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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

What owners actually said

1,091 reports
122,500 miles · Sep 30, 2016
Structure

DRIVER SIDE FLOOR BOARD RUSTED THROUGH.

NHTSA ODI #10910710

Mileage unknown · Sep 27, 2016
Vehicle Speed Control

THE CAR PICK UP TO SLOW AND THEN START PICKING UP LITTLE BY LITTLE

NHTSA ODI #10910045

113,000 miles · Sep 24, 2016
Structure

BROUGHT MY 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA TO MECHANIC FOR SERVICE. HE NOTICED BOTH DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARDS ROTTED OUT. EACH SIDE HAS A 6" - 8" WIDE X ~18" LONG RECTANGULAR HOLE IN THE FLOORBOARD UNDERNEATH THE CARPET. YOU ARE ABLE TO PUSH UP ON THE CARPET FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE ON BOTH SIDES. THE ONLY THING SEPARATIN…

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BROUGHT MY 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA TO MECHANIC FOR SERVICE. HE NOTICED BOTH DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARDS ROTTED OUT. EACH SIDE HAS A 6" - 8" WIDE X ~18" LONG RECTANGULAR HOLE IN THE FLOORBOARD UNDERNEATH THE CARPET. YOU ARE ABLE TO PUSH UP ON THE CARPET FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE ON BOTH SIDES. THE ONLY THING SEPARATING THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER'S FEET FROM THE ROAD IN THESE AREAS IS THE CARPETING.

NHTSA ODI #10909461

58,000 miles · Sep 21, 2016
Fuel/propulsion System

VEHICLE ENGINE STOPED WHILE APPROACHING TRAFFIC LIGHT.WAS A LITTLE LATE IN STARTING UP AGAIN.IT JUST DIED.WENT TO AUTOZONE,GAVE ME A CODE PO335,WHICH INDICATED A FAULT IN THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR.CALL THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER AND ASKED FOR A ECM REPROGRAMING,WHICH IS COVERED ON RECALL RO606,NOTHING WAS DONE.PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ODI #10908454

Mileage unknown · Sep 20, 2016
Engine

WHEN I AM AT A LIGHT MY CAR JUST TURNS OFF

NHTSA ODI #10908110

105,000 miles · Sep 18, 2016
Structure

MY ALTIMA IS WELL MAINTAINED CAR BOUGHT ALL NEW FROM NISSAN DEALERSHIP. STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA NEEDS STATE INSPECTION DONE EVERY YEAR AND THIS YEAR MY ALTIMA FAILED SAFETY INSPECTION. MEANING, MY CAR IS DEEMED NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON THE STREET BECAUSE OF NISSAN ALTIMA'S DESIGN FLAW MAKING FLOOR-BOARD BEHIND FRONT WHEELS GO RUSTED. …

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MY ALTIMA IS WELL MAINTAINED CAR BOUGHT ALL NEW FROM NISSAN DEALERSHIP. STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA NEEDS STATE INSPECTION DONE EVERY YEAR AND THIS YEAR MY ALTIMA FAILED SAFETY INSPECTION. MEANING, MY CAR IS DEEMED NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON THE STREET BECAUSE OF NISSAN ALTIMA'S DESIGN FLAW MAKING FLOOR-BOARD BEHIND FRONT WHEELS GO RUSTED. I USE THE CAR TO COMMUTE EVERYDAY TO WORK, UNKNOWINGLY EXPOSING MYSELF TO UNFORESEEN DANGER. NISSAN SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THIS COMMON ISSUE HAPPENING TO MANY OTHER CONSUMERS BEFORE ANY LIFE THREATENING INCIDENT OCCUR TO THEIR SO CALLED "CUSTOMERS".

NHTSA ODI #10907418

Mileage unknown · Sep 13, 2016
Power Train

VEHICLE BRIEFLY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING BEGINNING 2014, LIKE A HICK-UP, INTERRUPTION OF POWER. HOWEVER IT WOULD CONTINUE. NO REAL PROBLEMS AT FIRST. THEN, BEGAN TO COMPLETELY POWER OFF, DIFFICULT TO RESTART AND I'D LOSE AUTO TRANSMISSION FUNCTION AND HAVE TO MANUALLY SHIFT WHICH BUCKED EVERY GEAR. PARK IT FOR A WHILE, RESTART AN…

