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1996 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Nissan Altima are lower than the model-year median of 231.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 9 of 92 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 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

20 crash reports5 fire reports10 injury reports

What owners actually said

92 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

UPON INSPECTION OF BRAKE FAILURE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT UNDERBODY CORROSION PENETRATED THE BRAKE FLUID LINES CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE. FURTHER, CORROSION IS SO PERVASIVE THE CAR IS BEYOND REPAIR. NISSAN HAS DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY AND DECLINED ANY REPARATIONS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #756849

Mileage unknown · Oct 18, 2001
Unknown Or Other

AT FIRST ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. CURRENTLY, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #897951

Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAVE HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES SQUEAKING ON THIS CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES WORKED ON ON 3 OCCASIONS IN A 6 MONTH PERIOD AND THE BRAKES STILL SQUEAK. I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NISSAN ALTIMA BRAKES OR IF IT IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT WITH MY CAR. I HAVE HAD NEW BRAKE P…

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I HAVE HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES SQUEAKING ON THIS CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES WORKED ON ON 3 OCCASIONS IN A 6 MONTH PERIOD AND THE BRAKES STILL SQUEAK. I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NISSAN ALTIMA BRAKES OR IF IT IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT WITH MY CAR. I HAVE HAD NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS PUT ON...SQUEAKED. THEN WE CHANGED TO ORGANIC PADS...SQUEAKED. AT THIS POINT, I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO DO.*AK

NHTSA ODI #752331

Mileage unknown · Sep 14, 2001
Electrical SystemFire

I HAD JUST MOVED OFF FROM THE LIGHT, WHEN ABOUT HALF-WAY DOWN THE BLOCK, THICK WHITE SMOKE BEGAN BILLOWING FROM UNDER MY HOOD ONTO MY WINDSHEILD. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER, AND ABANDONED THE CAR. BECAUSE I YANKED THE HOOD RELEASE ON MY WAY OUT OF THE CAR, I SAY BRIGHT YELLOW FLAMES UNDER THE SIDE OF THE HOOD. PER THE FT. LAUDERDALE …

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I HAD JUST MOVED OFF FROM THE LIGHT, WHEN ABOUT HALF-WAY DOWN THE BLOCK, THICK WHITE SMOKE BEGAN BILLOWING FROM UNDER MY HOOD ONTO MY WINDSHEILD. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER, AND ABANDONED THE CAR. BECAUSE I YANKED THE HOOD RELEASE ON MY WAY OUT OF THE CAR, I SAY BRIGHT YELLOW FLAMES UNDER THE SIDE OF THE HOOD. PER THE FT. LAUDERDALE FIRE DEPT INSPECTOR, THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE AREA OF THE RADIATOR FANS. THAT SHORT CAUGHT THE NEIGHBORING WIRES, RADIATOR FAN AND OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS ON FIRE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE NISSAN DEALER REPAIR SHOP ALL AGREED THAT THIS WAS WHAT HAPPENED. THE REPAIRS COST ABOUT $7100 AND 2 MONTHS TO FIX. I THANK GOD FOR SAVING MY LIFE. I THINK IT WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT CAUSED IT. THE MANUFACTURE CAN CONTACT PLANTATION NISSAN IN PLANTATION FLORIDA REGARDING THIS INCIDENT. I PRAY THAT NISSAN CAN USE THIS INFORMATION TO HELP DESIGN SAFER CARS. I JUST TRADED THE CAR BECAUSE I FELT I COULD NO BELIEVE IN ITS REASONABLE SAFETY. PLEASE NOTE: IN FOUR YEARS, THIS WAS THE FIRST MAJOR PROBLEM THAT I HAD WITH THE CAR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #752196

Mileage unknown · Aug 6, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE REPAIR PERSON SAID THIS PART IS TOO NEW TO GO BAD AND THERE ARE TOO MANY BAD ONES SHOWING UP. THANKYOU FOR YOUR TIME. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #749968

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2001
Air Bags

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE IN MOTION. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #889757

Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2001
Electrical System

DISTRIBUTOR LEAKED ENGINE OIL INTO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, WHICH RESULT IN COMPLETE DISTRIBUTOR FAILURE WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ODI #740624

Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2001
Air BagsCrash

WAS DRIVING 60MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE SIDE SWIPE ALTIMA ON PASSENGER'S SIDE BY DOOR AREA. DRIVER'S FRONT HIT DIVIDER, AND AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #879521

Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 2000
Steering

I WAS DRIVING ONTO THE INTERSTATE, AND I WAS JUST ABOUT OFF THE ON-RAMP AND I HIT A BUMP. MY CAR'S STEERING LOST CONTROL AND IT SPUN AROUND TWICE AND I NEARLY CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE. THANK GOD I GAINED CONTROL. I CHANGED MY TIRES THE NEXT DAY AND THE STEERING STILL FEELS VERY LOOSE. EVERYTIME I HIT THE SMALLES…

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I WAS DRIVING ONTO THE INTERSTATE, AND I WAS JUST ABOUT OFF THE ON-RAMP AND I HIT A BUMP. MY CAR'S STEERING LOST CONTROL AND IT SPUN AROUND TWICE AND I NEARLY CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE. THANK GOD I GAINED CONTROL. I CHANGED MY TIRES THE NEXT DAY AND THE STEERING STILL FEELS VERY LOOSE. EVERYTIME I HIT THE SMALLEST BUMP, THE CAR FEELS UNSTABLE. I ALIGNED THE WHELLS FOR $80 AND I AM STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. MY MECHANIC SAYS EVERYTHING LOOKS FINE. PLEASE HELP. I NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN I DRIVE. IT ALL FEELS VERY LOOSE LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE STEERING AND THE FRONT WHEELS. IN THE RAIN I AM ESPECIALLY SCARED BECUSE IT MAKES IT 10 WORSE.

NHTSA ODI #733864

Mileage unknown · Oct 4, 2000
Electrical SystemPower TrainVehicle Speed Control

THREE TIMES IN THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. NISSAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM. *AK THE PROBLEM STARTED AFTER TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT, AND THE RADIATOR, AUTO TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY AND THROTTLE VALVE SWITCH WERE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING FROM SECOND GEAR TO THIRD DUE TO CONTROL…

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THREE TIMES IN THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. NISSAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM. *AK THE PROBLEM STARTED AFTER TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT, AND THE RADIATOR, AUTO TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY AND THROTTLE VALVE SWITCH WERE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING FROM SECOND GEAR TO THIRD DUE TO CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY FAILURE. NEXT, THE GAS PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. HOWEVER, THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING ASSEMBLY. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *YH

NHTSA ODI #872282

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Nissan Altima problems