ALL FOUR OF DOOR LOCKS FAILED, WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK PLUS 1 WINDOW FAILED, WILL NOT LOWER.
2010 Nissan Altima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2010 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
271 reports with mileage · 109 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
74 reportsWHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAY WITH THE PUSH BUTTON START IT WOULD NOT RESPOND. I TESTED THE BATTERY WHICH IS ONLY 1 YEAR OLD AND IS IN GOOD CONDITION. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP (NISSAN LEGACY) WHO REPORTED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE SWITCH AND HARNESS WHICH NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE READY ONLINE THAT THERE …
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WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAY WITH THE PUSH BUTTON START IT WOULD NOT RESPOND. I TESTED THE BATTERY WHICH IS ONLY 1 YEAR OLD AND IS IN GOOD CONDITION. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP (NISSAN LEGACY) WHO REPORTED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE SWITCH AND HARNESS WHICH NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE READY ONLINE THAT THERE WERE MULTIPLE INCIDENTS WITH THIS HAPPENING TO THIS MAKE AND MODEL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE ABS AND VDC WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS JUMPSTARTED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAG…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE ABS AND VDC WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS JUMPSTARTED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.
I HAVE A 2010 ALTIMA THAT HAS THE SAME SAFETY PROBLEM AS HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THIS WEB SITE AND MANY OTHER AUTOMOTIVE COMPLAINT WEB SITES MANY, MANY TIMES (NOT ONLY FOR THIS NISSAN PRODUCT BUT VARIOUS NISSAN PRODUCTS OF EARLIER YEARS). NAMELY, THE SWITCH THAT OPERATES THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILS INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN IT FAILS THE BR…
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I HAVE A 2010 ALTIMA THAT HAS THE SAME SAFETY PROBLEM AS HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THIS WEB SITE AND MANY OTHER AUTOMOTIVE COMPLAINT WEB SITES MANY, MANY TIMES (NOT ONLY FOR THIS NISSAN PRODUCT BUT VARIOUS NISSAN PRODUCTS OF EARLIER YEARS). NAMELY, THE SWITCH THAT OPERATES THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILS INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN IT FAILS THE BRAKE LIGHTS WON'T ILLUMINATE WHEN THE DRIVER STEPS ON THE BRAKE. THIS IS A REAR END COLLISION WAITING TO HAPPEN! DOES THE NHTSA HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED BEFORE REQUIRING A MANUFACTURER TO FIX A DEFECT THAT BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND NHTSA KNEW ABOUT FOR SEVERAL YEARS? TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS ARE DISABLED POSING AN ADDITIONAL SAFETY RISK. TO MAKE MATTER WORSE, WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS THE CAR WON'T START. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE STUCK IN A DARK, DESERTED AREA AT 2 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING WHEN YOUR CAR DECIDED NOT TO START? AS I SAID BEFORE, THE MANUFACTURER HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS. IN RESPONSE TO THE DELUGE OF CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS, IN NOVEMBER OF 2010 NISSAN ACKNOWLEDGED THE DEFECT BY ISSUING A TSB (NTB10-139) TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT INVOLVES A DIFFERENT STOP LAMP SWITCH AND A NEW ELECTRICAL HARNESS. THE COST TO IMPLEMENT THE TSB IS BORNE BY THE CUSTOMER. MY DEALER WANTS $579 TO DO THIS! IN RESPONSE TO AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IT IS TIME FOR THE NHTSA TO ACT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. NISSAN SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT TSB NTB10-139 IN ALL NISSAN PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN THE DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AT NO COST TO THE CUSTOMER. UPDATED 9/28/15 *LN UPDATED 3/23/2016*JS UPDATED 12/5/2017*CN
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO START WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED. AT THE PRESENT TIME THE ABS LIGHT, SLIP AND VDC ARE NOW ILLUMINATED AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BLINK IF THERE IS A PROBLEM DRIVING IN WET ROAD CONDITIONS OR IT IS SLIPPERY. I HAVE READ …
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ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO START WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED. AT THE PRESENT TIME THE ABS LIGHT, SLIP AND VDC ARE NOW ILLUMINATED AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BLINK IF THERE IS A PROBLEM DRIVING IN WET ROAD CONDITIONS OR IT IS SLIPPERY. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE CAR NOT STARTING. IT TAKES SEVERAL TRIES IN ORDER TO GET THE CAR TO TURNOVER AND START. I BELIEVE THAT NISSAN NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE FURTHER AND ISSUE A RECALL FOR THESE VEHICLES.
