2014 Nissan Altima

Fatalities reported

Owners filed 1,114 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the exterior lighting. It has been recalled 8 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k

726 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 010,000 miles; the median is 64,300 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Exterior Lighting256
200
Air Bags201
31243
Power Train169
100
Suspension108
201
Engine58
040
Unknown or Other48
100
Steering43
000
Structure › Body39
302
Electrical System38
011
Service Brakes22
406

8 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch20V315000
Filed May 28, 20201,831,818 vehiclesNissan North America, Inc.

Defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.

Risk. Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. If the primary latch is inadvertently released again and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an Owner’s Manual addendum card with instructions on how to lubricate and maintain the secondary hood latch mechanism, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: Recall 16V-029 remains open for any unremedied 2013-2015 Altimas and this recall applies to all vehicles covered by 16V-029 even if those repairs have already been performed.

Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification16V911000
Filed Dec 19, 2016757 vehiclesNissan North America, Inc.

Defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014, to August 12, 2016, and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured June 4, 2015, to August 19, 2015. 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.

Risk. 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.

Remedy. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECU and update the OCS software free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification16V244000
Filed Apr 26, 20163,296,947 vehiclesNissan North America, Inc.

Defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. 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.

Risk. 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.

Remedy. Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch16V029000
Filed Jan 22, 2016846,000 vehiclesNissan North America, Inc.

Defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 6, 2012, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.

Risk. 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.

Remedy. These vehicles were previously included in recalls 14V-565 and 15V-116, however the previous remedy plan may not have been performed consistently to remove the safety risk. To correct this issue, Nissan will re-notify all affected owners and dealers will replace the hood latch with a new one, free of charge. The recall began on February 17, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 14V-565 and 15V-116.

Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification15V681000
Filed Oct 20, 2015919 vehiclesNissan North America, Inc.

Defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. 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.

Risk. If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.

Remedy. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Fuel System, Gasoline15V486000
Filed Aug 4, 201546,846 vehiclesNissan North America, Inc.

Defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified the agency on July 31, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2016 Nissan Maxima vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to August 18, 2015. On October 14, 2015, Nissan expanded the recall to cover an additional 41,388 vehicles, including certain model year 2013-2015 Altima 3.5 vehicles equipped with a V6 engine manufactured March 30, 2012, to August 18, 2015 as well as the vehicles covered by the July 31, 2015 notification. 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.

Risk. 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.

Remedy. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer ring between the fuel tank and the fuel sending unit. The recall began on September 28, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch15V116000
Filed Feb 27, 2015625,400 vehiclesNissan North America, Inc.

Defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 1, 2013, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.

Risk. 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.

Remedy. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will be instructed to modify the bend angle of the hood actuation lever to eliminate potential interference with the hood inner panel. In addition, dealers will clean and lubricate the latch joint as needed. If significant corrosion is observed, the latch assembly will be replaced. This repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 14V-565.

Electrical System › Software14V138000
Filed Mar 25, 2014989,701 vehiclesNissan North America, Inc.

Defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. 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.

Risk. If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.

Remedy. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Exterior Lighting
Filed Sep 7, 2026FL

My 2014 Nissan Altima has experienced loss of visibility from the headlights significantly to the point of feeling unsafe driving at night. I believe the cause of these issue is due to degradation of the reflective coating within the headlamps. New bulbs installed have not improved the quality of the headlights performance leading me to believe this is caused by a fault of the headlamp assembly itself.

Suspension
Filed Aug 9, 2026IA

Rear lower control arm broke while driving on interstate car darted to the left but control was maintained

Suspension
Filed Aug 7, 2026MI

Right rear lower control arm fully broke while traveling 35 mph and going around a curve. The car immediately pulled hard right into the adjacent lane. Fortunately, there were no vehicles in that lane at the moment. I have contacted the dealership. This issue is addressed in Service Bulletin NTB21-045. However, the local dealership will not cover repairs because the car has been in service for over 10 years.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 3, 2026FL

As far as I am aware there are no causes to the failure but the sensor of the left panel on the driver side airbag is alerting. Nissan checked it and advised it would be @ $2000 to repair because it required the replacement of the entire driver side chair. However I am now being told that they don't have/make the replacement part(s) needed. Scouring the Internet I'm finding this complaint is pretty common considering it also happened in our 2006 Nissan Armada (no accidents).

Suspension
Filed Jul 1, 2026216,000 milesMI

The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while his son was driving 50 MPH, the ABS warning illuminated, and the vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH. The vehicle was driven to the residence and parked. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer associated the failure with TSB: NTB21-045a. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the warranty on the vehicle had expired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 216,000.

