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2005 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Altima years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Nissan Altima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 231.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

908 reports with mileage · 183 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.

  • Structure. Review the 351 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 259 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 141 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

48 crash reports18 fire reports44 injury reports

Visibility complaints

14 reports
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7,000 miles · Feb 13, 2006
Visibility

I BOUGHT A NISSAN ALTIMA JULY 2005. ON DECEMBER WHEN THE WEATHER IN FLORIDA START TO BE NICE I OPEN THE SUNROOF AND IT START MAKING A RATTLING NOISE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, THE FIRST TIME THEY SAID THAT IT NEED TO GO TO THE BODY SHOP TO BE FIX, THE SECOND APPT. WAS AT THE BODY SHOP THEY CALL ME AND SAID THAT IT WAS FIXE…

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I BOUGHT A NISSAN ALTIMA JULY 2005. ON DECEMBER WHEN THE WEATHER IN FLORIDA START TO BE NICE I OPEN THE SUNROOF AND IT START MAKING A RATTLING NOISE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, THE FIRST TIME THEY SAID THAT IT NEED TO GO TO THE BODY SHOP TO BE FIX, THE SECOND APPT. WAS AT THE BODY SHOP THEY CALL ME AND SAID THAT IT WAS FIXED. WHILE DRIVING BACK HOME, THE NOISE WAS THERE I TOOK IT THE NEXT MORNING AND AFTER 4 DAYS NOW THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT THE RAIL IS BENT AND THE SUNROOF ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AND IT IS NOT A DEFECT FROM THE CAR SO IT IS NOT UNDER THE WARRANTY. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 9,000 MILES AND THEY DON'T WANT TO COVER SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED UNDER THE FIRST YEAR WARRANTY. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10150078

4,000 miles · Feb 1, 2006
Fuel System, GasolineSeatsVisibility

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE GAUGES THAT TURN ON THE DEFROSTER CAUSE THE DRIVER TO TAKE THEIR EYES OFF OF THE ROAD. THE GAS CAP IS AT AN AWKWARD ANGLE AND TOO HARD TO TURN. THE CONTACT HAS BACK PROBLEMS AND MUST SIT IN THE DRIVER SEAT AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO BE TOO CLOSE TO THE AIRBAG. UPDATED 03/17/06. …

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE GAUGES THAT TURN ON THE DEFROSTER CAUSE THE DRIVER TO TAKE THEIR EYES OFF OF THE ROAD. THE GAS CAP IS AT AN AWKWARD ANGLE AND TOO HARD TO TURN. THE CONTACT HAS BACK PROBLEMS AND MUST SIT IN THE DRIVER SEAT AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO BE TOO CLOSE TO THE AIRBAG. UPDATED 03/17/06. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10149213

Mileage unknown · Dec 23, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolinePower Train

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND CLUSTER MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH LESS THAN 800 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A PINGING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE MID SECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY STATED THIS NOISE WAS NORMAL. A LOCAL MECHANIC DETERMINED IT WAS A BROKEN CATALYTIC CONVERTER.…

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DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND CLUSTER MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH LESS THAN 800 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A PINGING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE MID SECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY STATED THIS NOISE WAS NORMAL. A LOCAL MECHANIC DETERMINED IT WAS A BROKEN CATALYTIC CONVERTER. BASED ON COMPLAINTS ON A WEBSITE SHE FELT THAT A CLAMP NUT MAY BE LOOSE. THIS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER 90 MINUTES IN THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT BECAME DIZZY BY WHAT SHE FELT MAY BE RELATED TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE TRANSMISSION JERKED, AND HESITATED IN LOW GEARS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER PARTIALLY DEFROSTS THE DRIVER'S SIDE, BUT DID NOT WORK AT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE DEFROSTER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10145995

Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2004
Visibility

CORRESOPNDENCE I WILL MAIL TO YOU DESCRIBES WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE DEFECTIVE UNSAFE AND UNHEALTHY'AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM OF THE 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. NAMELY FOR 3 AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL POSITIONS THE AIR CONDITIONING CANNOT BE SHUT OFF WITHOUT UNSAFELY STOPPING THE CAR'S ENGINE; THIS UNSAFE PROCEDURE IS ACTUALLY DOCUMENTED IN T…

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CORRESOPNDENCE I WILL MAIL TO YOU DESCRIBES WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE DEFECTIVE UNSAFE AND UNHEALTHY'AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM OF THE 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. NAMELY FOR 3 AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL POSITIONS THE AIR CONDITIONING CANNOT BE SHUT OFF WITHOUT UNSAFELY STOPPING THE CAR'S ENGINE; THIS UNSAFE PROCEDURE IS ACTUALLY DOCUMENTED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10091299

Official recalls

1

07V527000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Nov 14, 2007

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR CAN OVERHEAT CAUSING A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM THE SENSOR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL FROM THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION 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. CERTAIN MY 2006 ALTIMAS WHICH HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY REMEDIED UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN 06V223 (NISSAN R0606) ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL SINCE THE REPROGRAMMING FOR 06V223 ALSO INCLUDED THIS REPROGRAMMING. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 31, 2007. 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.

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