Nissan Altima engine problems, 2016–2026
259 of the 1,737 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Nissan Altima 2016–2026 name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). The loudest years: 2016 (86), 2019 (57), 2017 (40). Filed under the same heading across these years: 1 recall campaign, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Nissan Altima engine problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the engine | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2025 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2024 | 5 | 12% | — | — | the year → |
| 2023 | 6 | 21% | — | — | the year → |
| 2022 | 7 | 23% | — | 5 TSBs | the year → |
| 2021 | 7 | 10% | — | 11 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2020 | 38 | 24% | — | 18 TSBs · 1 recall · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2019 in depth | 57 | 25% | 66k | 29 TSBs · 1 recall · 1 investigation | the record → |
| 2018 | 13 | 6% | — | 30 TSBs | the year → |
| 2017 | 40 | 10% | 60k | 46 TSBs | the year → |
| 2016 in depth | 86 | 16% | 54k | 62 TSBs | the record → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the engine. Nothing here is a rate.
When the engine complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2017: 2 · 2018: 14 · 2019: 25 · 2020: 29 · 2021: 15 · 2022: 30 · 2023: 22 · 2024: 27 · 2025: 67 · 2026: 28
Across the model years, half of the 92 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 36,000 and 81,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine, from the model years with the most to say. 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
The shutter in the front of the car is defective. This part not working causes the car to overheat. There are so many issues with this exact same problem on this exact car that there is literally a back order and I cannot get the part so now I can’t use my car.
Ice deposits forming in the engine EGR valve preventing the EGR valve from properly functioning. This results in a "limp home mode" where the engine power output is severely reduced. Ice deposits physically verified by dealer. this condition routinely happens when parked outdoors in temps below 0F.
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated she noticed the hood latch was constantly unlatched. The contact stated the failure recurred three times. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v315000 (latches/locks/linkages) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable.
What is on file about the engine, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall campaign filed under this heading, any model year
- 25V437000 CriticalJun 27, 2025 · 443,899 vehicles
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. The engine bearings may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine failure.
NHTSA investigation
- PE23023 Complete loss of motive power due to engine failureopened Dec 13, 2023 · closed Jul 18, 2025
- On December 13, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-023 to investigate allegations of engine failures leading to loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue; MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; and MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50 vehicles. At that time, ODI had received 6 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) and multiple early warning reports, with consumers reporting e…
Other systems with a record on the Nissan Altima
Source: the same filesEvery system, every model year: Nissan Altima problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Nissan Altima years have the most engine complaints?
2016, 86; 2019, 57; 2017, 40. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2019 (25%).
Is there a recall for the engine on the Nissan Altima?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading across these model years: 25V437000 (2020). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the Nissan Altima?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 57,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 36,000 and 81,000. 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.