2018 Nissan Altima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Service brakes is the leading concern among 225 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 18th highest complaint count among 26 Altima model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 11 involved a crash. 6 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
Back over prevention, sensing system, cameraSep 12, 2019
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
Campaign 19V654000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
37 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Jan 10, 2020
NTERMITTENT FRONT RADAR. WARNING MESSAGE WILL APPEAR STATING "FRONT RADAR UNAVAILBLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION" WHEN THERE IS NOT AN OBSTRUCTION. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS INTERMITTANTLY. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE "OBSTRUCTION" IS CLEARED AND THE SYSTEM RESUMES FUNCTIONALITY.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Dec 3, 2019
INTERMITTENT FRONT RADAR. WARNING MESSAGE WILL APPEAR STATING "FRONT RADAR UNAVAILBLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION" WHEN THERE IS NOT AN OBSTRUCTION, THEN THE SYSTEM DEACTIVATES THE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE "OBSTRUCTION" IS CLEARED AND THE SYSTEM RESUMES FUNCTIONALITY. THIS WILL REPEAT QUITE OFTEN. WHILE I OWN A NISSAN ALTIMA, IT APPEARS THIS IS AN ISSUE IN THE NISSAN SENTRA, AS WELL.
Steering, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 22, 2019
SECOND ISSUE WITH MY 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. WAS IN THE SHOP IN OCTOBER FOR THE FRONT COLLISION SENSOR MALFUNCTIONING. SENSOR WAS DETECTING OBSTRUCTIONS WHEN NOTHING WAS THERE. LOCAL DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SENSOR IN OCTOBER. LESS THAN ONE MONTH OUT OF THE SHOP (THIS WEEK), THE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. STATED FEB: UNAVAILABLE FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION AND WAS STEADILY BLINKING AGAIN.AGAIN, NOTHING IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD HAVE TRIGGERED THE SENSOR. CONTACTED NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN FOR REPAIR. DROPPED VEHICLE TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD LOOK AT THE SENSOR AND CHANGE OUT THE BRACKET THE SENSOR SITS IN TO SEE IF THAT CORRECTS THE ISSUE. VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS ISSUE. .
Electrical system, Service brakes, Oct 27, 2019
THE FRONT COLLISION RADAR SENSOR KEEPS GOING OFF AND ON. TOOK INTO DEALER AND SAID IT WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND DON'T KNOW WHY IT IS NOT RECALLED YET. THE PART IS $1500 WHICH IS OVER 10% OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS I DO NOT KNOW WHEN IT IS ON OR OFF. THE THE SENSOR GOES OFF STAY FRONT SENSOR IS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION AND THERE IS NOTHING THERE. IT WILL TURN OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES IN A DRIVE.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Oct 17, 2019
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, NOTIFICATION OF "FEB: UNAVAILABLE FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION" COMES ON AND STAYS ILLUMINATED FOR UPWARDS OF 5 TO 10 MINUTES BEFORE TURNING OFF. THIS OCCURS WHEN THERE ARE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT OF MINE AND NO ROAD HAZARDS THAT WOULD HAVE TRIGGERED IT TO TURN ON. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE WAY THE CAR IS DESIGNED TO STOP WHEN IT DETECTS A HAZARD. THIS STARTED OUT RANDOMLY OVER THIS PAST SUMMER AND IN THE LAST WEEK, HAS BEEN A DAILY OCCURRENCE. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT, THE SOONEST THEY HAD AN OPENING TO ADDRESS IT IS A MONTH AWAY. NO A HAPPY CAMPER, FEELS LIKE THEY ARE NOT AS CONCERNED AS I AM WITH THE SAFETY OF MY VEHICLE. BRAKE SWITCH FAILURE LESS THAN ONE YEAR OF OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE. UNABLE TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL IN TO START THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE SWITCH TO RELEASE IS TO TAP ON IT WITH A HAMMER. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FAIRLY REGULARLY FOR THE PAST WEEK BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY. (IS SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED TOMORROW??) AT ONE POINT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ALTOGETHER. POPPED THE HOOD TO JUMP START IT, AND NOTICED BLACK POWDERY STUFF ON THE TOP OF THE BATTERY AS THOUGH THE BATTER HAD GOTTEN TOO HOT AND BOILED OVER POSSIBLY. THE DEALERSHIP TEST THE BATTERY AND TOLD ME THAT MY BATTERY IS FINE AND FULLY CHARGED. THIS WAS AFTER I HAD IT ON THE CHARGER FOR SEVERAL HOURS YESTERDAY SO THAT IT WOULD START FOR ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP.
