Is the 2014 Nissan Altima a bad year?
1,113 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 208, 21× a quiet Altima year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 50k–92k miles, where you are now.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2014 Altima owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 71,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lightingSTANDS OUT | 299 (27%) | 59k–100k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 208 (19%) | 50k–92k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| SuspensionSTANDS OUT | 132 (12%) | 80k–125k miles · ahead | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Engine | 80 (7%) | 24k–94k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Steering | 58 (5%) | 2k–94k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Body structure | 52 (5%) | 24k–80k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Latches and locks | 31 (3%) | 43k–100k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 27 (2%) | 9k–80k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Speed control | 27 (2%) | 25k–84k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 25 (2%) | 7k–80k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Wheels | 13 (1%) | 67k–125k miles · around this mileage | Wheel bearing / hub assembly replacement (one wheel) $230–$750 |
| Stability control | 12 (1%) | 16k–89k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 208 (19%) | 6k–54k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Electrical system | 71 (6%) | 10k–70k miles · mostly behind | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 71,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 1,113 complaints: 52 mention a crash · 8 mention a fire · 40 report an injury · 58 say the car was towed.
18 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
June 2019, vehicle started to judder, shake and stalled out at red light. Put the car in park, restarted the vehicle, put it into drive and it stalled again.
Nissan's 2014 Altima CVT transmissions are not safe and should be taken out of the cars. I bought my car new in february of 2014.
I bought a 2014 Nissan in 2017 Altima make: I had taken the car in because it would delay in reverse. I have the receipt on the date I went in, 08/27/2018 ; they note on it "Could not duplicate customer concern.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 71,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2014 Nissan Altima: 8
If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time. Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
An incorrect Occupant Classification System (OCS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have been installed in the front passenger seat. The incorrect ECU and seat combination may misclassify the front passenger seat occupant. If the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash. If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult. If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated.
In the affected vehicles, due to an improperly installed o-ring that may not have been seated correctly at the time of assembly, fuel may leak during a crash from the area where the fuel sending unit attaches to the fuel tank. If fuel leaks from between the fuel sending unit and the tank, it may increase the risk of a fire in the event of a crash.
In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult. If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Nissan: 153
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2014 Nissan Altima. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
DTC P17F0 or P17F1 stored in the TCM
Clicking noise from front or rear axle during take-off/acceleration
Enhanced diagnostic logic for CVT judder
NHTSA defect investigations: 5
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
Occupant Classification System Failure
Occupant Classification System Failure
Neighbouring years
2013 Altima: 2,314 complaints, consider selling · 2015 Altima: 956 complaints, keep it.
Every Nissan Altima year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Altima years side by side
Other Nissan models: Nissan 350Z · Nissan 370Z · Nissan Armada · Nissan Cube · Nissan Frontier · Nissan Juke · Nissan Kicks · Nissan Leaf · Nissan Maxima · Nissan Murano · Nissan Pathfinder · Nissan Quest · Nissan Rogue · Nissan Rogue Sport · Nissan Sentra · Nissan Titan · Nissan Titan XD · Nissan Versa · Nissan Versa Note · Nissan Xterra. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2014 Nissan Altima a bad year?
1,113 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 208, 21× a quiet Altima year. At 71,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 50k–92k miles, where you are now.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Nissan Altima?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: exterior lighting (299), transmission and drivetrain (208), suspension (132), engine (80), steering (58). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 50k–92k miles.
How many recalls does the 2014 Nissan Altima have?
8 recall campaigns list this model year: Latches and locks (NHTSA 20V-315), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-911), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-244), Latches and locks (NHTSA 16V-029) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.