Problems · by component
2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid visibility/wiper problems
41 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid cite visibility/wiper, 3% of all 1,601 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
41
3% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the visibility/wiper
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I purchased this car and the dashboard is melting and sticky. It’s affecting visibility to the point where I found myself trying to lift up to look overtop of the blinding glare on my windshield due to my melting dashboard and got into an minor accident Like was reflecting off the dashboard onto the windshield obstructing my view and resulted in me rear bumping into the rear of another car that was towing a very small trailer that I couldn’t see through the reflection on the windshield. Since then im noticing almost every dashboard on a Nissan Altima look the same if not worse and absolutely has to and needs to be acknowledged by Nissan for Nissan Altimas everywhere, not just in Florida. A recall NEEDS to be issued to resolve this very serious safety hazard. I’m lucky no one was injured. PLEASE address this issue so people can get the dashboard repaired without costing them even more money than they already paid for your defective product.”
“UNKNOWN... I JUST GOT THIS CAR I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD IT PUT IN MY NAME YET BUT WHEN I DRIVE IT THERE'S A REALLY BAD GLARE I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING STICKY FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER THAT WAS ON THE DASH BUT IT'S NOT I GOT SOME GOO OFF AND TRIED TO CLEAN IT OFF AND TRIED TO USE A SCRAPER AND IT'S NEVER ENDING STICKINESS SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF WEIRD SO I LOOKED IT UP ONLINE FLORIDA HAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THE DASH MELTING MY DASH IS LITERALLY MELTING BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A RECALL IN GEORGIA, TEXAS OR ANYWHERE ELSE THERE'S SUCH A BAD GLARE ON THIS CAR THAT I ALMOST HIT SOMEBODY WALKING DOWN THE ROAD AND ANOTHER INCIDENT I ALMOST HIT A KID ON A BICYCLE BECAUSE IT AFFECTS YOUR VISIBILITY I THINK THAT NISSAN SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THIS.THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT'S VERY DANGEROUS LUCKILY I SAW THEM BOTH IN TIME I WOULD HATE TO SEE IF SOMEBODY DIDN'T SEE THEM IN TIME I LOOKED UP THE PRICE OF IT AND IT'S ALMOST $2,000 TO HAVE THE DASH REPLACED THATS AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT I FEEL LIKE IS NISSAN'S FAULT ITS CLEARLY A FAULTY DASHBOARD.IT MELTS IF IT GETS TOO HOT AND IT PUTS THIS GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD AND ITS NOT JUST A SMALL GLARE IT IS…”
“Direct sun radiating on the dashboard has resulting in a deterioration of the surface, creating a sheen that creates a reflection on the windshield that is a constant distracts and under certain circumstances (depending on where the sun is at on the horizon), can impair the driver's view of traffic and objects in front of the vehicle. The deterioration of the dashboard began after about five years of being owned and operating in Texas (and resulting sun and heat), but is becoming increasingly problematic as the dashboard surface continues to degrade.”
“WE ARE OWNERS OF ONE OF THE "MELTING DASH" ALTIMAS MODEL YEAR 2009. THE GLARE THAT THE DASH PROJECTS ONTO THE WINDSHIELD IN SUNNY CONDITIONS IS A SAFETY HAZZARD. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, WE HAVE ALMOST HIT OTHER CARS OR PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE BAD REFLECTION IN THE WINDSHIELD FROM THE MELTED DASH. WE HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN, BUT THEY DO NOT SEEM TO BE INTERESTED IN FIXING THE PROBLEM. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE BEFORE ANYONE IS KILLED OR INJURED BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT.”
“THE DASHBOARD AND STEERING WHEEL ON MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA ARE MELTING DUE TO THE HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE CABIN. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN THE SUN, THE TOP SURFACE OF THE DASHBOARD MELTS, AND RESTRICTS THE FORWARD VISIBILITY BY CAUSING A GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD. THIS MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE OBJECTS THAT ARE CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE IN THE SUN.”
“AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY 'NO AIRBAG'. PROBLEM SINCE 2014; ALONG WITH STEERING LOCK FAILURE (FIXED), ALONG WITH MANIFOLD EXHAUST PROBLEM(FIXED). WINDSHIELD WIPERS KEEP WEARING OUT, LEFT DRIVER SIDE BECAUSE BLADE IS TOO TIGHT; BRAKES VIBRATE WHEN STOPPING,;CAR VIBRATES AT 70 MPH, AND CAR SOUNDS LIKE WIND TUNNEL WHEN DRIVING HIGHWAY YET WINDOWS ARE UP.”
Showing 6 of 41 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.