2004 Nissan Altima Reliability
The 2004 Nissan Altima has 276 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and body structure. Compared with nearby Altima model years (2002–2006), it rates as one of the better years: complaints run below the Altima's typical year, while the 2002 drew 1,062 complaints.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
276
NHTSA owner complaints
5
Recall campaigns
14
Complaints citing a crash
3
Complaints citing a fire
2004 Nissan Altima complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 model year, filed between 2004 and 2023. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine & cooling | 109 | 39% |
| Body structure | 42 | 15% |
| Electrical system | 32 | 12% |
| Engine | 30 | 11% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 17 | 6% |
| Air bags | 11 | 4% |
| Steering | 11 | 4% |
| Suspension | 10 | 4% |
2004 Nissan Altima recalls
5 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2004 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06E023000 | Mar 13, 2006 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps,… |
| 06V242000 | Jul 7, 2006 | Engine & cooling | On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crank angle sensor is affected by temperature variations. Under certain driving conditions, these variations in temperature can be large enough to cause a brief interruption in the signal output… |
| 07E054000 | Jul 25, 2007 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain maxzone headlight assemblies, depo brand, p/nos. 315-1145l-as and 315-1145r-as, sold for use as aftermarket equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. During production the lamp reflector shape deformed changing the shape of the optic surface.… |
| 07E063000 | Aug 21, 2007 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain anzo aftermarket headlights, p/n 02-az-na02-b-a, sold for use on 2002-2004 Nissan Altima vehicles. During production the lamp housing shape deformed distorting the assembly angle of the reflector and influenced the aiming position. These headlamps… |
| 07E074000 | Sep 14, 2007 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain eagle eyes headlamp assemblies, p/nos. Ds517-b001l and ds517-b001r, sold for use as replacement equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. The opticel surface of the reflector is corroded inhibiting the performance of the upper and lower beams… |
How the 2004 compares with nearby Altima years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Altima analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 1,062 | 12 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
| 2003 | 883 | 10 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
| 2004 (this page) | 276 | 5 | Engine & cooling | Better year |
| 2005 | 1,091 | 2 | Body structure | Caution |
| 2006 | 824 | 4 | Body structure | Caution |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2004 Nissan Altima
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Body: look under the car for rust or damaged subframe and rocker areas, and check panel gaps for signs of repair.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 5 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2004 Nissan Altima can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2004 Nissan Altima reliability FAQ
Is the 2004 Nissan Altima reliable?
The 2004 Nissan Altima has 276 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and body structure. Compared with nearby Altima model years (2002–2006), it rates as one of the better years: complaints run below the Altima's typical year, while the 2002 drew 1,062 complaints.
What are the most common 2004 Nissan Altima problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Nissan Altima are engine & cooling (109), body structure (42), electrical system (32), engine (30). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2004 Nissan Altima have recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2004 Nissan Altima, including 06E023000 (exterior lighting — headlights) and 06V242000 (engine & cooling). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2004 Nissan Altima compare with the 2003 and 2005 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2003 has 883 complaints and 10 recalls (avoid); the 2005 has 1,091 complaints and 2 recalls (caution). The 2004 has 276 complaints and 5 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2004 Nissan Altima?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Nissan Altima research
Other Nissan Altima model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2004 Altima, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.