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1994 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1994 Nissan Altima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 231.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 16 of 106 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

34 crash reports2 fire reports24 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

40 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 2019
Air BagsVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, RELEASED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS FROM THE DRIVEWAY, CROSSED THE STREET, AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS ILLU…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, RELEASED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS FROM THE DRIVEWAY, CROSSED THE STREET, AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A SORE BACK, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND TOWED OUT OF THE DITCH TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DUPLICATED THE FAILURE AND KEPT THE VEHICLE AT THE SHOP, ATTEMPTING TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V150000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED BAYTOWN NISSAN AT 844-498-4477 (LOCATED AT 5445 I-10 EAST, BAYTOWN, TX 77521) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS LATER CALLED BACK FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT WITH A BLUE BOOK OFFER OF $150 IN LIEU OF AIR BAG REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN 2018. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #11267511

160,000 miles · Jan 17, 2011
Air Bags

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WON,T GO OFF! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10376894

Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 2004
Air Bags

I HAD RECALL REPAIRS DONE FOR MY 1994 NISSAN, ALTIMA. THE RECALL WAS FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. AFTER THE AIR BAG WAS REPLACED THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE NISSAN DEALER THAT DID THE WORK. THEY CHECKED THE CAR AND SAID THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE SWITCH, AND IT WOULD COST $1500.00. I TOLD THEM…

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I HAD RECALL REPAIRS DONE FOR MY 1994 NISSAN, ALTIMA. THE RECALL WAS FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. AFTER THE AIR BAG WAS REPLACED THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE NISSAN DEALER THAT DID THE WORK. THEY CHECKED THE CAR AND SAID THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE SWITCH, AND IT WOULD COST $1500.00. I TOLD THEM THAT THIS HAPPENED AFTER THEY DID THE RECALL. BUT, THEY DID NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING FOR ME. THIS HAS BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. I WILL GET THE EXACT DATE. THE DATE BELOW IS A GUESSTIMATE. BUT, THE WORK WAS DONE AT PASSPORT NISSAN IN ALEXANDRIA, VA. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10082793

139,000 miles · Jun 3, 2004
Air Bags

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG HAS MALFUNCTIONED. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER STATES THE "BOX WAS MISS MARKED" AND REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10075648

Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2004
Air Bags

FOIA REQUEST CYS OF ALL DOCUMENTATION, RECALL LTRS PERTAINING TO THE DEFECTIVE NATURE OF THE AIRBAGS IN THE 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA (SEARCH ATTACHED), ATT REPRESENT FERNANDO RAMOS SANTOS. (NAR) *PH *CB *JB

NHTSA ODI #10071892

160,000 miles · Jan 14, 2004
Air Bags

THE DEALER WILL NOT DO RECALL REPAIRS FOR AIR BAGS UNLESS THE CONSUMER PAYS CASH. DEALER WAS INFORMED OF THE RECALL, MADE AN APPOINTMENT, AND SPOKE TO THE CONSUMER ABOUT THE RECALL BEFORE HAND. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10054057

Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2003
Air Bags

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 03V150000 CONCERNING THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BY APPOINTMENT AND THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIRS.*AK THE CONSUMER WAS VERY UNSATISFIED WITH NISSAN QUALITY OF SERVICE AFTER HAVING TRAVELED 2 HOURS. *CB *JB

NHTSA ODI #10042891

82,000 miles · Jun 20, 2003
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10024526

Mileage unknown · Nov 19, 2002
Air BagsCrashInjury

CONSUMER WAS A PASSENGER AND THE VEHICLE WENT INTO THE DITCH AND PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOY, INJURED EYE AND FACE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.. TS

NHTSA ODI #8022975

Mileage unknown · Nov 5, 2002
Air Bags

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. AND DISTRACTED HER WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ODI #8022186

Official recalls

2

03V150000 · Air Bags:frontal

Apr 25, 2003

NISSAN IS RECALLING MY 1994 AND EARLY 1995 ALTIMA VEHICLES FOLLOWING REPORTS THAT PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS IN THESE VEHICLES HAD CAUSED A NUMBER OF MODERATE-TO-SEVERE EYE INJURIES. NISSAN HAS DEVELOPED A NEW PASSENGER AIR BAG THAT IS LESS POWERFUL WHEN IT INFLATES IN A CRASH TO REDUCE THE RISK OF AIR BAG INFLATION-RELATED INJURIES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: NISSAN EXPECTS THAT THIS NEW AIR BAG CAN HELP REDUCE THE RISK OF AIR BAG INFLATION-RELATED INJURIES.

Remedy: NISSAN WILL REPLACE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AT NO CHARGE TO THE CONSUMER. THE MANUFACTURER HAS REPORTED THAT OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 28, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

94V035000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Feb 28, 1994

ENGINE MOVEMENT CAN BE TRANSMITTED TO THE AIRFLOW METER/FILTER HOUSING AND SUPPORT BRACKET, WHICH IS MOUNTED IN THE ENGINE AIR DUCT, CAUSING THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING TO PULL OUT OF THE CABLE GUIDE. THIS MAY PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS RELEASED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: NISSAN WILL REPOSITION THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING IN THE SUPPORT BRACKET TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SLACK FOR ENGINE MOVEMENT. A RUBBER STOPPER WILL BE CLAMPED TO THE CABLE TO MAINTAIN THE CORRECT POSITION FOR THE CABLE AT THE SUPPORT BRACKET. IN ADDITION, THE THROTTLE CABLE WILL BE TESTED FOR PULL OUT RESISTANCE FROM THE GUIDE IN THE EVENT THE CABLE WAS DAMAGED. THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY WILL BE REPLACED, IF NECESSARY.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

EA01015 · Passenger Air BAG-RELATED Facial/eye Inj

Opened Aug 9, 2001 · Closed Apr 24, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal

BY LETTER DATEDAPRIL 11, 2003, NISSAN NOTIFIED NHTSAIT WILL CONDUCT A CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG MODULE WITH A DEPOWERED AIR BAG MODULE IN MODEL YEAR 1994 - EARLY 1995 (BUILT PRIOR TO MARCH 2, 1995) NISSAN ALTIMA VEHICLES. THE REPLACEMENT MODULE WILL BE PROVIDED AT NO CHARGE TO OWNERS.THE DEPOWERED AIR BAG SHOULD REDUCE THE OVERALL RISK OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT-RELATED INJURIES. THE AIR BAG REPLACEMENT CAMPAIGN TO BE CONDUCTED BY NISSAN, WHICH WILL ENHANCE SAFETY AND BE MONITORED BY NHTSA, SUFFICIENTLY ADDRESSES THE SAFETY CONCERNS RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE ATTACHED REPORT

PE01008 · Passenger Air BAG-RELATED Eye Injuries

Opened Mar 13, 2001 · Closed Aug 9, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal

No summary supplied.

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