2016 Nissan Altima engine problems
86 of the 553 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Nissan Altima name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 62 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database3 of the 86 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 4 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2017: 2 · 2018: 10 · 2019: 17 · 2020: 14 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 16 · 2023: 12 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2026: 1
Half of the 44 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 43,000 and 80,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
553 complaints in all about the 2016 Nissan Altima, 1 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Nissan Altima engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
While driving, the car would decrease in speed and acted if it wanted to stall. I took the car in for an appointment at the dealership and was told it was reading a code with the transmission and as scheduled to come in 3 days l as later when the part was in.
We just purchased the car from robert's toyota columbia tn, on 11/16/2018. The car just coasted into the driveway and just stopped died, dropped my brother off and the started the car and went arround the corner and it did the same thing only took US a few min
On a main road, my car jump/ jerks going a lil past 40mph however my RPM goes up to 3/4..while in idle at stop light, to go after green, pressing gas, car does not move..then once it moves( 3-5 secs later after pressing gas) RPM jumps to 3/4, but only going 20mph..then once in gear, it's like i'm going fast but really i'm not
First time, car started at 50,000 miles. Drove the car for 4200 miles, regular maintenance, had occasional drag in acceleration and RPM needle fluctuation, called in and said it was pretty normal due to the heat. Randomly car jutters and loses acceleration, check engine light comes on at 54,000 miles on in town highway road.
Engine uses power when on the highway,have to pull over and wait two or three minutes then it starts up again. Can not trust to drive in traffic. I have taken this car to Nissan shop but they can't find the problem because it only happens once in a while
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications62 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P17F0 P17F1 P0776 P0841 P0101 P2813 P0456 P0087
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Nissan Altima names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Nissan Altima
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems 235 complaints
- airbag problems 70 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2016 Nissan Altima?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 86 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (16% of everything owners filed about it), and 62 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2016 Nissan Altima?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 4 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2016 Nissan Altima?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 54,220 miles; half of them between 43,000 and 80,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.