Research · Midsize Cars

2014 Nissan AltimaRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 8 safety recalls and 1,113 owner complaints for the 2014 Nissan Altima. Most complaints involve exterior lighting (299) and power train (209). The EPA rates it 25–31 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Combined MPG
25–31mpg
EPA · 2 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
8campaigns
Latest May 2020
Owner complaints
1,113
Top: exterior lighting
Fuel cost / yr
$2,050est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

8 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Latches

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.

Latches/locks/linkagesReported May 28, 2020NHTSA 20V315000

Air bags: occupant classification

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014, to August 12, 2016, and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured June 4, 2015, to August 19, 2015. An incorrect Occupant Classification System (OCS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have been installed in the front passenger seat. The incorrect ECU and seat combination may misclassify the front passenger seat occupant.

Air bagsReported Dec 19, 2016NHTSA 16V911000

Air bags: occupant classification

Remedy pending

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.

Air bagsReported Apr 26, 2016NHTSA 16V244000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

1,113 complaints filed with NHTSA · Sep 2013 – Sep 2026
  1. Exterior lighting299
  2. Power train209
  3. Air bags208
  4. Suspension132
  5. Engine77
  6. Electrical system71
  7. Steering58
  8. Structure52
  9. Latches/locks/linkages31

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

By model year

Complaints for each Altima model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
1998125
199996
2000176
2001168
20021,062
2003883
2004276
20051,091
2006824
2007498
20081,031
20091,547
2010381
2011242
2012426
20132,315
20141,113
2015955
2016555
2017393
2018226
2019234
2020182
202171
202220
202330
202443
20257
20261
Crashes reported
51
Fires reported
8
Injuries reported
58
Deaths reported
1
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Exterior lighting

299 reports4 crashes
“My 2014 Nissan Altima has experienced loss of visibility from the headlights significantly to the point of feeling unsafe driving at night. I believe the cause of these issue is due to degradation of the reflective coating within the headlamps. New bulbs installed have not improved the quality of the headlights performance leading me to believe this is caused by a fault of the headlamp assembly itself.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2026Exterior lightingODI 11762646

Power train

209 reports2 crashes1 fire
“The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle shuddered uncontrollably and stalled. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the road. The contact turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle 20 minutes later, the failure recurred while driving, and the vehicle failed to accelerate upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact exited the highway; however, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. The vehicle was towed to Young's Cheltenham Auto Service, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance in covering the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be covered because Nissan TSB Number: NTB17-039K had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 21, 2025Power trainODI 11637254

Air bags

208 reports32 crashes2 fires
“As far as I am aware there are no causes to the failure but the sensor of the left panel on the driver side airbag is alerting. Nissan checked it and advised it would be @ $2000 to repair because it required the replacement of the entire driver side chair. However I am now being told that they don't have/make the replacement part(s) needed. Scouring the Internet I'm finding this complaint is pretty common considering it also happened in our 2006 Nissan Armada (no accidents).”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 3, 2026Air bagsODI 11748214
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

2 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Midsize Cars
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl · 3.5L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Automatic (AV-S7)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Altima
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
273731$2,050290
Altima
Auto (AV-S7), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
223125$2,550353
  • Altima
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    27 city · 37 hwy · $2,050/yr
    31
    mpg comb.
  • Altima
    Auto (AV-S7), 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    22 city · 31 hwy · $2,550/yr
    25
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Nissan Altima 4 DR FWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
10.3%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 8095
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2014 Altima questions

How many recalls does the 2014 Nissan Altima have?

8 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2014 Nissan Altima problems?

Owners filed 1,113 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are exterior lighting (299), power train (209), air bags (208). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2014 Nissan Altima get?

The EPA rates the 2014 Nissan Altima at 25–31 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).

How safe is the 2014 Nissan Altima?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2014 Nissan Altima 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026