IllustrationFOIA 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
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Altima years →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
What owners actually said
106 reportsON 2/12/2004 CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON, AND DROVE TO WORK. WITHIN TWO MINUTES, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SH…
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ON 2/12/2004 CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON, AND DROVE TO WORK. WITHIN TWO MINUTES, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS. *AK
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
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
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
PASSENGER SIDE DOOR STUCK! IT CAN'T BE OPENED ANYMORE. *JB
FOR THE PAST 15 MONTHS MY CAR HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE, IT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF SHOPS AND NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. CAR DIES ON ME WHEN IT COME TO A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN, VIHICLE LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON AFTER 60 MPH, WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF, IT WILL NOT TURN BACK ON. I HAVE TO WAIT ABOUT AN HOUR…
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FOR THE PAST 15 MONTHS MY CAR HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE, IT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF SHOPS AND NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. CAR DIES ON ME WHEN IT COME TO A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN, VIHICLE LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON AFTER 60 MPH, WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF, IT WILL NOT TURN BACK ON. I HAVE TO WAIT ABOUT AN HOUR FOR IT TO TURN BACK ON. IT WILL ALSO NOT TURN ON IF THE CAR IS UP ON A LITTLE HILL. CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. AND IT IS ALWAYS JURKING ON ME AS IF IT IS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS.
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
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
Official recalls
203V150000 · 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
2EA01015 · 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.