Is the 2016 Nissan Altima a bad year?
555 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 235, 24× a quiet Altima year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 50k–82k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 9 of 235 filed since 2016.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2016 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 67,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 235 (42%) | 50k–82k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 72 (13%) | 26k–74k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 65 (12%) | 44k–76k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Exterior lightingSTANDS OUT | 42 (8%) | 50k–95k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 86 (15%) | 42k–78k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Fuel system | 30 (5%) | 29k–72k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Body structure | 29 (5%) | 23k–70k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Latches and locks | 22 (4%) | 50k–98k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Suspension | 12 (2%) | 35k–110k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Visibility and wipers | 12 (2%) | 10k–74k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 11 (2%) | 21k–67k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Electrical system | 42 (8%) | 23k–62k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 16 (3%) | 8k–49k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Seats | 11 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
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 67,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 555 complaints: 28 mention a crash · 3 mention a fire · 17 report an injury · 31 say the car was towed.
24 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
The transmission does not shift properly. After engine is warm, when you push the gas pedal, there is about 5-6 second delay before car will go.
The car has a CVT transmission that is not functioning properly.
The car is barely 3 years old and I brought it new with only 8 miles. The car started hesitating while in stop and go traffic on the interstate.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 67,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2016 Nissan Altima: 4
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.
The door latch-lock cable may not have been routed properly in the rear door when the remedy was applied. As a result, the cable may interfere with the window regulator causing the rear passenger door to unlatch and inadvertently open without warning when the window is lowered. If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
The rear door latch/lock cable on the vehicles may have been improperly routed. As a result, lowering a rear window may inadvertently cause that door to unlatch and open. If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.
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.
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: 136
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2016 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
For fuel gauge inaccurate with DTCs stored in ECM
NHTSA defect investigations: 3
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
Neighbouring years
2015 Altima: 956 complaints, keep it · 2017 Altima: 393 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
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 2016 Nissan Altima a bad year?
555 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 235, 24× a quiet Altima year. At 67,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 50k–82k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 9 of 235 filed since 2016.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Nissan Altima?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (235), air bags (72), speed control (65), exterior lighting (42), engine (86). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 50k–82k miles.
How many recalls does the 2016 Nissan Altima have?
4 recall campaigns list this model year: Latches and locks (NHTSA 20V-315), Body structure (NHTSA 18V-915), Latches and locks (NHTSA 17V-040), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-244). 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.