Electrical system, Oct 4, 2019
VEHICLE IN MOTION AND WARNING SIGNAL 'FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION'.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Sep 21, 2019
2018 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS A DEFECTIVE PUSH START AND BRAKING SYSTEM. UNABLE TO START CAR WITH PUSH START BECAUSE IT FEELS AS IF THE BRAKES ARE STUCK. HAVE TO CONTINOUSLY PUMP THE BREAK IN A EFFORT TO GET THE BRAKE TO RELEASE IN ORDER TO START THE CAR.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Sep 13, 2019
2018 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS A DEFECTIVE PUSH START AND BRAKING SYSTEM. UNABLE TO START CAR WITH PUSH START BECAUSE IT FEELS AS IF THE BRAKES ARE STUCK. HAVE TO CONTINOUSLY PUMP THE BREAK IN A EFFORT TO GET THE BRAKE TO RELEASE IN ORDER TO START THE CAR. THERE IS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH THE FRONT RADAR SENSORS. I WHILE IN MOTION I RANDOMLY RECEIVE AN AUDIBLE ALERT AND WARNING MESSAGE SAYING THAT THE FRONT RADAR IS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION YET THERE WOULD NOTHING IN FRONT OF THE CAR.
Electrical system, Aug 28, 2019
2018 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS A DEFECTIVE PUSH START AND BRAKING SYSTEM. THE CAR WILL NOT START WITH THE PUSH START AND BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS PARKED AND WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR THE PUSH START WOULD NOT WORK.
Electrical system, Service brakes, May 20, 2019
DURING RANDOM DRIVING THE FORWARD COLLISION SENSOR COMES ON STATING THAT FORWARD COLLISION IS UNAVAILABLE. SOMETIMES THE SENSOR WILL GO OFF 1-2 TIMES OR UP TO 6 TIMES IN ONE DAY. THIS SENSOR CONTROLS THE (AEB) AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING. NISSAN HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ISSUE IN SEVERAL CARS BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. THIS VEHICLE IS MY WORK VEHICLE AND MY PERSONAL NISSAN PATHFINDER HAS ALREADY HAD THE PART REPLACED WITH LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. CURRENTLY MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WANT $1700.00 FOR REPAIR OF FAULTY SAFETY PARTS. I'VE BEEN DRIVING IN PERFECTLY SUNNY DAYS, ON BUMPY BACK ALLEY, JUST DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAYS AND THE SENSOR GOES OFF. I BELIEVE THAT THIS ISSUE IS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN THEY ACKNOWLEDGE. OUR FLEET OF COMPANY CARS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ROGUE, ALTIMA.
Electrical system, Engine, Mar 20, 2019
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PROCEED AFTER A STOP SIGN WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON DASH INCLUDING THE BATTERY LIGHT. I PUT ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS. WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS THE CAR MADE NO ACCELERATION NOISE AND DID NOT MOVE. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE. I MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT THE LIGHTS REMAINED AND THE CAR DID NOT MOVE. I HAD A FULL TANK IF GAS AND A RECENT OIL CHANGE. I THEN PUT THE CAR IN PARK, AND USED MY PUSH BUTTON TO TURN OFF THE CAR. I WAITED A FEW SECONDS AND RESTARTED THE CAR. IT DID START AND I WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY. I WAS ON A SIDE STREET AND HAD BEEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES.
Electrical system, Nov 29, 2018
I PURCHASED A NEW 2018 NISSAN, THE FRONT END COLLISION SENSOR IS ALARMING AND HAS EVER SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS AND THEY HAVE REFERRED ME TO NISSAN AND SAY THAT I SHOULD WAIT FOR THE RECALL. I THINK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS MY CAR IS NOT SAFE WITH THE FRONT END COLLISION NOT WORKING PROPERLY. PLEASE HELP ME FIX THIS PROBLEM. AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE SENSOR ALARMS AND SAYS IT IS NOT WORKING WHEN THERE IS NOTHING IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. I HAD ONE DEALER TELL ME IT WAS PICKING UP THE SUN......PLEASE HELP.