← New search

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
122,000 miles · Apr 15, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE IDLES ROUGHLY WHENEVER IT IS IN PARK OR STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, BUT THE AMOUNT FOR THE GASKET WAS ONLY $11. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR WOULD COST $600. THE DEALER IS NOT REPLACING TH…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE IDLES ROUGHLY WHENEVER IT IS IN PARK OR STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, BUT THE AMOUNT FOR THE GASKET WAS ONLY $11. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR WOULD COST $600. THE DEALER IS NOT REPLACING THE GASKET. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

NHTSA ODI #10265516

130,000 miles · Apr 13, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING WHILE IDLING. ON ONE OCCASION, HE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILUR…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING WHILE IDLING. ON ONE OCCASION, HE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT THE ESTIMATED COST OF $900. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 130,000.

NHTSA ODI #10265063

Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment

NISSAN ALTIMA GLE 2001 REQUIRED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACEMENT ON 10/11/03 UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE CAR IDLED VERY HIGH WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT. THE SAME PROBLEM HAS RECURRED. WHEN CONSULTING CARCOMPLAINT.COM THERE ARE OVER 80 OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS. MY DAUGHTER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND DID NOT REPORT IT. SHE HAD IT…

Read full complaint

NISSAN ALTIMA GLE 2001 REQUIRED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACEMENT ON 10/11/03 UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE CAR IDLED VERY HIGH WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT. THE SAME PROBLEM HAS RECURRED. WHEN CONSULTING CARCOMPLAINT.COM THERE ARE OVER 80 OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS. MY DAUGHTER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND DID NOT REPORT IT. SHE HAD IT REPAIRED WITHOUT WARRANTY COVERAGE. I SUGGEST THAT YOU GO TO WWW.CARCOMPLAINT.COM/NISSAN/ALTIMA/2001 AND READ THE COMPLAINTS. I AM SURE THIS DEFECT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE 2001 ALTIMA. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10262935

58,000 miles · Mar 20, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA SHAKES WHEN IN THE IDLE OR STOP POSITION. HAVE HAD ALL THE REPAIRS DONE TO THAT I COULD AFFORD. WENT ON TO AUTOBEEF.COM AND READ 74 OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WE ALL HAVE THE SAME QUESTION WHY WASN'T THIS CAR RECALLED OR FIXED BY NISSAN. IT WAS A MISTAKE ON THEIR BEHALF. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY …

Read full complaint

MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA SHAKES WHEN IN THE IDLE OR STOP POSITION. HAVE HAD ALL THE REPAIRS DONE TO THAT I COULD AFFORD. WENT ON TO AUTOBEEF.COM AND READ 74 OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WE ALL HAVE THE SAME QUESTION WHY WASN'T THIS CAR RECALLED OR FIXED BY NISSAN. IT WAS A MISTAKE ON THEIR BEHALF. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR AND IT IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. I THINK THAT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE RESEARCHED AND TAKING CARE OF AND NOT BY THE CONSUMER OF THESE DANGEROUS CARS. ALSO SOMEONE SHOULD READ THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS MAKE, YEAR AND MODEL OF THIS CAR. IT IS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA AND THE MAJOR COMPLAINT IS A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. LIKE I SAID IT IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO AND SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT BEFORE THERE ARE ANY DEATHS. OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE PROBLEM IS TAKEN CARE OF??????? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10262558

37,500 miles · Mar 9, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

RPMS JUMPING UP AND DOWN AT IDLE. MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS A MISFIRE ON CYLINDER 4 AND I NEEDED A INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. (HE KNEW THIS BECAUSE HE SPRAYED CARB CLEANER BY CYLINDER 4)A $500 JOB. CAR MAYBE 8 YEARS OLD BUT IT ONLY HAS 38,000 MILES ON IT. NO REASON GASKET SHOULD BURN OUT ON ONE SIDE LIKE THAT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10261362

