The Nissan Altima is a midsize sedan with an eye-pleasing design. The Altima is available in 4 trims and two engine configurations. The Altima price starts at an MSRP of $ 21,030 and goes all the way up to $ 27,030 for the top-end trim. The car is one of the reliable options in its segment with comparatively fewer complaints and just 1 recall. The majority of the complaints reported are in the electrical, engine, and interior departments. The NHTSA crash test has given an overall safety rating of 4 stars and a side impact rating of 5 stars. It competes against the likes of the Hyundai Sonata, the Ford Fusion, and the Honda Accord
2011 Nissan Altima User Complaints and Problems
Safety Complaints
- Airbag Indicator lights: Many users have complained about the front passenger side airbag status indicator turning off even while a passenger is seated. We believe that the issue is with a faulty sensor installed in the seat. Not fixing this issue could lead to airbags not deploying in an event of an accident.
Engine and Mechanical Complaints
- Unable to accelerate: Many users have reported that while driving the car is hesitant to accelerate. This could be a result of many reasons main one being the failure of the mass air flow sensors due to the accumulation of dust. This issue can be solved by cleaning the sensors. In some cases, the sensors may need replacing.
- Transmission failure; Many users have reported transmission failures. While the exact cause for this failure has not been identified, some issues were resolved with a software update and transmission flush from the dealer.
Interior
-
Dashboard Melting: Many users have reported the dashboard melting. This could be mainly due to the low quality of plastic used to manufacture the dashboard which degrades over the year because of high temperatures. This degradation can cause a glare on the windshield causing reduced visibility.
Electrical Complaints
- Check engine light: Many users have also complained about the check engine light staying on. This could be due to multiple reasons ranging from simple reasons like not closing the gas cap properly to severe engine problems. It is highly advised to get it checked as soon as possible to avoid any mishaps.
- Unable to start: A user has complained that the car doesn't start and he has to unplug the battery and replug it, to get the engine started. The exact cause for this the dealers were not able to identify while running diagnostic. This could be a rare instance and we believe that it could be fixed via a software reset or update.
2011 Nissan Altima Recalls
|
S. No |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
11th July 2011 |
11V371000 |
Transverse link bolt. |
The transverse link bolt may not have been torqued to the proper specification. This condition could cause the bolt to become loose, resulting in difficulty controlling the vehicle. |
Nissan will replace the transverse bolts and nuts and tighten them to the proper torque specification free of charge, |
Should you buy the 2011 Nissan Altima?
The 2011 Nissan Altima has its own share of problems, but is far less compared to the complaints and recalls registered against other competitors. The 2011 Hyundai Sonata has the most number of complaints and recalls registered followed by the 2011 Ford Fusion. We would recommend the Nissan Altima taking into consideration the above facts. However, the 2011 Honda Accord outperforms the Nissan Altima in many aspects like performance, ride quality, and safety ratings. Hence, we would advise you to compare in-depth the features and specifications of both the models and decide which of the two aptly suits your requirements. Both the models are affordable and a used one can be purchased at a reasonable price.
