Problems · NHTSA complaints
2004 Nissan Altima problems
Owners filed 276 complaints about the 2004 Nissan Altima with NHTSA between Jan 2004 and Sep 2023. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (109).
Complaints
276
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling109
- Structure42
- Electrical system32
- Engine30
- Power train17
- Air bags11
- Steering11
- Suspension10
- Service brakes, hydraulic9
- Exterior lighting6
- Visibility6
- Fuel/propulsion system5
- Equipment5
- Electronic stability control (esc)4
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
16
10
11
35
38
26
25
19
16
17
20
17
12
6
4
1
0
0
0
3
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 16 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 35 |
| 2008 | 38 |
| 2009 | 26 |
| 2010 | 25 |
| 2011 | 19 |
| 2012 | 16 |
| 2013 | 17 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
109 reports1 related recall
“WHILE I WAS PULLING OUT FROM A PARKING LOT, MY CAR JUST CUT OFF. I HAVE NOT HAD THE MONEY TO EVEN TAKE IT TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT UNTIL RECENTLY AND WAS TOLD THAT BOTH OF MY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS WERE GOING BAD AND THAT IT WOULD COST $1100 TO GET IT FIXED. SO I CHECKED ONLINE TO SEE IT WAS ANY RECALLS ON IT AND IT WAS SEVERAL BUT WAS TOLD IT DID NOT INCLUDE MY CAR. SINCE THE FIRST TIME THAT IT CUT OFF IT HAS DONE IT AT LEAST 6 MORE TIMES. ONCE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY THE CAR BEHIND ME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE RECALLS SAY MY MAKE AND MODEL AND MILEAGE OF MY ALTIMA BUT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE MY CAR. *TR”
Structure
42 reports
“THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE IS RUSTING AWAY. THERE IS A HOLE IN THE FLOOR BOARD ON PASSENGER SIDE, FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE FROM RUST. YOU CAN FEEL AROUND THE FRAME OF THE CAR AND CHUNKS OF METAL FALL OFF . THIS WAS NOTICED DURING MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE . CAR WAS STATIONARY , I HAD NOTICED THAT I WAS GETTING AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF DUST INSIDE THE VEHICLE.”
Electrical system
32 reports3 crashes1 fire
“The crankshaft position sensor (cps) was not responsive when the repair shop was testing the vehicle because of the "service engine soon" light came on. After a short search online they 1.) Had no signal to the cps from the pcm 2.) That there was also a voluntary recall by nissan for this issue covering this make an model. I called nissan and told me that the recall wasn't for that car but the vehicle was in fact built in the years covered and also had the exact issues the recall covered”
Engine
30 reports1 crash1 fire
“The car has a fuel problem and crankshaft position sensor issue causing the car to die and also not start up normal idling. When I do get it to start up it idles very groggy.”
Power train
17 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WARNING ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO PART STORE FOR A COMPUTERIZED READING WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR, SPEED SENSOR AND THE CAM SHAFT ANGLE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURED WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.”
Air bags
11 reports7 crashes1 fire
“MY VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONT COLLISION AT 35MPH. THE DRIVER WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED THERE WAS NO ONE SITTING IN THAT SEAT. THE DRIVER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.”
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.