160,000 miles · Jan 3, 2009
Wheels

IN AN INSPECTION OF MY TIRES, I FOUND A CRACK COMPLETELY THROUGH MY ORIGINAL FACTORY 16 INCH ALUMINUM WHEEL ON ONE OF THE SIX SPOKES. NO SIGNS OF IMPACT FOUND. I REPLACED WHEEL WITH A USED PART. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10253683

110,000 miles · Dec 8, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

I OWN A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA SE. IT IS A 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. MY CAR STARTED HAVING LOW IDLE PROBLEMS ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. I HAD A TUNE UP DONE WHICH INCLUDED NEW SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR AND CAP. THE CAR STILL HAD LOW IDLE PROBLEMS. I THEN RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAM…

Read full complaint

I OWN A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA SE. IT IS A 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. MY CAR STARTED HAVING LOW IDLE PROBLEMS ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. I HAD A TUNE UP DONE WHICH INCLUDED NEW SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR AND CAP. THE CAR STILL HAD LOW IDLE PROBLEMS. I THEN RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 2000-2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. I OWN A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA SE. THE PROBLEM TURNS OUT TO BE A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET THAT LEAKS AND IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX. ($600-$1000). I SEE WHERE NISSAN REFUSES TO ADMIT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND WILL NOT CONSIDER A RECALL. YOU CAN ALSO REFERENCE CASE #10167168, 10145161,10100639, AND 10163901. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN FIXED YET AND THE IDLE IS GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE MY CAR IS ALMOST STALLING WHEN I COME TO A STOP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10251072

89,000 miles · Nov 10, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

AT 89,000 MILES MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE BEGAN EXPERIENCING EXTREMELY ROUGH IDLING. ENGINE WILL STALL. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HUNDREDS OF OTHER ALTIMA OWNERS I AM ASKING FOR A RECALL TO CORRECT THIS MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10248241

55,000 miles · Nov 10, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE READ ON DOZENS OF WEBSITE, IT STARTED IDLING HIGH (AT ONLY 55,000 MILES) AND ULTIMATELY HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AT A COST OF $852.05. I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AFTER THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED. SADLY FOR ME, IT WAS THREE WEEKS AFTER THE EXTENDED WARR…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE READ ON DOZENS OF WEBSITE, IT STARTED IDLING HIGH (AT ONLY 55,000 MILES) AND ULTIMATELY HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AT A COST OF $852.05. I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AFTER THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED. SADLY FOR ME, IT WAS THREE WEEKS AFTER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND NISSAN REFUSED TO OFFER ANY PRICE BREAK ON THE SERVICE. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE EXCEEDINGLY COMMON - AND OFTEN ON VERY LOW MILEAGE VEHICLES SUCH AS MINE. NISSAN SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10248228

52,400 miles · Nov 9, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

I HAVE NISSAN ALTIMA GXE MODEL 2001. AFTER A THOROUGH RESEARCH ON THE WEB, I FIND THAT "INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK" IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN NISSAN ALTIMA. IT COST BETWEEN $700 - $1200 (THOUGH PART IS FOR $15-$30 ONLY). WITH THIS PROBLEM, CAR START SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN YOU STOP AT LIGHT. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT FEQUENTLY LIGHTS UP…

Read full complaint

I HAVE NISSAN ALTIMA GXE MODEL 2001. AFTER A THOROUGH RESEARCH ON THE WEB, I FIND THAT "INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK" IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN NISSAN ALTIMA. IT COST BETWEEN $700 - $1200 (THOUGH PART IS FOR $15-$30 ONLY). WITH THIS PROBLEM, CAR START SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN YOU STOP AT LIGHT. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT FEQUENTLY LIGHTS UP. CAR STALLS ABRUPTLY IN THE LIGHT. ON A HIGH WAY DRIVE, CAR CAN STALL ANYTIME WHICH IS A GREAT HAZARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TRAVEL WITH A KID OR AN OLD AGE PEOPLE. NISSAN SHOULD HELP OWNERS FIX THIS AND SHOULD IMMEDIATELY RECALL THIS CARS WITH THIS KIND OF FAULTY PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10248052

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