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2001 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2001 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

100 reports with mileage · 59 unknown

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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 59 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

22 crash reports2 fire reports12 injury reports

What owners actually said

159 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 2004
SuspensionTires

ON 9/17/03 I HAD FOUR P205/60R15 UNIROYAL TOUR TR TIRES PLACED ON MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. WITHIN ONE WEEK TWO WERE REPLACED BECAUSE OF VIBRATION. @ TWO WEEKS AGO I HAD THE TIRES ROTATED. THE REAR TIRES WERE PLACED ON THE FRONT. IMMEDIATELY VIBRATION AND PULLING TO THE RIGHT WAS NOTICED. AGAIN TWO NEW TIRES WERE PLACED ON THE VEHI…

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ON 9/17/03 I HAD FOUR P205/60R15 UNIROYAL TOUR TR TIRES PLACED ON MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. WITHIN ONE WEEK TWO WERE REPLACED BECAUSE OF VIBRATION. @ TWO WEEKS AGO I HAD THE TIRES ROTATED. THE REAR TIRES WERE PLACED ON THE FRONT. IMMEDIATELY VIBRATION AND PULLING TO THE RIGHT WAS NOTICED. AGAIN TWO NEW TIRES WERE PLACED ON THE VEHICLE. AGAIN THE PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE FRONT TIRES WERE MOVED TO OPPOSITE SIDES AND THE PULL WAS TO THE LEFT. A NEW TIRE WAS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE AND IT STILLS PULL TO THE LEFT. THE CAR IS IN ALIGNMENT. I WOULD THINK THERE IS A DEFECT IN THESE TIRES. I HAVE NOTIFIED UNIROYAL OF THE SAME BY EMAIL. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10063819

32,060 miles · Feb 19, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. CONSUMER ENGAGED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. *AK *JB

NHTSA ODI #10050547

89,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Suspension

MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE/LE CAR HAS A PROBLEM WITH ITS SUSPENSION. IT MAKES A CRUNCHING/RATTLING NOISE. MY CAR HAS BEEN TO 2 NISSAN DEALERS A TOTAL OF 9 TIMES. IN ALL IT HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR 17 DAYS. THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY SUSPENSION PARTS. BUT THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINS. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER SEVERAL TIMES W…

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MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE/LE CAR HAS A PROBLEM WITH ITS SUSPENSION. IT MAKES A CRUNCHING/RATTLING NOISE. MY CAR HAS BEEN TO 2 NISSAN DEALERS A TOTAL OF 9 TIMES. IN ALL IT HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR 17 DAYS. THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY SUSPENSION PARTS. BUT THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINS. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER SEVERAL TIMES WITH MY COMPLAINTS VIA PHONE AND LETTERS. I HAVE ALSO DEMANDED A REFUND UNDER THE CALIFORNIA LEMON LAW. BUT NISSAN OF NORTH AMERICA HAS REFUSED. ON MARCH 2002, I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB AUTO LINE PROGRAM. ONCE THE BBB AUTO LINE REVIEWED MY COMPLAINT THEY CONTACTED NISSAN. WE HAD A NISSAN DTS PERSON INSPECT MY CAR. I TEST DROVE WITH HIM AND HE VERIFIED MY EXISTING SUSPENSION PROBLEM. I AGREED TO GIVE THEM ONE MORE CHANCE TO FIX MY CAR ON APRIL 12, 2002. THE DTS PERSON ORDERED BOTH FRONT STRUTS AND SPRINGS REPLACED AGAIN. AS OF SEPTEMBER 2002 THE SAME SUSPENSION PROBLEM HAS RE-OCCURRED. ON OCTOBER 2002, I FINALLY DECIDED TO CONTACT A LAWYER EXPERIENCED IN THE LEMON LAW CASES. HE WROTE THE FIRST DEMAND LETTER TO NISSAN. THE LETTER MENTIONED ALL MY PROBLEMS AND DEMANDED A LEMON LAW BUY BACK BECAUSE OF THE SUSPENSION DEFECT. ON DECEMBER 2002 MY ATTORNEY?S OFFICE HAD TO SEND NISSAN ANOTHER LETTER, BECAUSE THEY HAD FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE FIST ONE. WELL JUST RECENTLY ON JANUARY 2003 NISSAN FINALLY DECIDED TO RESPOND TO THE LETTERS AND AFTER NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS THAT WERE MADE TO THEIR OFFICE. NISSAN SAID THAT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF REPAIR ATTEMPTS, ALONG WITH THE TYPE OF REPAIR THAT WAS PERFORMED TO RESOLVE THE COMPLAINT, WE DO NOT FEEL THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ANY SUBSTANTIAL REPAIRS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE FOR THE SAME NON-CONFORMITY. NISSAN WENT ON TO SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO REPURCHASE YOUR CLIENT'S VEHICLE, THEREFORE DEMANDS FOR REPURCHASE AND RESTITUTION OF ASSOCIATED FEES, IS DENIED. THEY AGAIN OFFERED TO HAVE A DTS(DEALER TECHNICAL SPECIALIST) COME OUT AND INSPECT MY VEHICLE. FOR THE ALLEGED SUSPENSION COMPLAINT.

