Problems · by component

2006 Nissan Altima structure problems

221 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Nissan Altima cite structure, 27% of all 824 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
221
27% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
8
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the structure

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WHEN I LIFT MY CAR (NISSAN ALTIMA 2006 ) AT THE MECHANIC TO DO REPAIR JOB , I DISCOVERED A HUGE RUST HOLE AT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SITE AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR , I SHOCKED , IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN , FOR ME AND FOR MY FAMILY . THE RUST IS DEEP , WIDE AND PENETRATING , MY MECHANIC ADVICE ME TO SELL IT OF ANY PRICE BUT I DONT WANT TO SELL IT FOR ANY ONE , BECAUSE I HAVE A FAITHFUL CONSCIOUS , AND MORALS , I BEILEVE IN KARMA , I WOULD NOT DO IT FOR ANY BODY , EVEN THE CAR HAS ONLY 71,600 MILES , I DONT DRIVE IT ALOT , BUT FROM NOW ON , I AM NOT WILLING TO DRIVE IT AT ALL , OR LET MT DAUGHTERS GET IN THIS CAR FOR A VERY SERIOUS SAFTY CONCERNS , A HUGE RUST IN THE FLOOR .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 30, 2021Structure, Unknown or otherODI 11405495
“BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON 9/19/2018. PRIOR TO COMPLETING THE SERVICE THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS RUSTING UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SIDE. I COULDN'T PICTURE WHAT THEY WERE DESCRIBING SO I ASKED TO SEE AND I TOOK A PICTURE. SUBSEQUENTLY, I WAS INFORMED BY SOMEONE ELSE (NOT NISSAN) THAT THIS HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE, MODEL & YEAR (2006). IT POTENTIALLY COULD AFFECT MY SUSPENSION/STEERING AND ALSO CAUSE A PASSENGER TO FALL THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. I FOUND OUT THAT THEY EVEN SENT OUT A 13 PAGE ILLUSTRATED BULLETIN TITLED "FLOOR PANEL REPAIR" ON 7/6/2015 TO THE DEALERS ABOUT A KIT THEY DEVELOPED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM; YET, THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. JUST TODAY, 12/11/19, I INCIDENTALLY FOUND OUT MY PARTICULAR DEALERSHIP HAS HAD NUMEROUS CASES FOR THE NISSAN PATHFINDER. UNSURE OF WHAT YEAR(S) BUT IT WAS A HUGE ISSUE AND THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A RECALL IN THOSE INSTANCES. THERE IS A HISTORY OF THIS WITH ALTIMAS 2002-2006 & MAXIMAS 2004-2008. I'VE ATTACHED A COPY OF THE BULLETIN. BUT WHAT MADE MATTERS WORSE WAS BETWEEN 1/9/19-3/20/19 THERE WERE A NUMBER OF SEVERE POTHOLES ON NJ 95 SOUTH OF WHICH KNOCKED…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 11, 2019Suspension, Structure, Unknown or otherODI 11288468
“I TOOK MY 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA TO THE SHOP TO PURCHASE TIRES AND UPON PUTTING THE VEHICLE ON A LIFT, THE MECHANIC CALLED ME BACK TO SHOW ME A GAPING HOLE ON BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IF THE CARPET WERE LIFTED, YOU COULD SEE THROUGH TO THE ROAD ON BOTH SIDES. BOTH FLOORBOARD PANELS WERE RUSTED INCREDIBLY BADLY. AT ANY TIME MY DOG OR GRANDCHILDREN COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. I AM UNAWARE OF HOW LONG THE HOLES HAVE BEEN THERE BUT JUDGING FROM THE SEVERITY OF THE RUST, I WOULD SAY IT HAS BEEN 5+ YEARS SINCE THEY STARTED RUSTING. IT WAS HUGE GAPING HOLES, SO MUCH SO THAT I BOUGHT A NEW CAR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 12, 2019Structure, Unknown or otherODI 11268095
“PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD RUSTED THROUGH. DRIVER SIDE SEEMS OK (FOR NOW) MAYBE BECAUSE I ALWAYS DO UNDER-WASH EVERY TIME WASHING THE CAR. FIRST NOTICED THE RUSTING AFTER AROUND 4 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP WHEN DID A DIY OIL CHANGE BUT I JUST IGNORED IT BECAUSE I JUST THOUGHT I'M JUST ONE OF THE UNLUCKY OWNER UNTIL DID A DIY OIL CHANGE LAST MONTH AND MY SURPRISED THE RUST GOTTEN WORST AND WIDENED. BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW IN JUNE, 2006 AND WAS GARAGE KEPT SINCE DAY ONE. IT ALSO GET WASHED REGULARLY BY ME AND AUTO CARWASH IN THE WINTER OF COURSE WITH UNDER CARRIAGE WASH. THE CAR HAS NOW 110K MILES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 2, 2019StructureODI 11217394
“I WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED TO FIND HOLES RUSTED THROUGH THE FLOORS OF OUR CAR. AS I RESEARCHED I HAVE FOUND THIS A HUGE PROBLEM, EVEN COVERED BY MAJOR TV NETWORKS. ...I REACHED OUT TO NISSAN AND THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 31, 2018StructureODI 11123601
“THE FLOOR PANS OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONTS HAVE BEEN RUSTING ON MY NISSAN ALTIMA FOR YEARS. I CAN NOT REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST NOTICED IT BUT IT WOULD BE ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO EASILY. ALSO THE EXTERIOR PAINT ON MY CAR HAS PREMATURELY DEGRADED TO THE POINT WHERE I ALMOST HAVE NO CLEAR COAT LEFT ON MY CAR. THE MAIN ISSUE IS THE RUST. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR RUST IN A FLAT PART UNDER NEATH A CAR WHERE WATER SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SIT. I WILL BE ATTACHING PICTURES THAT SHOW THE EXTENT OF THE ISSUE. I HAVE ALSO COME ACROSS NUMEROUS CHAT PAGES THAT HAVE THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENING TO THEIR CARS AS WELL. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD THAT CAN NOT POSSIBLY BE MEETING THE MINIMUM SAFETY STANDARDS. I DO LIVE IN A COLD WEATHER STATE NOW BUT THE RUSTING HAPPENED WHILE I WAS STILL LIVING IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THE FIXES FOR THIS ISSUE ARE EXPENSIVE AND SHOULD NOT BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONSUMER TO FIX WHEN IT IS A COMMON ISSUE FOR 2002-2006 ALTIMA SERIES. NOT ONLY DO THESE RUST SPOTS ALLOW FOR DEBRIS TO POSSIBLE COME INTO THE CABIN FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BUT ALSO ALLOW FOR EXHAUST TO FILL THE CABIN. KOBE STEEL IS A KNOW SUPPLIER FOR NISSAN AND I WOULD LIKE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 6, 2018StructureODI 11076424

Showing 6 of 221 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.