Nissan Altima: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
14,693 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Nissan Altima, model years 2000 to 2026. 14 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2013 (transmission 51×); 2014 (transmission 21×); 2005 (engine 9.3×); 2002 (engine 13×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2000, 2001, 2018. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Altima | 159 | quiet: 1 of 20 | 2 | |
| 2001 Altima | 159 | engine 1.2× | 2 | |
| 2002 Altima | 1,046 | engine 13× | 12 | |
| 2003 Altima | 883 | engine 12× | 10 | |
| 2004 Altima | 276 | engine 3× | 5 | |
| 2005 Altima | 1,090 | engine 9.3× | 2 | |
| 2006 Altima | 824 | engine 8.4× | 4 | |
| 2007 Altima | 471 | transmission 6.2× | 3 | |
| 2008 Altima | 1,031 | — | 4 | |
| 2009 Altima | 1,547 | — | 4 | |
| 2010 Altima | 381 | transmission 7.3× | 3 | |
| 2011 Altima | 242 | transmission 6.8× | 1 | |
| 2012 Altima | 426 | transmission 15× | 4 | |
| 2013 Altima | 2,314 | transmission 51× | 12 | |
| 2014 Altima | 1,113 | transmission 21× | 8 | |
| 2015 Altima | 956 | — | 10 | |
| 2016 Altima | 555 | transmission 24× | 4 | |
| 2017 Altima | 393 | transmission 13× | 3 | |
| 2018 Altima | 226 | quiet: 3 of 20 | 2 | |
| 2019 Altima | 234 | quiet: 4 of 20 | 7 | |
| 2020 Altima | 183 | — | 6 | |
| 2021 AltimaFEW REPORTS | 71 | — | 2 | |
| 2022 AltimaFEW REPORTS | 31 | — | 0 | |
| 2023 AltimaFEW REPORTS | 30 | — | 0 | |
| 2024 AltimaFEW REPORTS | 44 | — | 1 | |
| 2025 AltimaFEW REPORTS | 7 | — | 2 | |
| 2026 AltimaFEW REPORTS | 1 | — | 0 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020