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2011 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2011 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

173 reports with mileage · 68 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports5 fire reports7 injury reports

Engine complaints

36 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 2015
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY AND SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10749987

86,069 miles · Mar 18, 2015
EngineFuel/propulsion System

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LIT ON THE DASHBOARD. THE ASSOCIATED ENGINE CODE WAS P2A00 AND BOTH THE UPSTREAM (AIR/FUEL RATIO) AND DOWNSTREAM (OXYGEN) AIR SENSORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR COST CLOSE TO $1,000 PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS AFTER MANY OTHER COSTLY REPAIRS, INCLUDING MOST RECENTLY ANOTHER FILING WITH THE NHTSA REGARDING …

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THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LIT ON THE DASHBOARD. THE ASSOCIATED ENGINE CODE WAS P2A00 AND BOTH THE UPSTREAM (AIR/FUEL RATIO) AND DOWNSTREAM (OXYGEN) AIR SENSORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR COST CLOSE TO $1,000 PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS AFTER MANY OTHER COSTLY REPAIRS, INCLUDING MOST RECENTLY ANOTHER FILING WITH THE NHTSA REGARDING ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM WHERE THE RACK & PINION HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHILE THE CAR HAS A LOT OF MILES, THEY'RE MAINLY HIGHWAY MILES AND THE CAR HAS BEEN EXTREMELY WELL MAINTAINED. ADDITIONALLY PLEASE NOTE: THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED ~33K MILES AGO. DURING THIS REPLACEMENT, SUPPOSEDLY, THE AFOREMENTIONED SENSORS SHOULD'VE BEEN CHECKED AND POSSIBLY REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10695205

65 miles · Nov 12, 2014
Air BagsEngineStructureCrash

I WAS IN A BUMPER TO BUMPER ACCIDENT AND THE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS SMOOCHED IN. MY CHEST HIT THE STEERING WHEEL (MY SEAT BELT WAS BUCKLED) KNOCKING THE AIR OUT OF ME, BUT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR. EVERY TIME WE GET IT BACK W…

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I WAS IN A BUMPER TO BUMPER ACCIDENT AND THE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS SMOOCHED IN. MY CHEST HIT THE STEERING WHEEL (MY SEAT BELT WAS BUCKLED) KNOCKING THE AIR OUT OF ME, BUT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR. EVERY TIME WE GET IT BACK WE GET THE SAME ANSWER "WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE SENSOR". WE RECENTLY TOOK OUR CAR IN 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND WE ASKED THEM IF OUR CAR WAS ON THE AIR BAG RECALL LIST THAT WAS ALL OVER THE NEWS. THEY TOLD US NOT TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING BECAUSE OUR CAR WAS NOT ON THAT LIST. I ENDED UP IN URGENT CARE AFTER THE ACCIDENT WITH MUSCLES SPASMS AND A BRUISED CHEST. WHY DIDN'T MY AIRBAGS GO OFF?! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10654579

60,022 miles · Feb 27, 2014
Engine

WHILE DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC, THE CAR STARTED TO STALL. DRIVER PARKED THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WALKED TO WORK TO AVOID HAVING THE CAR DIE IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. NONE OF THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RETRIEVE THE CAR THAT EVENING, IT COULD NOT BE STARTED AND HAD T…

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WHILE DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC, THE CAR STARTED TO STALL. DRIVER PARKED THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WALKED TO WORK TO AVOID HAVING THE CAR DIE IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. NONE OF THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RETRIEVE THE CAR THAT EVENING, IT COULD NOT BE STARTED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO A MECHANIC. DESPITE BEING ONLY 3-YEARS OLD AND HAVING GONE JUST 60,022 MILES, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE CAR HAD A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK! THE ENGINE HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED INCLUDING OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10566407

26,000 miles · Jun 4, 2013
EngineFire

I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, THE STEERING BECAME DISABLED AND THE CAR COASTED TO A STOP. WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, IT IMMEDIATELY TURNED BLACK AND 60 SECONDS AFTER THE CAR LOST POWER IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10515044

10,440 miles · Aug 11, 2012
Electrical SystemEngineExterior Lighting

WHEN DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS AND HEADLAMPS & RUNNING LIGHTS CAME ON, AND VEHICLE BECAME TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE, STRANDING DRIVER & RUNNING DOWN BATTERY DUE TO INABILITY TO TURN ANY LIGHTS OFF OR TURN VEHICLE OFF. NO CONTROLS RELATED TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WERE CONTROLLABLE.…

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WHEN DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS AND HEADLAMPS & RUNNING LIGHTS CAME ON, AND VEHICLE BECAME TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE, STRANDING DRIVER & RUNNING DOWN BATTERY DUE TO INABILITY TO TURN ANY LIGHTS OFF OR TURN VEHICLE OFF. NO CONTROLS RELATED TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WERE CONTROLLABLE. SOME EXAMPLES INCLUDE: 1. POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCHES DID NOT FUNCTION (NO EFFECT FROM PRESSING). 2. POWER WINDOW SWITCHES DID NOT FUNCTION (NO EFFECT FROM PRESSING). 3. PRESSING THE VEHICLE POWER / IGNITION BUTTON (MODERN EQUIVALENT OF STARTING KEY SWITCH) DID NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT, WHETHER SHORT OR LONG DURATION PRESSES WERE USED, AND REGARDLESS OF DELAY BETWEEN KEY PRESSES. 4. HEADLIGHTS & RUNNING LIGHTS WERE ON REGARDLESS OF THE SWITCH POSITION OF THE HEADLIGHT CONTROL SWITCH. THIS RESULTED IN THE DRIVER BEING STRANDED. BECAUSE THE VEHICLE'S LIGHTING WOULD NOT TURN OFF, THE BATTERY RAN DOWN, DISABLING THE VEHICLE FURTHER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A NISSAN DEALER. NISSAN SERVICEMAN INITIALLY REFUSED TO WRITE THE CUSTOMER PROBLEM DESCRIPTION AS PER THE CUSTOMER DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM. LATER, CUSTOMER CALLED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REQUEST THE CUSTOMER DESCRIPTION INCLUDE SPECIFIC AND CORRECT INFORMATION ALREADY PROVIDED BY THE CUSTOMER SUCH AS VEHICLE WAS "COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE WHILE ALL THE WARNING LIGHT CAME [REMAINED TURNED] ON THE VEHICLE. DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK.", THE DEALER REPORTED THAT THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN FOUND TSB NTB12-041. DEALER RECORD READS: "REPROGRAMMED [SIC] BCM UPDATE AS PER TSB. VEHICLE IS NOW OPERATING AS DESIGNED [SIC] AFTER UPDATE." VEHICLE HAS FUNCTIONED NORMALLY SINCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10470271

Official recalls

1

11V371000 · Suspension

Jul 19, 2011

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN ALTIMA SEDAN VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 25, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 10, 2011 AT THE CANTON, MISSISSIPPI PLANT. THE TRANSVERSE LINK BOLT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TORQUED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE BOLT TO BECOME LOOSE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, CREATING A RATTLING NOISE AND VIBRATION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE BOLT COMES OUT COMPLETELY, THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: NISSAN WILL REPLACE THE TRANSVERSE LINK BOLTS AND NUTS AND TIGHTEN THEM TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 8, 2011. 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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