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: engine
13 reports, newest first. Show all
Suspension, Engine, Jan 7, 2026
NISSAN ALTIMA TORQUE STRUT MOUNT AND PASSENGER SIDE MOTOR MOUNT FAILURE
Engine, Jul 3, 2025
There is a recall for altimas from years 2019-2021 with an issue where the engine will not start after the battery light on the dashboard comes on. After a few minutes the car will start up and ride like normal. This also happens in the 2018 model of the altima. This happened to us multiple times. The battery is good, and there is no reason for the engine not to start right aqay. Why is there no recall for the 2018 models?
Engine, Jan 9, 2025
Vehicle turned off on a red light. The vehicle was on drive, my foot on the brake waiting for the green light, the car then died while waiting. Check engine light is on.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jun 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving from a stop sign and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond as intended. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle was jerking for several minutes. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed since the check engine warning light was not illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Exterior lighting, Engine, Nov 9, 2023
1- el motor esta partido 2- foco trasero derecho las conexiones están malas y los cables podridos. 3-el carro dejo de acelerar en carretera perdiendo totalmente el control. 4- lo lleve a un mecanico y el diagnostico fue que el motor esta partido porque al carro nunca le hicieron sus mantenciones ni cambios de aceite y esto deterioro el motor. 5- el banco no y el dealer me dice que todo lo que le pase al carro luego de su compra no tiene nada que ver con ellos. 6- el carro lo compre y tenia varias lamparas encendidas pero en el dealer me dijeron que estaban fallando los censores pero que todo estaba bien. Lo que era todo mentira. El dealer cuando compre el carro me dijo que tenia garantia por 6 meses, como no hablo ingles ellos me explicaron las condiciones del contrato y firme un papel sin saber que era que no tenia garantia, y cuando compre el auto venia con fallas pero ellos mismo la revisaron y dijeron que era solo una goma. Luego de esto empieza con mas fallas pero descubro que el dealer lo cerraron y no contestan los llamados para reclamos ni nada.
Engine, Feb 21, 2023
First thing in the morning the car makes a rattling noise when cold and smell of fumes coming thru car vents. Took car in Jan. 30, dealership bent heat shield. Bought car back Feb. 20 for now clicking noise was told heating shield needs to be replaced! This had to be preexisting and this car was sold to me in this condition! Now I have to pay over $1,000.00 that I don't have?!?
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Dec 25, 2021
The problem of delayed acceleration. The problem occurs when the vehicle does not seem to accelerate for a short period of time. When I'm at a stop. and I depresses the pedal. The vehicle does not rev. It does not do anything for a few seconds. Even with increased force on the pedal, the vehicle does not move. The second concern is that, once it does move, it does so significantly with a jolt. This means that, after a few seconds of not functioning, the vehicle will suddenly accelerate quickly. This can create an increased risk of an accident.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 6, 2020
THE START STOP BUTTON THAT YOU PRESS TO START THE CAR MESSES UP AND DOES NOT START THE CAR . EVEN IF YOU DO IT MULTIPLE TIMES , AND THE (PARK REVERSE NEUTRAL DRIVE) PRND LEVER WON'T MOVE
Engine, May 29, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVAILING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY CEASED WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO HIT HIS HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES TO HIS NECK AND BACK BUT HE DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE FLIP INDICATOR AND THE ABS WARNING LIGHTS BOTH ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO SOUTH AUSTIN NISSAN (4914 S IH 35 FRONTAGE RD, AUSTIN, TX 78745) WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A PISTON SENSOR FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD ALSO BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DENIED THAT THIS PARTICULAR DEFECT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY CEASE. THEY REFERRED HIM BACK TO THE DEALER WHO DISPUTE THE CLAIM THAT WAS MADE BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED OUT OF POCKET. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,171.
Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Engine, Jan 13, 2020
THE VEHICLE IS FREQUENTLY NOT RECOGNIZING THAT THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED. THE BRAKES WORK FINE BUT WITH THE CAR NOT RECOGNIZING THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED, IT WILL NOT START (AS IT IS A PUSH BUTTON START AND THE BRAKE NEEDS TO BE DEPRESSED FOR THE CAR TO START). ALSO BECAUSE OF IT NOT RECOGNIZING THAT THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED, IT OCCASIONALLY WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. ADDITIONALLY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK WHICH IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AS OTHER VEHICLES DO NOT KNOW THAT THE CAR IS BRAKING. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AS WELL AS WHEN IT IS BEING DRIVEN BOTH AT LOW SPEEDS AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE BRAKE LIGHT SENSOR I BELIEVE IS TO BLAME FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE ISSUES. APPARENTLY IT IS FAIRLY COMMON WITH NISSAN ALTIMAS AND OTHER NISSAN VEHICLES AS WELL. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THAT PART AS IT CREATES UNSAFE CONDITIONS. THE CAR IS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD AND HAS 34,000 MILES ON IT. I TRIED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW BUT THEIR FIRST AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT IS 6-8 WEEKS AWAY. I AM BRINGING IT INTO ANOTHER REPAIR FACILITY TOMORROW AS IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED URGENTLY AND CANNOT WAIT MONTHS.
Power train, Service brakes, Engine, Nov 18, 2019
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, DURING THE MORNING, MY CAR ACTIVATED THE BRAKES ON ITS OWN, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENS THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND ASKED FOR THE SENSORS TO BE REMOVED, AND KEPT IT FOR A WHOLE DAY AND APPARENTLY NOTHING WAS DONE, SECONDLY THE (FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION) IS BECOMING ANNOYING. ANOTHER OF THE ISSUES I ENCOUNTERED WITH THIS MY ALTIMA IS THE SHIFTING, FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR IT FEELS AS IF THE GEARS WERE STUCK, ALSO TOOK IT IN THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THIS COULD NOT BE TRUE BECAUSE MY ALTIMA DOESN'T HAVE A REGULAR TRANSMISSION IT HAS A BAND, SO I RESPONDED, YOU KNOW MORE THAN ME, JUST PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF MY ISSUE AND I DON'T WANT TO BE STUCK WITH A LEMON, I AM SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS ENCOUNTERED THESE ISSUES
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.
Engine, Sep 13, 2018
7000 MILES AND VEH INTELLIGENT KEY WILL NOT START CAR