Problems · by component
2005 Nissan Altima service brakes, hydraulic problems
29 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Nissan Altima cite service brakes, hydraulic, 3% of all 1,091 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
29
3% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE. NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK, CHEST, AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 04/08/16*LJ UPDATED 04/28/16. *JB”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR AN UNRELATED REPAIR AND THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARDS WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 02/22/12 *BF THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE AC LINE THAT WAS LEAKING. UPDATED 03.05.12”
“THE CAR WAS PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY FOR 6 HOURS IN 10 DEGRE WEATHER. IT WAS REQUIRED TO MOVE THE CAR TO ALLOW ANOTHER VEHICLE TO LEAVE WHEN THE NISSAN WAS DRIVEN FORWARD TO RE-PARK THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE PEDDLE WAS ROCK HARD AND NO BRAKES WERE AVAILABLE CAUSING A COLLISION WITH A GARAGE DOOR. THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A VACUUM VALVE, INTEGRAL WITH A VACUUM HOSE. THE DEALER TESTED THE CAR AT 7:30AM ON 1/16/2012 WHEN THE CAR HAD BEEN SITTING FOR OVER 24 HOURS IN 23 DEGREE WEATHER, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARD (HOWEVER NOT ROCK SOLID) ONCE THE PEDAL WAS PUMPED TWICE THE BRAKES WORKED ACCORDINGLY. THE THEORY WAS THE VALVE WAS NOT FUNCTIOING IN THE COLD WEATHER. THE DEALER TESTED THE THEORY BY REMOVING THE FAULTY PART AND PLACING IT IN THE COLD WEATHER FOR APPROXIMATLEY 30 MINUTES AND REINSTALLED PART BACK INTOT HE CAR AND CREATED A SIMILAR SCENARIO WHERE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARD WITH LIMITED BRAKES (TEMPERATURE WAS 22 DEGREES). THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED AND APPEARS TO HAVE SOLVED THE ISSUE. I AM DISSAPOINTED THAT THE NISSAN ALTIMA CAN POTENTIALLY HAVE BRAKES IN EXTREME COLD WEATHER AS I LIVE IN A COLD CLIMATE. *TT”
“2005 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP AND THE PROBLEM TYPICALLY OCCURRED IN THE MORNING TIME AND IN THE DRIVEWAY ON EXTREMELY COLD DAYS. *JB”
“2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER STATES SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE TO INCLUDE BRAKES, TRUNK LEAK, RELAY SWITCH *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, IT HAD BEEN TRADED TWO DAYS PRIOR, AND THE SAFETY INSPECTION HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER, HE COULD KEEP IT OVER THE WEEKEND AND BRING IT BACK THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY FOR THE SAFETY INSPECTION SO THEY COULD REPAIR ANY PROBLEMS. WHEN THE CONSUMER ARRIVED HOME WITH THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED A COVER FOR THE SEAT BELT CONNECTOR WAS NOT ATTACHED AND THERE WAS STANDING WATER IN THE SPARE TIRE WHEEL WELL. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE TRUNK PROBLEM WAS FIXED. HOWEVER, WATER WAS FOUND IN THE SPARE WHEEL WELL AGAIN. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO A FAULTY GAS RELAY SWITCH. THE CONSUMER STATED TWO WEEKS LATER, THE BRAKES STARTED SQUEALING. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE WARRANTY COMPANY STATED THE BEARINGS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE WARRANTY COMPANY STATED THEIR DENIAL OF COVERAGE WAS BASED ON THE FACT, THE VEHICLE WAS FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE. UPDATED 07/19/12”
“IN COLD TEMPERATURES (20F), UPON DRIVING THE CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE DAY, THERE IS NO PLAY IN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. AFTER COASTING TO A STOP AND PUMPING THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THE CAR IS WARMED UP, THE BRAKES OPERATE NORMALLY. REPAIR SHOPS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE FLUID OR BRAKE SYSTEMS. THIS OCCURRED THREE DAYS IN A ROW AND COUNTING. *TR”
Showing 6 of 29 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.