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
225 reports, newest first.
Power train, May 14, 2025
It seems to be the transmission intermittently. I'd stop, push down on the accelerator and would go like a few MPH. Then it would lunge forward and I'd have to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of me. The other thing was it didn't seem to shift from first gear - I ended up redlining it at 7000rpm when only going 45mph. I've read that there is a problem with Nissan cars and the CVT. In answer to your questions: You can inspect it. At a stop/light, I'm always afraid the accelerator will start out slow and then lunge forward and eventually I'll hit another vehicle. The dealer couldn't reproduce the issue after having the vehicle 6 days. After 3, they "re-programmed" as the service manager said it was out-of-date and that doing so may fix the problem. They then tested for a further 3 days and couldn't reproduce it. Vehicle has only been inspected by the local Nissan dealer. There were no warning lights or messages before or after these incidents.
Air bags, Mar 20, 2025
I’m getting an Air Bag warning light showing up on my dash. i took it to the Nissan dealer and its error code B0020-13 which comes up as a Left seat side air bag open error. Apparently the wiring going from the connector under the seat up to the side air bag is intermittently opening up depending what position the seat is in. Nissan said the entire top part of the seat needs to be replaced, very expensive, $2,500.00 to $3,000. This is a big safety problem since this is a common problem with this model from all the research I have done. This is obviously an engineering problem with how the cable is ran or quality of the cable and should be Nissans responsibility not the owner of the vehicle.
Air bags, Mar 14, 2025
The airbag light appeared on my dashboard in late December. On 1/8/25, I took it to Auto Nation Nissan in Tempe to have it checked. They determined that the driver's side seat back needed to be replaced. That is where the airbag sensor is located. As of today, 3/14/25, they still do not have an ETA for the seat back. I have been driving for almost 3 months now without the airbags working. I also contacted Nissan corporate, and get the same response - they can't get an ETA for the seat back that is needed.
Air bags, Mar 3, 2025
Shortly after purchasing my 2018 Nissan Altima (new), there was a recall concerning the passenger side airbag. I took the car to the dealer and had it serviced. Months later, there was a second recall and I took it back promptly; however, the dealer said that nothing was wrong. It was already serviced. I indicated that I had received a second notice. Some time passed, and the same airbag light indicator came on and stayed on. I took my vehicle back to the dealer. This time, they wanted to charge me thousands of dollars. I indicated that this is the same problem from the beginning and I was going to file a lawsuit. The dealer claimed to have fixed the sensor and told me it was a complimentary charge based on "goodwill". The same sensor light is on again. I have had no accidents and I have not had my car serviced for any electrical issues. It was inspected and passed with a warning to get the sensor taken care of. The original dealer has now sold to another Nissan dealer. I need to be sure that I am safe should I have a situation where the passenger side airbag needs to deploy. This is not fair to me. I have never bought a used car and this is the first car I have continuously had unresolved issues with. Please advise.
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.
Suspension, Power train, Dec 28, 2024
For the transmission I was driving at normal speed in the freeway when out of no where the car started to jerk and lost power I almost got hit by the car behind me it was a traumatizing experience for me and my son I haven’t gotten my car to get repaired because as a single mother it is very hard on me and with the suspension it had been making loud squeezing noise from my rear suspension and it has gotten worst now it’s embarrassing to be driving my daughters father in law also had an Altima and it had the same suspension issues
Electrical system, Oct 4, 2024
My back doors do not lock with the FOB or the interior door lock/unlock button. I have to manually unlock and lock my rear doors. This is a defect that Nissan is well aware of and seems to not care. My car only has 63,000 miles on it.
Other or unspecified, Sep 8, 2024
Cvt transmission, yes its available for inspection. Loss complete horsepower on highway after it jerked. Kids in car at time. Took it to the autozone to get printout after check engine light came on, then took it next morning to dealership which did confirm that my transmission is in failure. Have printout confirming my concern. No lights were on I had just an oil change before getting on the highway.
Power train, Sep 3, 2024
I want formally lodge a complaint regarding a serious issue with a 2018 Nissan Altima that I purchased from a Nissan dealership on [XXX]. The vehicle, which had 107,000 miles at the time of purchase, has exhibited a critical failure. On [XXX], while I was accelerating to change lanes in rush hour traffic, the car began jerking and suddenly slowed down. This malfunction nearly resulted in a dangerous collision with an 18-wheeler and caused me to be run off the road. This incident could have been catastrophic, and it deeply concerns me, especially since this vehicle was intended for my daughter's commute to and from school. Following this, I had the car towed to the Nissan dealership and was informed that it requires a new transmission. I am shocked to learn that the cost to replace the transmission is $6,200. This is particularly distressing given that I purchased the car less than four months ago and was unaware of the known issues with the CVT transmission. It is unacceptable that vehicles with faulty transmissions are still being sold without adequate warning or extended warranties. Nissan should be required to provide clear disclaimers about potential transmission issues before a sale. The lack of transparency and the high cost of repairs are deeply troubling. Given the severity of this situation and the potential risks involved, I believe that Nissan should take immediate action to address these concerns. The warranty should be extended, and there should be clear warnings provided to potential buyers about the risks associated with the transmission. The current lack of empathy and action from Nissan is disappointing and unacceptable. I urge you to review this situation promptly and provide a satisfactory resolution. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Air bags, Jul 22, 2024
UNKNOWN air bags lights turn off and on on the passenger side. No air bag light remains on all of the time of the driver side
Air bags, Seats, Jul 15, 2024
Air bag dash warning light came on. Brought to dealer. They"fixed". Light came back on few days later. brought back to dealer. They said drivers side seat frame with air bag needs to be replaced. they ordered part & said 2 week wait. Called dealer back 2 weeks later & they said part not released by Nissan. Called Nissan consumer affairs. They informed me they have no ETA when parts will be available/shipped. Been about 2 months since first contact with dealer & have no idea if/when will be repaired. See recalls on older Altima & am wondering if this is an issue Nissan is not addressing.
