IllustrationTAKATA RECALL , MY 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING, AND IT MAKES A WEIRD NOISE WHEN I START UP THE CAR
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.
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
410–25K
2325–50K
2750–75K
2775–100K
43100–150K
12150K+
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
What owners actually said
241 reportsOVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS THE STEERING IN MY CAR HAS GOTTEN TOUGH. I THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM, BEING THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS WORKING PROPERLY AND THE FLUID LEVEL WAS GOOD. YESTERDAY I WAS AT THE GAS STATION GETTING FUEL. AS I WAS DRIV…
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OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS THE STEERING IN MY CAR HAS GOTTEN TOUGH. I THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM, BEING THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS WORKING PROPERLY AND THE FLUID LEVEL WAS GOOD. YESTERDAY I WAS AT THE GAS STATION GETTING FUEL. AS I WAS DRIVING AWAY, THERE WAS A SOUND SIMILAR TO A BALLOON POPPING AND THE STEERING JERKED TO THE RIGHT, ALMOST HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THE STEERING IS SO TOUGH NOW THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND LOTS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THAT REASON. MY VIN DOESN'T SHOW A RECALL, BUT IT NEEDS TO.
THE STABILITY CONTROLS COME ON AND THEN THEY DON'T GO AWAY AND THE CAR DON'T RUN ANYMORE, IT TURNS ON AND CAR IS USELESS. THE STABILITY CONTROLS TURN ON AND DOESN'T TURN OFF AGAIN, I HAVE TO SHUT OFF THE ENTIRE CAR FOR MORE THAN 3 MINUTES AND WHEN I START IT BACK ON IT TURNS OFF. NOT EVEN THE SWITCH THAT SAY TURN OFF DOESN'T WOR…
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THE STABILITY CONTROLS COME ON AND THEN THEY DON'T GO AWAY AND THE CAR DON'T RUN ANYMORE, IT TURNS ON AND CAR IS USELESS. THE STABILITY CONTROLS TURN ON AND DOESN'T TURN OFF AGAIN, I HAVE TO SHUT OFF THE ENTIRE CAR FOR MORE THAN 3 MINUTES AND WHEN I START IT BACK ON IT TURNS OFF. NOT EVEN THE SWITCH THAT SAY TURN OFF DOESN'T WORK. SUDDENLY IT TURNS ON AGAIN AND SAME CYCLE BACK AGAIN AND THE CAR JUST DOESN'T RUN.
VEHICLE NEEDED FRONT BEARINGS AT 62K AND REAR BEARINGS AT 156K. DID THEY GET THESE BEARINGS FROM CHINA? NEVER HAVE PUT BEARINGS ON ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED.
CAR STALLS OR CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE NOISE WAS MOST PREVALENT DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE TRANSMISSION JUST WENT OUT AT 100,000 MILES. I'M TOLD THE TRANSMISSION IS A CVT TRANSMISSION AND THIS IS PRETTY MUCH NORMAL. I'M LOOKING AT A $4000 COST JUST TO PUT ANOTHER CVT TRANSMISSION INTO IT
I GOT TWO LIGHTS ONE FOR AIR FROM TIRES AND THE OTHER ONE FOR CHECK ENGINE SOON. I FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THE LIGHTS STILL ON
MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN THE GAS PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE AND AVOID COLLISION AND GAS PEDAL BEGAN WORKING AFTER PUMPING AND A FEW MOMENTS. HAD THREE KIDS IN THE CAR AND ONLY DUMB LUCK PREVENTED ACCIDENT. BROUGHT TO DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY AND IT WAS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE
THE 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS A CVT TRANSMISSION AND THIS CONTINUES TO GO OUT AND WILL EVERY 12,000 MILES. NO SERVICE PROVIDER WANTS TO FIX THIS ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE UNRELIABLE PART AND NOT ONLY IS THIS IS A COSTLY FIX BUT IT ONLY GUARANTEE THE MOST A YEAR OR LESS (CLOSE TO $3000.00 TO FIX). I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE OTHER MODELS …
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THE 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS A CVT TRANSMISSION AND THIS CONTINUES TO GO OUT AND WILL EVERY 12,000 MILES. NO SERVICE PROVIDER WANTS TO FIX THIS ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE UNRELIABLE PART AND NOT ONLY IS THIS IS A COSTLY FIX BUT IT ONLY GUARANTEE THE MOST A YEAR OR LESS (CLOSE TO $3000.00 TO FIX). I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE OTHER MODELS WITH NISSAN WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED. I BELIEVE ANY VEHICLE WITH A CVT TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED.
Official recalls
111V371000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.