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2004 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Nissan Altima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 231.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

225 reports with mileage · 51 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 109 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports3 fire reports9 injury reports

Power Train complaints

17 reports
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131,000 miles · Sep 4, 2014
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WARNING ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO PART STORE FOR A COMPUTERIZED READING WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WARNING ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO PART STORE FOR A COMPUTERIZED READING WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR, SPEED SENSOR AND THE CAM SHAFT ANGLE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURED WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

NHTSA ODI #10630654

200,600 miles · May 10, 2014
EnginePower Train

ON MY WAY HOME I WAS GOING ABOUT 25MPH, THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND STARTED TO STALL. I PULLED OVER AND TOOK ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND STARTED IT BACK UP AND IT STARTED FINE. I MADE IT TO NAPA AND ONE OF THE GUYS TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND SAID IT WAS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T MOVING. SO I GOT THAT AND HAD MY …

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ON MY WAY HOME I WAS GOING ABOUT 25MPH, THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND STARTED TO STALL. I PULLED OVER AND TOOK ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND STARTED IT BACK UP AND IT STARTED FINE. I MADE IT TO NAPA AND ONE OF THE GUYS TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND SAID IT WAS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T MOVING. SO I GOT THAT AND HAD MY FATHER PUT THAT PART ON AND PUT IT INTO DRIVE AND IT STILL DID NOTHING. I PARK IT BACK IN THE DRIVEWAY AS I NORMALLY WOULD WITH THE LITTLE POWER THAT IT DID HAVE, AND THE TRANSMISSION JUST MADE A LOUD THUMP. MY FATHER TELLS ME TO START IT UP AND I STARTED IT UP AGAIN AS I NORMALLY WOULD AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTS WHINING. THIS JUST HAPPENED OUT OF NOWHERE, THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF ANYTHING ABOUT TO HAPPEN. NO LIGHTS WERE ON, NO WEIRD NOISES, AND THE POWER WAS DOING COMPLETELY FINE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10587556

87,433 miles · Aug 18, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

CAR WAS BACK TO DEALER ABOUT 16 MONTHS AGO FOR RECALL NTB06-051A. AT THAT TIME CRANK ANGLE SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND ECM WAS REPROGRAMMED . THIS MONTH AUGUST 2011 SAME SYMPTOMS BUCKING HARD TO START STALLING. TAKEN TO AND INDEPENDENT SHOP AND CONFIRMED ANOTHER CRANK SENSOR FAILURE. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10419930

90,000 miles · Aug 4, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING GEARS WITH HESITATION AND JERKING INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE PROGRESSED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING GEARS WITH HESITATION AND JERKING INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE PROGRESSED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION AND RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE BE DIAGNOSED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A TRANSMISSION FLUSH. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A SECOND TIME, WHERE THEY STATED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ODI #10417088

50,000 miles · Jun 22, 2010
Power Train

2004 NISSAN ALTIMA 5 SPD MANUAL CLUTCH. LAST WEDNESDAY I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND NOTICED THE CLUTCH WAS GETTING LOWER AND LOWER TO THE FLOOR. I MADE IT TO MY DESTINATION BUT WHEN I RETURNED TO MY CAR TO LEAVE, I PRESSED ON THE CLUTCH AND IT JUST STAY DOWN ON THE FLOOR. AFTER THE CAR COOL IT SEEMED TO WORK PROPERLY THE NEXT DAY BU…

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2004 NISSAN ALTIMA 5 SPD MANUAL CLUTCH. LAST WEDNESDAY I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND NOTICED THE CLUTCH WAS GETTING LOWER AND LOWER TO THE FLOOR. I MADE IT TO MY DESTINATION BUT WHEN I RETURNED TO MY CAR TO LEAVE, I PRESSED ON THE CLUTCH AND IT JUST STAY DOWN ON THE FLOOR. AFTER THE CAR COOL IT SEEMED TO WORK PROPERLY THE NEXT DAY BUT NOW IT IS HARD TO GO INTO 1ST GEAR AND THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE TO GO INTO 2ND ALL OTHER GEARS SEEM OKAY. CURRENTLY I HAVE ONLY SEARCHED ONLINE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE WAS HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND THERE APPEARS TO BE MANY. I DO NOT HAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR A MECHANIC BILL, ACTUALLY TODAY I ONLY HAVE 15.00 TO MY NAME. THIS IS MY ONLY MEANS TO GET TO MY JOB THAT PAYS HALF MY BILLS AND AT THIS TIME I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10339613