Air Bags
Filed Jun 23, 2026TX

At159,000 main console air bag light came on and won't turn off.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jun 22, 2026FL

-Upon research, it appears my Nissan has an issue with the headlight lamps that have caused the low beams to diminish over time. This is a recorded defect (class action lawsuit [XXX], et al. v. Nissan North America, Inc.) of Nissan Altimas years 2013-2018. -There is a Nissan Dealership in my city I can take the vehicle to for further inspection and subsequent replacement. I would like documentation to further provide to the dealership in case there is any resistance to replacement. -The headlights are so dim I cannot see the road ~15 feet beyond me. The car's high beams, turn signals, and brake lights are all in working condition. The only thing affected are the low beam lights, which further suggest the headlight lens is not of issue. This can cause difficulty seeing at night and could prove to be a safety issue for myself and others, as well as limiting others' visibility of me. -There have been no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior. The check engine light is not on. I have had this car in my possession and under my name for about a year and the headlights have diminished over time to an unsafe degree. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Air Bags
Filed Jun 19, 2026CA

Airbag light for driver turned on and took it to the dealership to get it fixed. They fixed it but it came back on and they reset it. A few months later it turned back on and they said they couldn't fix it because that part was not available anymore.

Suspension
Filed May 5, 2026OH

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The rear control arm (rear suspension component) failed catastrophically by snapping while the vehicle was in motion. This is a critical structural component responsible for maintaining proper wheel alignment and vehicle stability. The failed part has been retained and is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The sudden failure of the rear control arm placed my husband and son in immediate danger. This component is essential for maintaining control of the vehicle; when it snapped, it compromised the stability and handling of the rear wheel, significantly increasing the risk of loss of control, collision, or rollover. The failure occurred without warning while driving, creating a serious and unpredictable hazard not only for them but also for surrounding drivers on the road. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The failure has been visually confirmed by a service provider as a snapped rear control arm. Additionally, this issue is widely documented as a known defect in similar vehicles, with multiple reports indicating premature failure of this component under normal driving conditions. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? At this time, the component has been inspected by a service professional. The de

Suspension
Filed May 1, 2026NY

Nissan has put a service campaign P9324 as a known issue for rear lower suspension corrosion. Last week as I was driving my vehicle collapsed on its back tire there was no safety warning lights that had come on. I was able to safely pull off the road however if I had been driving in a highway this would have more than likely put myself and others at grave risk. After towing to a local garage I have photos of the rear suspension corrosion and the left side separated. This was then fixed by the garage for $2,700. I spoke with Nissan corporate in regards to the Campaign bulletin which they stated they will not stand behind even though they published as a known issue. MY case number should you need it with Nissan is 56665209.

Engine
Filed Apr 24, 2026TX

Hi, my name is [XXX] . I rented a car through [XXX] , and I need to report serious mechanical issues. All of the spark plugs are not secured, as they are missing screws, and oil is present. The only reason i know is because of the check light engine being on one minute and off the next. I chose to get it looked at and when being examined it was a noticed Additionally, the cooling reservoir tank is missing its top, leaving the system exposed. Please advise on next steps as soon as possible, as this is a safety concern. Thank you.” INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Air Bags
Filed Apr 20, 2026NC

The dash indicates the driver side air bag is not operational. After the car starts, the air bag indicator stays on, indicating the driver's air bag is defective. If I were in an accident, the Nissan dealership told me the air bag would not deploy. The car was inspected by the dealer. The car has never been in an accident and the air bag has never deployed. But after the air bag sensor came on, it has been on since each time the car is started. My other car (2011 Tahoe) does not have this problem, nor do any other old cars I know of. Per an internet search, it seems there are lots of other Nissan Altimas with this problem. Nissan should fix this, it's a safety hazard for their customers.

Suspension
Filed Apr 8, 2026FL

After a month of purchase this car from a buy here pay here lot they offer no help my transmission slipping going cost about $4000 to get repaired

Air Bags
Filed Apr 7, 2026FL

Air bag light stays on and seatbelt light comes on even when nothing is in seat.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Apr 6, 2026MD

Headlights on Nissan Altima started to dim, even when replacing bulbs. There was a settlement to get the bulbs replaced: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Air Bags
Filed Mar 1, 2026FL