THIS SPECIALLY ORDERED ALTIMA COUPE 3.5 WOULD NOT START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BEGINNING ONLY A YEAR OR SO AFTER IT WAS DELIVERED TO ME FROM THE FACTORY. EACH TIME, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO DEPRESS, AND THE CAR MADE CLICKING SOUNDS WHEN THE START PUSH BUTTON WAS PRESSED. SEVERAL JUMP STARTS AFTER THE FIRST TIME T…
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THIS SPECIALLY ORDERED ALTIMA COUPE 3.5 WOULD NOT START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BEGINNING ONLY A YEAR OR SO AFTER IT WAS DELIVERED TO ME FROM THE FACTORY. EACH TIME, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO DEPRESS, AND THE CAR MADE CLICKING SOUNDS WHEN THE START PUSH BUTTON WAS PRESSED. SEVERAL JUMP STARTS AFTER THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, ON A SUNDAY, I DECIDED TO TRY REPLACING THE BATTERY. BECAUSE NISSAN'S SERVICE CENTER WERE NOT OPEN IN MY AREA, I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY FROM A RETAIL STORE. WHEN I PHONED NISSAN'S SERVICE CENTER THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE I DID NOT BRING THE VEHICLE TO THEM (THEY WANTED THE ENTIRE CAR, NOT JUST THE BATTERY, EVEN THOUGH THE NISSAN SHOP WAS CLOSED), I WAS NOT ENTITLED TO A PRORATED REFUND ON THE OLD BATTERY. APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 - 2 YEARS LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM BEGAN TO HAPPEN AGAIN. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR OVER AN HOUR IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY, I SWUNG BY A NISSAN DEALER, WHO TESTED THE NEW BATTERY AND ADVISED THAT IT WAS AT ABOUT 40%. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN EVERYTHING OFF, INCLUDING THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS, BECAUSE "ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES DRAIN THE BATTERY." WHAT'S THE POINT IN HAVING AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS IF I HAVE TO SHUT THEM OFF? I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH A VEHICLE BEFORE, AND BATTERIES SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN THIS, ESPECIALLY IN A BRAND NEW CAR. WHEN THIS FIRST BEGAN OCCURRING, THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES ON IT. AT THIS TIME, THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 35,000 MILES ON IT. THE NISSAN DEALER WHO TESTED THE BATTERY TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL (AND I SEE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE), BUT THAT NISSAN IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR
PURCHASED USED CAR FROM INFINITI DEALER IN FORT MYERS FLORIDA. THREE DAYS LATER I WAS UNABLE TO GET A GAS GAUGE READING AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I WAITED A MINUTE AND THE CAR STARTED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 6 TIMES OUT OF THE 10 DAYS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. I AM READING OTHER COMPLAINTS AND FOUND THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2010 AL…
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PURCHASED USED CAR FROM INFINITI DEALER IN FORT MYERS FLORIDA. THREE DAYS LATER I WAS UNABLE TO GET A GAS GAUGE READING AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I WAITED A MINUTE AND THE CAR STARTED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 6 TIMES OUT OF THE 10 DAYS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. I AM READING OTHER COMPLAINTS AND FOUND THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2010 ALTIMA ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CAR NOT STARTING281. I THINK A CAR WITH 26,000 MILES SHOULD START WITHOUT A PROBLEM. *TR
THE CAR FAILED TO START BECAUSE THE BRAKE SWITCH AND THE ENTIRE HARNESS SUB FAILED. I HAD TO TOW AWAY THE CAR TO THE NEAREST NISSAN SHOWROOM AND WAS CHARGED $440 TO REPLACE HARNESS-SUB, SWITCH ASSY STO, BAND HOSE PLUS LABOR. PS: THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT NISSAN WONT REFUND MY MONEY. HOW CAN A VEHICLE JUST UNDER 50K FAIL F…
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THE CAR FAILED TO START BECAUSE THE BRAKE SWITCH AND THE ENTIRE HARNESS SUB FAILED. I HAD TO TOW AWAY THE CAR TO THE NEAREST NISSAN SHOWROOM AND WAS CHARGED $440 TO REPLACE HARNESS-SUB, SWITCH ASSY STO, BAND HOSE PLUS LABOR. PS: THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT NISSAN WONT REFUND MY MONEY. HOW CAN A VEHICLE JUST UNDER 50K FAIL FOR SUCH A THING IF NOT FOR A BAD FACTORY HARNESS. *TR
MY 2010 ALTIMA HAD BEEN GOING DEAD FOR THE LAST 3 DAYS. I HAVE TO GET A JUMP A JUMP IN THE AM FOR WORK AND AFTER WORK WHEN I LEAVE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE TO TEST THE BATTERY AND WAS TOLD THE BATTERY WAS EFFICIENT SO I AM PUZZLED AS TO WHY THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING. I WAS TOLD IT MAY BE THE ALTERNATOR. TODAY MY…
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MY 2010 ALTIMA HAD BEEN GOING DEAD FOR THE LAST 3 DAYS. I HAVE TO GET A JUMP A JUMP IN THE AM FOR WORK AND AFTER WORK WHEN I LEAVE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE TO TEST THE BATTERY AND WAS TOLD THE BATTERY WAS EFFICIENT SO I AM PUZZLED AS TO WHY THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING. I WAS TOLD IT MAY BE THE ALTERNATOR. TODAY MY CAR WOULDN'T START OR EVEN TAKE A JUMP FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE SO I WAS LEFT STUCK. I BELIEVE HERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS MAKE N MODEL FOR THESE ELECTRICAL ISSUES OR AT LEAST A DISCOUNT ON ALTERNATOR REPLACEMENTS AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR
PROBLEM WITH BATTERY GOING DEAD, I HAVE READ THERE IS A FAULT IN THE BCM NOT BEING PROGRAMMED PROPERLY. *TR
Official recalls
310V401000 · 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.
10V193000 · Structure
May 7, 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 ALTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 7, 2010 THROUGH APRIL 13, 2010. SOME OF THE FRONT SIDE MEMBER ASSEMBLY COMPONENTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WELDED TO SPECIFICATION DUE TO A TOOL MAINTENANCE ERROR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF SEVERAL STRUCTURAL WELDS ARE OUT OF SPECIFICATION ON A SINGLE VEHICLE, IT MAY HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE VEHICLE CRASH PERFORMANCE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 13, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT 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).
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.
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