Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Nissan Altima problems

Owners filed 168 complaints about the 2001 Nissan Altima with NHTSA between Nov 2000 and Oct 2019. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (59).

Complaints
168
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
23
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
25
People reported injured
Deaths
4
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling59
  2. Electrical system22
  3. Suspension19
  4. Air bags16
  5. Visibility14
  6. Vehicle speed control12
  7. Equipment9
  8. Engine7
  9. Seat belts6
  10. Steering5
  11. Service brakes, hydraulic5
  12. Fuel system, gasoline5
  13. Tires5
  14. Power train5

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
20001
200117
200223
200318
200413
20059
20068
20079
200814
200922
20109
20116
20124
20131
20146
20152
20162
20172
20180
20192

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

59 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE ENGINE RPMS AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN INTAKE GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 1, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10457048

Electrical system

22 reports1 crash1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT, CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, EMISSIONS CONTROL, AND SENSORS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2017Electrical systemODI 10956037

Suspension

19 reports3 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND IT SWAYED WHILE BEING DRIVEN, ESPECIALLY AROUND A CURVE. THERE WAS ALSO A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2019Suspension, EngineODI 11265716

Air bags

16 reports14 crashes
“SOME DRIVER HAD AN ACCIDENT, DUE TO A DUI, AND HIS CAR WAS STRADDLED ACROSS THE LEFT LANE AND I HIT IT AS I CAME AROUND THE BEND AT APPR. 11:30 P.M. IN A DARK SECTION OF THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR SUFFERED SEVERE FRONT END DAMAGE AND I AND MY SON WAS JERKED, BUT WE WERE BOTH WEARING OUR SEATBELTS. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP. WE WERE NEARLY WIPED OUT ON THE FREEWAY. THOUGH MY LOCKED UP BRAKES CAUSED ME NOT TO BE ABLE TO GET IN THE NEXT LANE, THUS HITTING THE CAR, IF I HAD MADE IT TO THE LANE TO THE RIGHT OF ME, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT, TRUST ME. THOUGH THIS HAPPENED NEARLY 9 YEARS AGO, IT STILL HAPPENED AND I STILL HAVE MY NISSAN. MY SON AND I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED DUE TO THE BRAKES LOCKING AND THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING. ALSO, MY EXTERIOR LIGHTS ALWAYS GO OUT, WAY MORE THAN THEY SHOULD AND THEY WERE POORLY DESIGNED. THE WINDOWS DON'T ALWAYS GO UP OR DOWN EITHER.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 21, 2015Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10717615

Visibility

14 reports
“THE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED ON A CAR THAT WAS TRANSFERRED FROM A NON-"HOT" STATE, NEW YORK, TO A "HOT" STATE, FLORIDA. THE REGULATOR FAILED AFTER ONLY TWO MONTHS OF HOT WEATHER. THE REGULATORS WHERE NOT REPLACED IN INITIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN WHICH HAS NOW EXPIRED. NISSAN REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS A CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE REGULATORS AS IT WAS NOT A FULL RECALL ON ALL CARS. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT ONLY AFFECT HOT WEATHER STATES AS YEARS OF SUMMERS IN OTHER STATES CAN STILL WEAR DOWN AND DAMAGE REGULATORS IF THIS FAILURE WAS SO QUICK TO HAPPEN AFTER MOVE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 21, 2012Visibility, Visibility/wiperODI 10466874

Vehicle speed control

12 reports1 crash
“WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. CONSUMER ENGAGED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. *AK *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2004Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed controlODI 10050547
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.