In my altima I've noticed over the few years of ownership occasionally the passenger airbag light wouldn't go off for a few minutes sometimes like it wasn't recognizing a passenger was occupying the vehicle. Then it started occasionally not recognizing the occupant, now it will not recognize an occupant and the airbag light is permanently stuck on the dash. This puts any occupant in the car at risk, when I hookup my own abs/airbag scan tool it shows no faults. It would appear to me the occupant sensor in the seat isn't functional because this is a common fault with this vehicles and it typically exhibits these symptoms. This is such a problem and replacing it is so difficult people have come up with seat sensor emulators which bypass the sensor making the system think there's always an occupant so the airbag goes off, a quick google search will show what I'm talking about. I called my local dealer sutherland nissan and they refused to help me, they said they were going to charge me a diagnostic fee and if it's anything other than the sensor I'd pay thousands, they're known for lying at that dealer so I know they'll tell me it's something else even if it isn't. So essentially I cannot have a passenger safely in my vehicle because nissan is going to make it a financial hardship for me. This is a known safety defect in this vehicle, I shouldn't be paying for anything. It shouldn't be this difficult to have a known safety defect fixed, I shouldn't have to be playing mind games wi

Electrical System
Filed Jan 21, 2026GA

We took our Nissan for repair of recalled Headlights and was told they had no more headlight assemblies, they have to reorder. I got on waiting list. I called a couple of times to check on headlight shipment. Theni finally went back and they told me they stopped repairing headlight assemblies. I kept getting the run around! NOW MY HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM I CAN NOT SEE ROAD AND I WORK NIGHTS. I HAVE TO GET TO MY JOB WHICH IS AN HOUR AWAY, 3 HOURS EARLY WHILE I CAN SEE ROAD. PLEASE HELP ME GET HEADLIGTS REPLACED ASAP. WEBSITE IS SAYING I HAVE "0" UNREPAIRED RECALLS THAT IS NOT CORRECT. I NEVER RECEIVED RECALL ON ELECTRICAL PROBLEM SO THAT IS UNREPAIRED AS WELL. THERE MAY BE OTHERS. PLEASE HELP!!! I HAVE NO HEADLIGHTS WORKING!!!! I HAVE HAD NEAR CRASHES BEFORE THEY TOTALLY WENT OUT. I NEED THIS REPAIRED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU!

Suspension
Filed Dec 22, 2025MA

I was reversing out of a spot and I heard a loud bang. When I looked my rear control on my passenger side had broken due to rust and corrosion. I reached out to Nissan because I saw there was a voluntary recall and I had never received any information. When I contacted them they told me I was outside of the timeline but the website doesn’t explain that. They never notified me about the safety issue and there was never a formal recall but there should’ve been.

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 27, 2025PA

Sept 1 2025 hood latch failed causing hood to fly open to full vertical position causing body damage to both fenders and completely taking away visibility of roadway. Latch was replaced by Nissan dealer in 2022 for recall. Nissan dealer verified failed component and replaced at no charge but NISSAN USA would not repair body damage.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Sep 11, 2025MD

I am writing to formally escalate a serious safety issue with my 2014 Nissan Altima. My vehicle is affected by the known halogen headlamp delamination defect, which Nissan has previously acknowledged in a warranty extension and service campaign. Recently, because of the dangerously dim headlights, I struck a speed bump and damaged my vehicle. More importantly, I nearly hit pedestrians crossing the street because I could not see them in time. This is a life-threatening safety hazard directly caused by the defective headlamps. When I contacted my local Nissan dealer, they refused to honor the warranty/service campaign. I was told I would need to pay approximately $2,300 for repairs because the warranty extension expired in 2020. However, I did not begin noticing headlight visibility issues until 2022, well after the coverage period had ended. This demonstrates that the defect often develops after the expiration period and should still be addressed as a known, documented safety defect.

20 of 1,114 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2013
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20256200Routine
202441110Routine
202329010Routine
202230010Routine
202170210Routine
2020158651Fatalities reported
2019231750Above average
2018225200Above average
2017391370Above average
2016553431Fatalities reported
20159521050Above average
2014 — this page1,114881Fatalities reported
20132,3101291Fatalities reported
2012425420Above average
2011241150Above average
2010380390Above average
20091,547482Fatalities reported
20081,0284132Fatalities reported
20074713222Fatalities reported
20068244140Above average
20051,0912180Above average
2004276530Above average
200388310132Fatalities reported
20021,04712280High concern
2001159224Fatalities reported
2000160250Routine
199987430Routine
1998123420Routine
1997108350Routine
199692250Routine
1995180570Routine
1994106420Routine
1993122330Routine

Compare every Altima year →

Reading this record

1 death reported in complaints filed with NHTSA.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 28, 2020. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.