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2018 Nissan Altima

Gas

Midsize Cars
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

89 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints11 crash · 6 injured reported 226

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 31 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2018 Nissan Altima is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Altima, is EPA-rated at 31 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 226 complaints, most often about the service brakes. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Nissan Altima — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Nissan Altima · Photo: LukaCali · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Altima	Gas	FWD	2.5L 4-cyl	27	38	31	$2,150
Altima SR	Gas	FWD	2.5L 4-cyl	26	37	30	$2,250
Altima	Gas	FWD	3.5L 6-cyl	22	32	26	$2,600

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39503, 39502, 39504.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Altima, Altima SR	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
Altima	3 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2.5 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain

4x2

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim. Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	191.7 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.0 in
Height	57.9–58.3 in
Wheelbase	109.4 in
Track, front	62.2–62.6 in
Track, rear	62.2 in
Curb weight	3,203–3,470 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	60/40 to 61/39

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 2.5 4-door Sedan, 3.5 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Latches/Locks/Linkages

R20A7

1,831,818 vehicles 49% reported repaired

Problem 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. Fix 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 Owners 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 app

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 20V315000 reported May 28, 2020 Nissan North America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

○minor

Back Over Prevention

1,228,830 vehicles 80% reported repaired built May 1, 2018 – Apr 30, 2019

Problem Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) num Risk The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash. Fix Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V654000 reported Sep 12, 2019 Nissan North America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch — Hertz/Vehicles Rented with Open Recalls open

NHTSA is opening this audit query to investigate whether The Hertz Corporation (Hertz) has complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Safety Act). The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a rental company shall not rent a vehicle subject to a safety recall unless the recall remedy has been performed. 49 U.S.C. § 30120(i).NHTSA is in receipt of information that indicates Hertz rented vehicles to customers without having performed required recall repairs. Accordingly, we are opening this audit query to seek additional information concerning this issue.

Opened Dec 16, 2022 · action AQ22003 · the investigation’s page →

Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module — Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture open

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf. Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a subst

Opened Sep 17, 2021 · action EA21002 · the investigation’s page →

Suspension:Rear — Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure closed

On July 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened EA19002 to investigate instances of alleged rear lower control arm failures in 2013-2018 Nissan Altima and 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima vehicles. At the time the investigation was opened ODI had 91 consumer complaints alleging rear lower control arm failures in the subject vehicles. ODI was concerned about these complaints because many of them alleged an increased steering effort or loss of vehicle control. At the time these complaints were received, ODI was also aware of a proactive service campaign addressing 2013 Nissan Altima in salt-belt states for a similar concern. Since opening the investigation, ODI has confirmed, based o

Opened Jul 29, 2019 · closed Jun 16, 2025 · action EA19002 · the investigation’s page →

Suspension:Rear — Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure closed

PE18-013 was opened on December 1, 2018, with 4 complaints to ODI alleging incidents of the lower control arm fracturing at a connection point to the vehicle chassis due to corrosion. ODI has received an additional 87 complaints since the PE was opened. During PE18-013, Nissan indicated model years 2013-2018 shared a common rear lower control arm design. Nissan provided complaint and warranty data regarding 48 incidents of the subject failure. The majority of the complaints are from vehicles registered in salt belt states. There have been no crashes, injuries, or fatalities confirmed as of this date. Nissan advised that it has conducted testing to assess safety risk. Nissan states that due t

Opened Dec 1, 2018 · closed Aug 21, 2019 · action PE18013 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Altima

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Nissan publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Nissan’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Nissan Altima, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

226complaints filed

11 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 6 injuries · 0 deaths reported

12 per 10,000 built · Nissan reported 187,848 Altima built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 6 · 2019: 57 · 2020: 47 · 2021: 34 · 2022: 18 · 2023: 14 · 2024: 19 · 2025: 18 · 2026: 13

Most-cited components

Unspecified 60

Service Brakes 49

Electrical System 37

Air Bags 37

Power Train 24

Forward Collision Avoidance 19

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The car will not start if the break is somehow "stuck". You have to pump on the breaks to release it for the car to start. If the car does start, the breaks may be stuck when I come to a complete stop at which time the car can't drive faster than 5 MPH and sometimes the car just stays in one spot.

Service Brakes at 11,996 miles Aug 17, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11244659

The front sensor on my 2018 Nissan Altima malfunctions, stating that there's a front radar obstruction at times. Other times, it falsely detects a vehicle too close in front of me when there's nothing actually in front of me on streets and on the freeway.

Electronic Stability Control at 45,500 miles Jul 25, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11234951

Low beam headlights are dangerously and inadequately low, not allowing driver to see roadway at night while driving. Low beam headlights project only approximately 50 feet; therefore, for any speed over 45 miles per hour it is i'm possible to see far enough in front of vehicle

Exterior Lighting Jul 9, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11230538

While attempting to proceed after a stop sign warning lights came on dash including the battery light. I put on my hazard lights. When I pressed the gas the car made no acceleration noise and did not move. The car was in drive. I made several attempts to move forward, but the lights remained and the car did not move.

Electrical System Mar 20, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11190328

The contact rented a 2018 Nissan Altima. While driving 70 MPH, between a guard rail and a tractor trailer, the vehicle became uncontrollable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 33,876. The VIN was not available

Steering at 33,876 miles Feb 19, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11181042

The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. While driving approximately 20 MPH, the forward collision avoidance sensor activated at random. There were no vehicles in front of the contact at the time. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred for the past five months on a daily basis.

