a Nissan dealer who told me a part needed to fix it (the module) is back ordered from Japan with an indefinite delivery date. My car as you can tell a 2017 Altima. The 2013-2016 Altimas were recalled for this same problem as well as the 2017 Maximas. I do believe that the occupancy sensor was defective from the manufacturer and should be recalled and that my car's value has been diminished because of this flaw. I am asked to pay for the part in advance not knowing when they will receive it. I cannot have anyone sit in the passenger seat of my car for fear the airbag will not deploy. Please help.
Air bags, Sep 9, 2024
2017 Nissan Altima. First time it happened was November 2023. Air bag warning light came on and when reset it stayed off till August of 2024. Another reset and a few days later the light was right back on. Nissan has not been helpful with this problem to find a solution to this problem without big price tag. They want to replace the seat, other components etc. that will cost over $3,000. Other owners are complaining of this as well. Recall only goes up to 2016 models however I feel that the 2017 models probably have the 2016 parts. Time for Nissan to do a recall for this model as well.
Air bags, Seats, Aug 23, 2024
In November 2023 vehicle had an airbag warning light, took to Nissan Dealer. Inspected by Nissan service. Diagnostic and "repair" performed on driver side airbag. 8 months later in mid July -SAME airbag warning light came on. Needed an oil change in a few weeks and was not driving the vehicle due to out of town vacation. Took Vehicle to the same Nissan Dealership on 8/5/2024. Nissan again inspected and we were again charged for a diagnostic and told needed to fix by replacing the entire seat for $3000. When we asked the service manager why it wasn't fixed he stated perhaps the service in 2023 caused "corrosion" or a faulty airbag or faulty electrical. This is an internal issue inside the seat. Dealership would not help fix. Called Nissan Corporate and filed a case. This vehicle has never had any accidents or damage. Half of the national average of mileage. Meticulously cared for and taken only to Nissan for oil changes. Never touched the seat . After owning this vehicle for less than 7 years it has 45,142 miles . Filed a report with BBB a week ago and have not had any response. Was hoping in good faith Nissan would do the honorable thing and replace this seat as this is our family car. We take our children. to school in it. Go to church in it. Drive to family for get together in it. Now we are worried that the airbag may randomly deploy, or not deploy at all. It is a huge safety concern. We are worried that there may be other 2017 Nissans out there with similar issues. And we cannot sell , as we would never want to put another family at risk . Bottom line , Nissan is being negligent. There is a vehicle that clearly has faulty manufacturing / parts - and they do not wish to do the right thing. We do not feel we should be responsible for something that is not our fault. We hope this can be investigated, as this is an extremely popular vehicle - and there may be many more families at risk. Thank you
Air bags, Aug 22, 2024
MY AIR BAG LIGHT STAY ON WHILE IM DRIVING
Air bags, Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Aug 7, 2024, crash
I left for work, acceleration at slow speed around 30 mph within 40 seconds, the car began to gain speed, I let off the gas pedal, still accelerated. I tried slowly using brakes to slow down - no response. At this point, I notice that cruise control light, was lit up, on the dashboard but not set. I'm now gaining speed of 72 MPH. Not even 1 mile, from turn off. I literally fish tailed three times, then the car slowed down and I ended up sideways, in a ditch. Chipped hubcap and some plastic piece hanging, from underneath the car. I had a bystander, whom was headed towards me - stop in fear of what happened. Got the car out of ditch. I parked, checked for leaks, nothing. Since this incident, I'm in fear of this happening again. I'm assumption was the accelerator stuck. No brakes is dangerous, let alone feeling like my life was gonna end. I cried. Thinking Jesus my children were home. I have noticed that both airbag "warning" signs have displayed and won't go off. I would hate to have or hear of a fatality, from this. Please look into other reports. I felt like I couldn't even explain this bizarre, unlikely/impossible event to happen but it did.
Air bags, Aug 2, 2024
The airbag warning light began going off October/November 2023 and was intermittent at first and became constantly on. I took it to the dealership in December of 2023 and they said that the airbag sensor plug had become disconnected under the front passenger seat, they said they reconnected it and the warning light was out. It was also stated that this is a common issue when items get under the front passenger seat. In May 2024, the airbag warning light again started to come on intermittently and then became consistently on. Took the car back to the same dealership which diagnosed the fault as an airbag sending unit in the passenger seat. The dealership stated that there was no way to tell if the airbag would operate as intended. The repair would require a new seat as Nissan does not make a replacement airbag unit and would cost $2800. If this, by the dealership's own statement, is a common problem with an important safety feature it would seem that Nissan should be responsable for making any vehicle affected safe.
Air bags, Jun 28, 2024
The vehicle airbag light malfunctions and stays on. It can cause the airbag to deploy or on deploy in a crash. This is an issue with many 2017 Nissan Altimas.