IllustrationI AM UNABLE TO START MY CAR DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK. MY KEY FOB WORKS PERFECTLY FINE AND I DID NOT DO ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY WHEN I WENT TO START MY CAR YET I CANNOT DRIVE IT AND I AM STUCK IN THE FRIGID COLD IN FRONT OF MY JOB.
2009 Nissan Altima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Altima years
Owner complaints for the 2009 Nissan Altima are substantially higher than 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
890–25K
17025–50K
30750–75K
29375–100K
306100–150K
74150K+
1,239 reports with mileage · 308 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.
- Steering. Review the 859 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 466 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 107 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
36 crash reports8 fire reports19 injury reports
Steering complaints
859 reportsARRIVED AT A GAS STATION TO FUEL UP, AFTER I WAS DONE THE CAR WOULDN'T START. COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE STEERING LOCK PUMP (WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE PUSH TO START MECHANISM) IS WORN OUT WHICH STOPS THE CAR TO TURN ON
DEC 2 2016..ON MY WAY TO WORK AT 5AM CAR WOULD NOT START AT GAS PUMP AFTER ALL FAIL ATTEMPT TO START EVEN BY NISSIAN PRO..CAR WAS TOWED..ONE HOUR TO REPAIR 880 DOLLAR STEERING LOCK..LOST 2 DAY PAY.. NEVER RECIEVED EXTENDED WARRANTY YET WAS TOLD CAR HAS 65000 EXCELLENT CONDITION SO I THOUGHT..NISSIAN NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE
NISSAN ALTIMA 2009 HAS A DEFECTIVE STEERING LOCK SYSTEM. SUDDENLY THIS EVENING AFTER WORK WHEN I GET BACK TO THE CAR, IT JUST DID NOT START. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ANY REMOTE PLACE AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED. I SEE THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET BUT NISSA…
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NISSAN ALTIMA 2009 HAS A DEFECTIVE STEERING LOCK SYSTEM. SUDDENLY THIS EVENING AFTER WORK WHEN I GET BACK TO THE CAR, IT JUST DID NOT START. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ANY REMOTE PLACE AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED. I SEE THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET BUT NISSAN HAS NOT RECALLED THIS CAR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS. THEY SHOULD EITHER REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART OF JUST REPLACE THE CAR.
PARKED CAR AT A PLANET FITNESS BECAUSE MY 6 YEAR OLD AUTISTIC DAUGHTER WAS HAVING A MELTDOWN. WHEN THAT WAS ALL AND DONE WITH WE COME BACK TO THE CAR AND IT WILL NOT TURN ON. THE NO KEY ICON COMES ON THE LEFT TOP SIDE THE LOCK SIGN IS BLINKING, AND NO KEY IN THE MIDDLE RED SIGN. . MY CHILDREN AND I ARE STRANDED. *TR
POWER STEERING LOCK, HAS BROKE AGAIN AFTER BEING FIXED JUST 50,000 MILES BEFORE. IT IS TIME FOR A RECALL. THIS HAPPENED IN SITUATION WHERE I COULD DO NOTHING TO FIX IT. GETTING A TOW AND A BILL OF OVER 1000 IS NOT MY VERSION OF A GOOD DAY. RECALL!!
THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE THE CAR SHUT OFF CAUSING IT TO STEER HARD. THEN CAR WON'T START. IT COSTS $800+ TO FIX THE CAR. IT ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT.AND AT ONE TIME THIS PART HAD A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON IT THEN NISSAN CHANGED IT TO 6 YEARS WHEN THEY STARTED TO GET COMPLAINTS. OUR CAR RAN OUT OF THE WARRAN…
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THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE THE CAR SHUT OFF CAUSING IT TO STEER HARD. THEN CAR WON'T START. IT COSTS $800+ TO FIX THE CAR. IT ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT.AND AT ONE TIME THIS PART HAD A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON IT THEN NISSAN CHANGED IT TO 6 YEARS WHEN THEY STARTED TO GET COMPLAINTS. OUR CAR RAN OUT OF THE WARRANTY IN JULY BUT WE DIDN'T RECEIVE A NOTIFICATION ABOUT IT . LUCKILY WE WAS ABLE TO BYPASS THE STEERING LOCK. SOMEONE NEEDS TO CHECK NISSAN ALTIMA'S CAR ACCIDENT DEATHS BECAUSE THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS CAR WRECK AND I PREDICT THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. NISSAN NEEDS TO RECALL THIS DEFECTIVE PART.
