Nissan Altima Years to Avoid
Avoid: 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 · Best: 2011, 2021, 2022, 2023 — based on 9,677 NHTSA complaints across 18 model years (2008–2025), severity-weighted and adjusted for time on the road; 2015–2022 average: 1.52 complaints per 1,000 sold.
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 9,677 NHTSA complaints, the Nissan Altima years to avoid are 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 — the worst logged up to 5.6× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by transmission failures. Updated November 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of November 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict | Problems & recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1,028 | 313 | 4 | AVOID | — |
| 2009 | 1,547 | 1,068 | 4 | AVOID | — |
| 2010 | 380 | 176 | 3 | CAUTION | — |
| 2011 | 241 | 138 | 1 | BEST | — |
| 2012 | 423 | 248 | 4 | CAUTION | — |
| 2013 | 2,303 | 810 | 12 | AVOID | — |
| 2014 | 1,110 | 390 | 8 | AVOID | — |
| 2015 | 941 | 315 | 10 | AVOID | 2015 Altima problems → |
| 2016 | 544 | 333 | 4 | AVOID | 2016 Altima problems → |
| 2017 | 382 | 218 | 3 | CAUTION | 2017 Altima problems → |
| 2018 | 223 | 97 | 2 | SOLID | 2018 Altima problems → |
| 2019 | 223 | 112 | 7 | CAUTION | 2019 Altima problems → |
| 2020 | 172 | 96 | 6 | CAUTION | 2020 Altima problems → |
| 2021 | 67 | 33 | 2 | BEST | 2021 Altima problems → |
| 2022 | 20 | 13 | 0 | BEST | 2022 Altima problems → |
| 2023 | 28 | 12 | 0 | BEST | 2023 Altima problems → |
| 2024 | 39 | 18 | 1 | SOLID | — |
| 2025 | 6 | 3 | 1 | N/A | — |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Nissan Altima. Full methodology.
Altima problems by model year
Each year has its own page with the complaint components, NHTSA recall campaigns, service-bulletin count, a comparison with the year before and after, and what to check on a used one.
Common Nissan Altima problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Nissan Altima are transmission, body, electrical. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Transmission slipping, no acceleration response
· Nissan Altima 2011–2015Corroborated by 15 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 1,092 transmission complaints across 2011–2015. Owner-reported repair cost $4,000–$5,000.
Transmission slipping, no acceleration response
· Nissan Altima 2011–2015Corroborated by 15 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 1,092 transmission complaints across 2011–2015. Owner-reported repair cost $4,000–$5,000.
Hood latch failure and unintended opening
· Nissan Altima 2013–2018Corroborated by 10 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 1,017 body complaints across 2013–2018, typically 129,944–242,000 miles.
Hood latch failure and unintended opening
· Nissan Altima 2013–2018Corroborated by 10 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 1,017 body complaints across 2013–2018, typically 129,944–242,000 miles.
Passenger airbag detection malfunction
· Nissan Altima 2008–2022Corroborated by 18 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 832 electrical complaints across 2008–2022, typically 102,464 miles.
Passenger airbag detection malfunction
· Nissan Altima 2008–2022Corroborated by 18 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 832 electrical complaints across 2008–2022, typically 102,464 miles.
Why these years stand out
2008 Nissan Altima: 1,028 owner complaints on federal record, 313 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Altima.
2009 Nissan Altima: 1,547 owner complaints on federal record, 1,068 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Altima.
2013 Nissan Altima: 2,303 owner complaints on federal record, 810 of them severe, plus 12 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Altima.
2014 Nissan Altima: 1,110 owner complaints on federal record, 390 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Altima.
2015 Nissan Altima: 941 owner complaints on federal record, 315 of them severe, plus 10 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Altima.
2016 Nissan Altima: 544 owner complaints on federal record, 333 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Altima.
Know what to pay for the right Nissan Altima — then negotiate it
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FAQ
What years of the Nissan Altima should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Nissan Altima years to avoid are 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by transmission issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture.
What are the best years for the Nissan Altima?
The 2011, 2021, 2022 and 2023 Nissan Altima show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Nissan Altima verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Nissan Altima's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Nissan Altima before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Nissan Altima reliable?
The Nissan Altima's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 9,677 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 rate "avoid", while 2011, 2021, 2022 and 2023 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above.
What are the most common problems with the Nissan Altima?
The most-reported problem area for the Nissan Altima is transmission, followed by body and electrical. Confirmed failures include transmission slipping, no acceleration response, transmission slipping, no acceleration response, hood latch failure and unintended opening. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Nissan Altima across every model year on record. Retrieved November 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered (the per-1,000-sold figure above divides 2015–2022 complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales); a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Nissan Altima, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.