NHTSA ODI #10069833

150 miles · Nov 20, 2003
Electrical System

IN 2001 I PURCHASED A NISSAN ALTIMA. IT LEFT ME STRANDED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. I COULD BE RUNNING ERRANDS AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY ERRANDS THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. I WOULD CALL A TOW TRUCK AND ONCE IT MADE IT TO THE NISSAN DEALER IT WOULD START RIGHT UP (I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM). I CONTACTED NISSAN IN…

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IN 2001 I PURCHASED A NISSAN ALTIMA. IT LEFT ME STRANDED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. I COULD BE RUNNING ERRANDS AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY ERRANDS THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. I WOULD CALL A TOW TRUCK AND ONCE IT MADE IT TO THE NISSAN DEALER IT WOULD START RIGHT UP (I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM). I CONTACTED NISSAN IN DECEMBER OF 2001 REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND THEY "COULD NOT DUPLICATE" IT AND WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME OUT. I LEFT IT AT MY DEALER FOR WEEKS ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. SINCE NISSAN WOULD DO NOTHING TO HELP ME OUT AND I LIVE IN MINNESOTA WHERE BEING STRANDED IN COLD WEATHER COULD KILL YOU, I HAD TO TRADE IT OFF. THEN THE OTHER DAY I SAY AN ARTICLE THAT THEY HAD RECALLED ALL THESE VEHICLES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAD. SO I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN AND THEY TOLD ME MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY DESIGNATE WHAT GETS RECALLED AND WHAT DOESN'T, BUT IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE OTHER 2.56 MILLION VEHICLES. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10047268

890,000 miles · Nov 4, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentPower Train

MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, WITH APPROX 89000 MILES, HAS STARTED EXPERIENCING ENGINE FAILURE AT CRUISING SPEEDS (50-70 MPH) ON THE FREEWAY. IT IS INTERMITTENT WITH NO APPARENT WARNING. FIRST, ALL GUAGES, INCLUDING GAS, TEMPERATURE, RPM AND ODOMETER, FALL TO ZERO. THE CAR JERKS AS IF DOWNSHIFTED, AND SLOWS DRASTICALLY, AND THE GAS PED…

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MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, WITH APPROX 89000 MILES, HAS STARTED EXPERIENCING ENGINE FAILURE AT CRUISING SPEEDS (50-70 MPH) ON THE FREEWAY. IT IS INTERMITTENT WITH NO APPARENT WARNING. FIRST, ALL GUAGES, INCLUDING GAS, TEMPERATURE, RPM AND ODOMETER, FALL TO ZERO. THE CAR JERKS AS IF DOWNSHIFTED, AND SLOWS DRASTICALLY, AND THE GAS PEDAL DOES NOT ACCELERATE THE CAR. IT HAS HAPPENED 7-8 TIMES IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS. THE RADIO DISPLAY LIGHT ALSO BLANKS OUT, NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELATED OR A SEPARATE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10045461

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2003
Suspension

I OWN A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, BOUGHT BRAND NEW WITH 35,300 MILES ON IT. NATURALLY THE WARRANTY IS ABOUT TO EXPIRE AND I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THE REAR BUSHINGS AND STABILIZER BARS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE ALREADY. IS THIS A SAFETY CONCERN? IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM? IS THERE A RECALL? WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS ONCE MY WARRANTY EXPIRES…

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I OWN A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, BOUGHT BRAND NEW WITH 35,300 MILES ON IT. NATURALLY THE WARRANTY IS ABOUT TO EXPIRE AND I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THE REAR BUSHINGS AND STABILIZER BARS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE ALREADY. IS THIS A SAFETY CONCERN? IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM? IS THERE A RECALL? WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS ONCE MY WARRANTY EXPIRES? *LA

NHTSA ODI #10043531

Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 2003
Fuel System, OtherFire

CAR STARTED SMOKING WHILE ON THE PARKWAY,I PULLED OVER ONTO THE GRASS ,BY THAT TIME FLAMES WERE COMING OUT UNDER THE HOOD BY THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, IN 20 MINUTES BEFORE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED THE ENTIRE CAR WAS IN FLAMES ,BY THE TIME FIRE WAS PUT OUT THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT . CAR WAS TOWED AND CAUSE OF FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY MY…