Mileage unknown · May 12, 2010
Power Train

2004 ALTIMA CLUTCH LOOSES PRESSURE AND UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10330219

93,000 miles · Sep 18, 2009
Power Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. GEAR SLIPPAGE HAS INCREASED THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. A LOCAL MECHANIC FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION; HOWEVER, AFTER THE REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED. NO REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURE. THE MANU…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. GEAR SLIPPAGE HAS INCREASED THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. A LOCAL MECHANIC FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION; HOWEVER, AFTER THE REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED. NO REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

NHTSA ODI #10284534

58,000 miles · Mar 21, 2009
Electrical SystemPower Train

WE PURCHASED A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA FROM CRATE LAKE MAZDA, MEDFORD, OR JAN 31,2009. TWO WEEKS AFTER WE HAD THE VEHICLE IT STARTED TO BUCK AND ACT LIKE IT WANTED DIE WHEN YOU STOPPED AT A LIGHT. WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE SALES PERSON THAT SOLD US THE CAR AND WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO WARRANTY WE HAD TO PAY. WE TOOK IT TA A ME…

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WE PURCHASED A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA FROM CRATE LAKE MAZDA, MEDFORD, OR JAN 31,2009. TWO WEEKS AFTER WE HAD THE VEHICLE IT STARTED TO BUCK AND ACT LIKE IT WANTED DIE WHEN YOU STOPPED AT A LIGHT. WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE SALES PERSON THAT SOLD US THE CAR AND WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO WARRANTY WE HAD TO PAY. WE TOOK IT TA A MECHANIC AND THEN WENT BACK TO DEALER AND HE DIDN'T SEEM INTERESTED IN HELPING WE WERE MADE TO FEEL IT WAS OUR FAULT. I THEN CALLED NISSAN AND FOUND OUT THAT WERE 2 RECALLS OUT ON THIS CAR. THE ONE WAS FOR A POWER VALVE FAILURE WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG WITH OUR VEHICLE. THIS ENDED UP COSTING US $785.00. WE HAD NOT EVEN MADE THE FIRST PAYMENT ON THIS CAR. WE THOUGHT WE HAD PURCHASED A GOOD CAR AND WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS WHOLE MESS. WE ARE SENIORS AND ON A LIMITED INCOME THIS REPAIR WAS RATHER DEVASTATING TO US. OUR MECHANIC USED ALL NISSAN FACTORY PARTS AND TO THEIR SPECS. THIS HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY THE NISSAN DEALER IN GRANTS PASS, OR. SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY OUTSTANDING RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND ALL OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10262651

50,000 miles · Jan 13, 2009
Power Train

CLUTCH DOESN'T RE-ENGAGE AND DROPS TO FLOOR ON HOT DAYS IF USING THE CLUTCH A LOT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10254912

44,000 miles · May 5, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. ON A FEW OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE GEARS SLIPPED AND JOLTED WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, DIMMED BRIEFLY, AND HAS REMAINED ILLUMINATED EVER SINCE. HER VIN WAS N…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. ON A FEW OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE GEARS SLIPPED AND JOLTED WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, DIMMED BRIEFLY, AND HAS REMAINED ILLUMINATED EVER SINCE. HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V242000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

NHTSA ODI #10226686

Official recalls

1

06V242000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Jul 7, 2006

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE, THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR IS AFFECTED BY TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, THESE VARIATIONS IN TEMPERATURE CAN BE LARGE ENOUGH TO CAUSE A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM THE SENSOR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL FROM THE SENSOR IS SO BRIEF THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) LOGIC DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO DIAGNOSE THE CONDITION, THE ENGINE MAY STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT A LOW SPEED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ECM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 21, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

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