Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Nissan Altima problems

Owners filed 176 complaints about the 2000 Nissan Altima with NHTSA between Feb 2000 and Sep 2016. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (52).

Complaints
176
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
27
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
25
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling52
  2. Electrical system35
  3. Vehicle speed control22
  4. Tires20
  5. Air bags16
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic11
  7. Power train10
  8. Visibility8
  9. Structure6
  10. Suspension6
  11. Wheels5
  12. Fuel system, gasoline5
  13. Engine4
  14. Steering3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200014
200128
200216
200312
200422
200512
20067
200710
200816
200913
20105
20116
20126
20132
20142
20151
20164

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

52 reports1 crash2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10457162

Electrical system

35 reports4 crashes1 fire
“GAUGES SHUT OFF, FREEZE, AND ADVANCE WHILE IN MOTION, CONFUSING THE DRIVERS. CAUSING UNKNOWN SPEED, GAS, TEMPERATURE, AND OTHERS METERING. THIS IS HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. SOMETIME WORK FINE. MOST OF THE TIME GAGES ARE DOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 2016Power train, Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10819197

Vehicle speed control

22 reports5 crashes
“WHILE GOING 75MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL ALL OF A SUDDEN ALL THE GAUGES (RPM, MPH, FUEL, ENGINE TEMP) DROPPED DOWN TO ZERO. ONLY THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS REMAINED ON. ALL WHILE A COMBINATION OF #'S AND LETTERS CAME UP ON THE ODOMETER (EVEN THE ODOMETER WENT BLANK). IT WAS A SHOCK AND I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO REACT TO THIS. MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL VIA THE BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AS SOON AS I DID IT THIS CAUSED ALL THE GAUGES TO COME BACK TO LIFE INCLUDING THE ODOMETER. VERY WEIRD ISSUE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 26, 2011Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 10441217

Tires

20 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE PURCHASED TWO SETS AND RECEIVED ONE FREE SET OF COOPER LIFELINER TOURING SLE TIRES IN APRIL OF 2004. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AND SHE DOES NOT KNOW WHY THE TREAD ON THE TIRES HAS WORN SO QUICKLY AND UNEVENLY. THE SECOND SET OF TIRES WAS REPLACED ON JUNE 12, 2006 AND THE THIRD SET WAS REPLACED ON JANUARY 2, 2007. THE SECOND SET OF TIRES, WHICH WERE RECEIVED FOR FREE, WAS REPLACED AT LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,300. EQ-10204089-4200 ,12/19/07. THE CONSUMER STATED PURCHASED 4 TIRES ON 12/08/04, 06/12/06, AND 12/18/06. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2007TiresODI 10204089

Air bags

16 reports16 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG STRUCK HER IN THE FACE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A CURB AND DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION AND THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR FLICKERED ON AND OFF PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO HER HOME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 1, 2016Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10903163

Service brakes, hydraulic

11 reports4 crashes
“WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND HIT A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2004Service brakes, hydraulic, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10097307
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.