Research · Midsize Cars

2019 Nissan AltimaRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls and 234 owner complaints for the 2019 Nissan Altima. Most complaints involve electrical system (58) and engine (48). The EPA rates it 29–32 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Combined MPG
29–32mpg
EPA · 5 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
7campaigns
Latest Jun 2025
Owner complaints
234
Top: electrical system
Fuel cost / yr
$2,000est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

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

Engine and engine cooling: hard parts internal

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. The engine bearings may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine failure.

Engine and engine coolingReported Jun 27, 2025NHTSA 25V437000

Back over prevention: camera

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Back over preventionReported Sep 8, 2023NHTSA 23V628000

Tires

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Altima and 2018-2021 Titan vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

TiresReported Mar 11, 2021NHTSA 21V169000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

234 complaints filed with NHTSA · Nov 2018 – Oct 2026
  1. Electrical system58
  2. Engine48
  3. Forward collision avoidance41
  4. Service brakes29
  5. Visibility/wiper14
  6. Fuel/propulsion system12
  7. Air bags11
  8. Engine and engine cooling9
  9. Power train9

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
22
Fires reported
5
Injuries reported
13
Deaths reported
0
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

Electrical system

58 reports5 crashes
“Ever since I bought the car with zero miles I been having electrical issues. From reverse camera to low wash fluid light that doesn’t turned off . Now even when it’s over 100 degrees outside my car marks inside that’s 26 degrees . And now my Ac completely stopped working. I don’t know what to do I only owe $4,000 on my car”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 2, 2026Electrical system, EngineODI 11747965

Engine

48 reports
“The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the engine seized. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with internal engine failure. The contact was informed that there was oil leaking onto the spark plugs. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The contact was awaiting a return call from the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 9, 2026EngineODI 11763065

Forward collision avoidance

41 reports3 crashes
“Have been getting “engine malfunction power reduced” already had it repaired once. Not sure what is causing this since it was just “repaired “. New battery in place. Also has accident icons on dashboard”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 6, 2026Unknown or other, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11736193
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

5 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Midsize Cars
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl · 2.0L 4-cyl turbo
Transmissions
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-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
283932$2,000278
Altima SR/Platinum
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
273731$2,050288
Altima AWD
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
263530$2,150300
Altima AWD SR/Platinum
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
263429$2,200307
Altima SR/Platinum
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
253429$2,200311
  • Altima
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    28 city · 39 hwy · $2,000/yr
    32
    mpg comb.
  • Altima SR/Platinum
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    27 city · 37 hwy · $2,050/yr
    31
    mpg comb.
  • Altima AWD
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    26 city · 35 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • Altima AWD SR/Platinum
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    26 city · 34 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • Altima SR/Platinum
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo
    25 city · 34 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    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

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Nissan Altima 4 DR AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
5 of 5
Rollover risk
9.2%
Overall
5 / 5
Nissan Altima 4 DR FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
5 of 5
Rollover risk
9.2%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 14117Vehicle 13424
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

2019 Altima questions

How many recalls does the 2019 Nissan Altima have?

7 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 2019 Nissan Altima problems?

Owners filed 234 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are electrical system (58), engine (48), forward collision avoidance (41). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2019 Nissan Altima get?

The EPA rates the 2019 Nissan Altima at 29–32 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (5 versions rated).

How safe is the 2019 Nissan Altima?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2019 Nissan Altima 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026