NISSAN ALTIMA 2009 PARKED ON SIDE OF ROAD IN ORDER TO CHANGE DRIVERS. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK ACTIVATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND EMOTIONALLY DAMAGING EXPERIENCE. WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN EASY ROUTINE CHANGE TO AN EXPERIENCED DRIVE…
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NISSAN ALTIMA 2009 PARKED ON SIDE OF ROAD IN ORDER TO CHANGE DRIVERS. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK ACTIVATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND EMOTIONALLY DAMAGING EXPERIENCE. WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN EASY ROUTINE CHANGE TO AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER IN AN UNKNOWN NEIGHBORHOOD RESULTED IN PASSENGERS BEING STRANDED AND REQUIRING ASSISTANCE TO CONTACT AND WAIT FOR A TOW-TRUCK FOR AN OTHERWISE FUNCTIONING VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ULTIMATELY BROUGHT TO NISSAN FOR REPAIRS (AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS) WITH ESTIMATED COST OF $1290. COMPARED TO THE LISTED KBB PRICE OF THE VEHICLE AT $6442, THE COSTS FOR REPAIR IS ABOUT 20% OF THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS LATER INFORMED US THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY (WHICH WAS EXTENDED FOR A PERIOD OF 6 YEARS UP TO 2015 AS NISSAN WAS AWARE OF THE ESCL DEFECT FOR OUR VIN) AND WILL NOT ASSIST WITH REPAIRS. *TR
RECENTLY MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA EXPERIENCE A STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE THAT LEFT MY CAR INCOMPACITATED (UNABLE TO START) AND LEFT ME IN FREEZING COLD TEMPERATURES.
TAKATA RECALL, DEFECT STEERING LOCK UNIT, UNABLE TO START ENGINE! AFTER PARKED NISSAN 2009 ALTIMA AT A SHOPPING MALL, "NOKEY" LIGHT IS ON, CAR CAN BE LOCK AND UNLOCK THROUGH REMOTE CONTROL KEY, BUT NO DISPLAY INFORMATION VISIBLE AT THE DASH BOARD, WHEEL IS LOCKED AND UNABLE TO SWITCH GEAR. NOTHING CAN BE DONE TO THE CAR!
Official recalls
410V401000 · Equipment:electrical:navigational System(global Positioning System)
Sep 10, 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY GARMIN TECHNICIANS BY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND INSERTING A SPACER ON TOP OF THE BATTERY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN DIRECTLY AT 1-866-957-1981 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
09V358000 · Suspension
Sep 16, 2009
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 ALTIMA AND MAXIMA PASSENGER CARS. THE UPPER FRONT STRUT INSULATORS MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED OUT OF SPECIFICATION RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT INSULATOR TO CRACK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE STRUT INSULATOR IS CRACKED, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT ROD TO COME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING POSITION, WHICH COULD AFFECT VEHICLE STABILITY AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FRONT STRUT INSULATORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-NISSAN1 (1-800-647-7261).
09V006000 · Structure:body:door
Jan 9, 2009
NISSAN IS RECALLING 225 MY 2009 ALTIMA VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 214, "SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION WELD ON THE DOOR ASSEMBLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
Remedy: ALL THE AFFECTED VEHICLES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIPS AND REMEDIED AT THE FACTORY. NO VEHICLES HAD BEEN RETAILED.
08V464000 · Wheels
Sep 15, 2008
NISSAN IS RECALLING 3,403 MY 2009 ALTIMA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 16-INCH ALLOY WHEELS. SOME THESE WHEELS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO SPECIFICATION. THIS COULD CAUSE ONE OR MORE OF THE FIVE LUG NUTS ATTACHING THE WHEEL TO THE VEHICLE TO BECOME LOOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE LUG NUTS BECOME LOOSE, IT COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF IT IS EQUIPPED WITH ONE OF THE AFFECTED WHEELS. IF IT IS, THE WHEELS WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEW ONES THAT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATION. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING SEPTEMBER 2008. 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.