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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

Exterior Lighting complaints

2 reports
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23,000 miles · Jul 30, 2013
Electrical SystemExterior LightingCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A POLE BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE WHILE TRYING TO PULL OVER AND PARK THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE LATER COULD NOT BE SHUT OFF USING THE PUSH-TO-START BUTTO…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A POLE BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE WHILE TRYING TO PULL OVER AND PARK THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE LATER COULD NOT BE SHUT OFF USING THE PUSH-TO-START BUTTON. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO T REPROGRAMMED THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.

NHTSA ODI #10532705

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.

Go deeper into Nissan Altima problems