Forward Collision Avoidance at 8,500 miles Jan 7, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11164803

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Nissan itself: 9 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 10 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 4.8 per 100,000 built. Every Altima model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 37k

miles, typically

Half the 104 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 18,000 and 49,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 15

10k–20k 15

20k–30k 8

30k–40k 17

40k–50k 24

50k–60k 13

60k–70k 6

70k–80k 2

80k–90k 2

90k–100k 1

100k–150k 1

150k + 0

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Service Brakes	39	34,455	1.21×
Unspecified	31	41,000	—
Electrical System	18	35,000	1.55×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2018-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported later: electrical system (1.55×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Across 2018–2019 model years the Nissan Altima ranks 49 of 79 nameplates in the odometer-at-first-complaint study: owners reported problems at 1.24× the mileage of vehicles the same age (median 31,000 miles against a fleet 23,512).

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	10%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 192

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-04-13

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 192 service bulletins

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Power Train, Engine, Exterior Lighting.

NTB09-131C Service bulletin
2026-04-13 · Structure — Body
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides
NTB09-131C Service bulletin
2026-04-13 · Structure — Body
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides
NTB15-049CC Service bulletin
2026-03-30 · Electrical System
TELEMATICS SERVICE INFORMATION HINT: This bulletin applies to vehicles equipped with a 4G network compatible TCU. TCUs compatible with 3G network only are no longer supported. SERVICE INFORMATION The APPLIED VEHICLES that come equipped with a factory installed SOS switch, located near the overhead map lamp, also come equipped with a wireless communication device called a Telematics Communication U
NTB19-033G Service bulletin
2025-02-20 · Electrical System
INTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE AND AEB/FEB WARNING LIGHT ON OR RADAR OBSTRUCTION MESSAGE DISPLAYED WITH DTC C1A16 OR C2582 IF YOU CONFIRM IMPORTANT: The purpose of ACTION (on the next page) is to give you a quick idea of the work you will be performing. You MUST closely follow the entire SERVICE PROCEDURE as it contains information that is essential to successfully completing this repair.
NTB19-071D Service bulletin
2024-09-19 · Air Bags
DTC B00A0-00 STORED This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. IF YOU CONFIRM DTC B00A0-00 (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR UNIT) is stored, AND OCS zero point reset cannot be performed, (continued on the next page)
NTB12-103I Service bulletin
2024-06-07 · Power Train
CVT/TCM CALIBRATION DATA “WRITE” PROCEDURE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB17-127C Service bulletin
2024-05-21 · Electrical System
INTELLIGENT KEY INITIALIZATION PROCEDURE STOPS OR WILL NOT CONTINUE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB13-107G Service bulletin
2024-05-21 · Electrical System
VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P17F0 P17F0 on Nissan →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	14 bulletins · 4 owner reports
P17F1 P17F1 on Nissan →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	14 bulletins
P0776 P0776 on Nissan →	Pressure control solenoid B is not holding the pressure it was commanded.	Power Train	4 bulletins · 1 owner report
P2813 P2813 on Nissan →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	4 bulletins · 1 owner report
P0087 P0087 on Nissan →	Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded.	Engine · Fuel pump →	4 bulletins
P0101 P0101 on Nissan →	The mass air flow sensor is reporting a figure the engine computer does not believe for the conditions.	Engine · Mass air flow sensor →	4 bulletins
P0448 P0448 on Nissan →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	4 bulletins
P0456 P0456 on Nissan →	A very small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Gas cap →	4 bulletins
P0841 P0841 on Nissan →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P161D P161D on Nissan →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	4 bulletins
P1715 P1715 on Nissan →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	4 bulletins
P2008 P2008 on Nissan →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	4 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 4.9%

failed emissions

3,618 initial inspections of 3,529 vehicles.

Measure	The 2018 Altima	Every 2018 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	4.9%	3.0%	3,609
Failed the safety inspection	2.3%	1.9%	3,618
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.33%	0.22%	3,618
Miles driven a year	11,552	10,002	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	95,737	82,833	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Altima by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 0 1 30 mpg 2025 B 2 7 31 mpg 2024 B 1 41 31 mpg 2023 A 0 30 31 mpg 2022 A 0 31 32 mpg 2021 B 2 70 32 mpg 2020 D 6 160 32 mpg 2019 F 7 233 32 mpg 2018 this page B 2 226 31 mpg 2017 C 3 393 31 mpg 2016 D 4 554 31 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 Altima

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Nissan Altima have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Nissan Altima. The most serious on file is 20V315000, covering Latches/Locks/Linkages. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Nissan Altima?

NHTSA gave the 2018 Nissan Altima 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (89/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Nissan Altima?

Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Nissan Altima, the best EPA combined figure is 31 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Nissan Altima?

Transport Canada measured it at 191.7 in long, 72.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.9–58.3 in tall, on a 109.4 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,203–3,470 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Nissan Altima?

Owners have filed 226 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Altima, most often about unspecified, service brakes, electrical system. Of those, 11 involved a crash, 6 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 Nissan Altima?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Nissan Altima runs 3 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Nissan Altima?

The manufacturer has filed 192 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Nissan Altima, most often covering equipment, electrical system, power train. The most recent is dated 2026-04-13. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2018 Nissan Altima do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Nissan Altima failed the emissions check on 4.9% of first inspections — higher than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.3% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	3 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	3 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	226	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	1 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	192	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	4	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	10 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API