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VEHICLE BRIEFLY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING BEGINNING 2014, LIKE A HICK-UP, INTERRUPTION OF POWER. HOWEVER IT WOULD CONTINUE. NO REAL PROBLEMS AT FIRST. THEN, BEGAN TO COMPLETELY POWER OFF, DIFFICULT TO RESTART AND I'D LOSE AUTO TRANSMISSION FUNCTION AND HAVE TO MANUALLY SHIFT WHICH BUCKED EVERY GEAR. PARK IT FOR A WHILE, RESTART AND IT'D DRIVE JUST FINE UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS WARM THEN IT'D POWER OFF...ALL OVER AGAIN.. MECHANIC STATED IT WAS THE TCM. REPLACED IT, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF, SEEMED FINE. NOW IT'S STALLING AND SAME ISSUES WITH TRANNY. NOW PULLING A CAMSHAFT SENSOR CODE. UGH! I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED IN 2014 AND IT'S ONLY BEEN DRIVABLE FOR 3 MONTHS. THE BIGGEST PAIN IN MY [XXX]. SHOULD'VE BOUGHT A HORSE INSTEAD. NISSAN YOU MANUFACTURE [XXX]POOR PRODUCTS KNOWINGLY AND HIDE!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10906004

90,000 miles · Sep 13, 2016
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

AN EXISTING RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE SHOULD INCLUDE THE 3.5L ENGINE AS WELL AS CAMSHAFT/CRANKSHAFT AND TCM. ALL CAUSE SIMILAR LIFE-THREATENING SYMPTOMS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY POWERS COMPLETELY OFF BRIEFLY LOSING ALL POWER TO LIGHTS ETC, DECELERATE RAPIDLY AND YOU LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND SPEED CONTROL. VEHICLES COME U…

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AN EXISTING RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE SHOULD INCLUDE THE 3.5L ENGINE AS WELL AS CAMSHAFT/CRANKSHAFT AND TCM. ALL CAUSE SIMILAR LIFE-THREATENING SYMPTOMS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY POWERS COMPLETELY OFF BRIEFLY LOSING ALL POWER TO LIGHTS ETC, DECELERATE RAPIDLY AND YOU LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND SPEED CONTROL. VEHICLES COME UP ON YOU QUICKLY AT NIGHT AND EVEN IF YOU GET THE VEHICLE RESTARTED YOU HAVE NO POWER IN TRANSMISSION AND MERELY LIMP ON AT AN IDLE SPEED. VERY VERY DANGEROUS. WHY IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL 2007 RECALL IS NISSAN TRYING TO SAVE A BUCK. THEY USED THE SAME MFG & SAME PARTS AS IN THE 2.5L. THEY KNOWINGLY WITHHELD IT FROM BEING INCLUDED. I ALSO CONTACTED THEM ABOUT THE TCM. KEEP IN MIND THE WERE BITING THEIR NAILS AFTER BEING PRESENTED WITH A CLASS ACTION SUITE REGARDING THE DEFECTIVE TCM. LUCKILY FOR THEM IT WAS DISMISSED TEMPORARILY. BUT THEY NEVER MENTIONED ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WHEN THEY RESPONDED TO ME AND NEVER OFFERED ANY RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10905980

230,000 miles · Sep 11, 2016
Engine

TAKATA RECALL MY 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING.I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT ON A CITY STREET...

NHTSA ODI #10905658

Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 2016
Exterior Lighting

I BOUGHT THIS '05 ALTIMA ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. I DON'T DRIVE AT NIGHT A LOT BUT WHEN I DID FOR THE 1ST TIME, I NOTICED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE IN THE TREES. I FOUND AN ADJUSTMENT SCREW ON BACK OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND FOUND THAT WHEN I ADJUSTED IT, IT TURNED BOTH THE HI AND LOW BEAMS DOWN. WHEN THE LOW BEAMS CAME CLOSE T…

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I BOUGHT THIS '05 ALTIMA ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. I DON'T DRIVE AT NIGHT A LOT BUT WHEN I DID FOR THE 1ST TIME, I NOTICED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE IN THE TREES. I FOUND AN ADJUSTMENT SCREW ON BACK OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND FOUND THAT WHEN I ADJUSTED IT, IT TURNED BOTH THE HI AND LOW BEAMS DOWN. WHEN THE LOW BEAMS CAME CLOSE TO LEVEL- THE HI BEAMS WERE NOW HITTING THE GROUND 15 FT IN FRONT OF THE CAR. I FOUND A RECALL # ON LINE FOR THIS VERY ISSUE DATING BACK TO BLOGS IN LATE 2004. IT'S # 07E087000. SUNNYVALE (CA) NISSAN TURNED ME AWAY THIS MORNING SAYING THAT BASED ON MY VIN- THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS A HAZARD AS I HAVE LITTLE LIGHT ON THE ROAD AT NIGHT UNLESS I DRIVE WITH MY BRIGHTS ON. CAN YOU HELP? THANKS *TR

NHTSA ODI #10904787

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.

Go deeper into Nissan Altima problems