Exterior lighting, Jun 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights were not functioning properly. The contact stated that the headlights were very dim. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Latches/locks/linkages, Jun 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the hood latch inadvertently unlatched, and the hood raised up and fell onto the windshield and cracked the windshield. The contact was able to drive a short distance to the residence. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the windshield was replaced. The contact stated that she was informed by the Insurance provider that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V315000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the contact never received the recall notification letter. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
Air bags, Jun 13, 2024
My airbag 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.
Electrical system, Air bags, May 30, 2024
Dealership sold me a car that had faulty air bags but neither the manufacturer nor a dealership is wanting to correct the problem. Please help.
Power train, May 15, 2024
Car started acting strangely on the way to work one morning, rpms would jump all over, it started to jerk, judder, slow to accelerate. That evening it did the same a few minutes after driving it. Got it to a local trusted mechanic who test drive and ran an OBD2 diagnostic check, which returned a P17F0 code. He told me it's serious CVT issues and referred me to the local Nissan dealership. The next day they called with the same diagnosis, CVT failure. Car was around 99,500 miles. The horrible extended warranty company I chose wouldn't honor it, said the car was fine. Nissan dealer argued that it WAS CVT failure and could cause a hazard. Nevertheless, I picked it up on 05/02. The next evening on the way home from work, in heavy traffic at 50 mph, it started lurching, crazy rpms, shuddering, going into neutral then back to D. As I was turning into a packing lot to stop, the CVT completely failed. The car wouldn't accelerate and left me at an almost stand-still in the middle of the left turn, as incoming traffic nearly crashed into me. A motorist helped push it into the parking lot, where it was towed back to Nissan... where it still sits today with a shot CVT. Nissan refused to help or offer any goodwill assistance even though it nearly caused multiple collisions. The car has been maintained perfectly, with CVT service performed at 65k miles and another at 95k miles. NHTSA should mark this issue as a safety hazard as a car that suddenly loses power puts families in danger. A modern car that can't even reach 100k miles before a major failure is pathetic. And Nissan having known about this issue for 10+ years (as made evident by the multiple lawsuits) should be held accountable. One day this massive CVT issue is going to seriously injure someone, or worse.
Service brakes, Apr 11, 2024
Brake switch failure contributed to intermitten braking resulting in near crashes
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 10, 2024
As I was driving on a highway, my sunglasses and light compartment on my roof completely fell out of my roof in front of my windshield view. I contacted Nissan and they stated that they could do absolutely nothing for me. Did not have any concerns regarding the fact that it almost caused me to get into an accident as it came swinging right in front of me and almost hit me and my head. This is also a very common issue when you look it up online with these vehicles.
Tires, Mar 7, 2024
I purchased Milestar tires model ms932 sport in 2021 size 235/45/18. In Jan.2024 my tire pressure indicator light came on and I pulled over and changed the tire to my spare and took the tire to my tire dealer and it had to be replaced with another tire due to the sidewall separating on the inside of the tire. The tire was on the front of the passenger side of the car. There was still plenty of tread wear on the tire. About a month later the same thing happened to another of the milestar tires. This time it was on the front driver's side. When this happened to the second tire, I took the car into the tire dealer and upon inspection it appears to be that the tires are going to do the same thing on the other two.
Air bags, Mar 1, 2024
Cuando lo encendí en la mañana ya Marcava la luz de advertencia de las bolsas de aire
Other or unspecified, Feb 23, 2024
The system that’s got the issue is the backup camera. When I’m backing up periodically, all of a sudden it’ll go black or really dim to where I’m not able to see anything. I never know when it’s going to go black or dim, but it will happen when I’m backing up. I noticed that there was a recall while looking at credit carma. It stated that it had a recall, but when I called the Nissan customer service, I was told my car doesn’t have any recalls. My car has this same issue, but for some reason my car wasn’t included in the recall, when it should’ve been. I feel that this is a hazard for me, but yet for some reason Nissan doesn’t think so, since my vehicle wasn’t included in that recall. I don’t have any pictures because I don’t know when or where it may happen— for instance out shopping when I’m backing into a parking space using my camera it’ll go black or really dim. Then this scars me because I’m in the middle of backing and not knowing how close I’ve gotten to the vehicle behind me.
Other or unspecified, Jan 4, 2024
When backing up, often times my rear camera screen goes black and I’m unable to see anything. It is not consistent and sometimes it appears to be distorted like a tv channel trying to clear. There have been no accidents and the most recent incident was on 1/3/24. I see there is a recall for cars as early as 2019 for the same issue, however, my 2018 vehicle is experiencing the same thing.
Other or unspecified, Jan 3, 2024
I was riding down the road and the interior overhead dome light just fell out and was hanging. It was hanging right by my head. I researched this issue and it seems to be a REGULAR occurrence in these cars and the dealer wanted to charge me to fix it even though I have a warranty.
Electrical system, Nov 22, 2023
Vehicle turned off while driving. Battery disconnected as the battery terminal connector got lose. after a quick clean-up of the terminal corrosion, it was obvious that the terminal has completely deteriorated (corroded) and has no more strength to hold a good contact to the battery terminal.