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CAR STARTED SMOKING WHILE ON THE PARKWAY,I PULLED OVER ONTO THE GRASS ,BY THAT TIME FLAMES WERE COMING OUT UNDER THE HOOD BY THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, IN 20 MINUTES BEFORE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED THE ENTIRE CAR WAS IN FLAMES ,BY THE TIME FIRE WAS PUT OUT THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT . CAR WAS TOWED AND CAUSE OF FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY, HAD THERE BEEN ANYONE IN THE CAR WITH ME I DOUGHT THEY WOULD HAVE SURVIVED ,THATS HOW QUICK AND INTENSE THE FIRE WAS

NHTSA ODI #10041003

16,800 miles · Sep 12, 2003
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

THE AUTOMOBILE ACCELERATED WHILE THE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER/MECHANIC THREE TIMES AND BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DID NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE AUTOMOBILE. THE THIRD TIME HE JUST LEFT THE VEHICLE WITH MECHANIC/DEALER …

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THE AUTOMOBILE ACCELERATED WHILE THE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER/MECHANIC THREE TIMES AND BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DID NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE AUTOMOBILE. THE THIRD TIME HE JUST LEFT THE VEHICLE WITH MECHANIC/DEALER SO THAT THEY MAY DRIVE THE AUTOMOBILE TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM RESURFACED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE BUT WENT INTO REVERSE. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10033773

28,000 miles · Sep 3, 2003
Electrical SystemFire

CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT IN GARAGE. WHEN KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION, EXPLOSION OCCURRED UNDER THE HOOD. SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND ACID WAS DRIPPING TO THE PAVEMENT. THERE IS A DENT ON THE HOOD FROM THE INSIDE DIRECTLY ABOVE THE BATTERY LOCATION. THERE WAS ALSO ACID ON THE ENGINE AND LOCAL AREAS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10037144

34,000 miles · Aug 22, 2003
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

I HAVE A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. AT APROX 34,000 MILES (CAR NOW HAS 42000) THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD FAIL, THE OVERDIRVE LIGHT WOULD START FLAHING THEN OVERDRIVE WOULD DISENGAGE. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND OVERDRIVE WOULD COME BACK ON THEN MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE WOULD START LURCHING CAUSING THE CAR TO SLOW TO 30 MPH AND EVENTUA…

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I HAVE A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. AT APROX 34,000 MILES (CAR NOW HAS 42000) THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD FAIL, THE OVERDIRVE LIGHT WOULD START FLAHING THEN OVERDRIVE WOULD DISENGAGE. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND OVERDRIVE WOULD COME BACK ON THEN MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE WOULD START LURCHING CAUSING THE CAR TO SLOW TO 30 MPH AND EVENTUALLY STOP. THE ENGINE WOULD STILL RUN BUT REVVING IS CHOPPY AND LAGGED. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OR SHUTTING THE ENGINE DOWN AND RESTSTARTING THE ENGINE THE CAR WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL, BUT AFTER A PERIOD OF 10 MINUTES WOULD REPEAT INCIDENT. HAVE TAKEN TO A DEALER ON 4 OCCASIONS, BUT MECHANICS CANNOT DUPLICATE FAILURE. ONLY ONE CODE HAS COME BACK FROM THE DIAGNOSTIC P0500 (SPEED SENSOR FAILURE) AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT HAS ONLY COME ON ONCE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RE-OCCURRING SINCE APRIL OF 2003 AND NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED DUE TO THE FACT THAT MECHANICS CANNOT FIND NOR DUPLICATE PROBLEM. I HAVE RECORDED 15 OR MORE FAILURES SINCE APRIL AND 9 IN THE PAST 4 DAYS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10033322

Official recalls

1

01V065000 · Tires:tread/belt

Feb 23, 2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GTA-02 , SIZE P205/55R16 89H TIRES. THE RECALLED TIRES ARE IDENTIFIED BY DOT SERIAL #W2 T2 VF3 XXX OR W2 T2 VF3 XXXX; WHERE XXX MAY BE 289, 299, 309, 319, 329, 339, 349, 359, 369, 379, 389, 399, 409, 419, 429, 439, 449, 459, 469, 479, 489, 499, 509, 519, 529, 010, 020, 030, 040, 050, 060, 070, 080, 090, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 170, AND WHERE XXXX MAY BE 1800, 1900, 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, 2900, 3000, 3100, 3200, 3300, 3400, 3500, 3600, 3700, 3800, 3900, 4000, 4100, 4200, 4300, 4400, AND 4500. WITH INCREASING MILEAGE, THE TIRES MAY DEVELOP SHOULDER AREA CRACKING. CONTINUED USE OF A TIRE WITH THIS CONDITION MAY LEAD TO EXPOSURE OF THE BELT EDGE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, A BELT EDGE SEPARATION IS POSIBLE, WHICH COULD RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE.

Remedy: BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE WILL REPLACE THE TIRES WHICH WERE INSTALLED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON THESE ALTIMA VEHICLES. FIRESTONE IS CONDUCTING THE OWNER NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED FIRESTONE DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FIRESTONE AT 1-800-465-1904.

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