2022 Nissan Altima Problems And Complaints

Nissan Altima Common Problems

The Nissan Altima is a well-selling vehicle in a segment dominated by other Japanese rivals. The high sales translate to happy customers and positive reviews but do not always dictate a merry story. There have been many issues, minor and major, faced by the owners over the years which have also been registered on the NHTSA. Some of the most recurring ones include:

Electrical Issues:

1. AC Compressor Failure: Owners have complained that the air conditioning in the 2019 Altima is prone to failure. This causes the system to blow out hot air. The complainants had to get the compressor changed and had to pay out of their pocket. This is a widespread issue and has been communicated to the manufacturer several times.
2. Door-lock actuator issues: Many 2020 Nissan Altima owners have reported issues with the door-lock actuator in the rear doors. People report that the doors don’t lock from the buttons on the keyfob or from the manual controls inside. The issue is reported to occur at very low mileage and is reported to the manufacturer.
3. Stereo issues: Many complainants have reported that the stereo in the 2019 Altima gives out a static noise when the car is switched off. Some people claim the noise continues while the car is moving as well. The static noise causes a distraction while driving and is reported to give a nauseatic feeling to the occupants as well.
4. Backup camera issues: The backup camera in the 2020 Altima is said to go blank and not show anything while reversing. Complainants claim that the gridlines are projected but there’s no imagery of what’s behind. This affects rearwards visibility and increases the risk of collision while reversing. 
5. Faulty sensors: Many 2019 Altima owners have complained of sensor issues in their cars. The main issue is that the sensors malfunction and give out false warnings in the instrument cluster. 

Mechanical issues:

1. Loss of power assistance: Many 2019 Nissan Altima owners claim the power steering and the brakes lose power assistance. The complainants state that this sudden loss of power locks the steering wheel and affects the overall handling of the vehicle. In some cases, the brakes locked up and caused the vehicle to crash. 
2. Check engine light: Many people report that the Nissan Altima check engine light pops up without any reason. The dealerships were unable to determine the cause of this and issued replacement vehicles to the affected owners.
3. RPM fluctuation: Some 2021 Altima owners have reported the RPMs to fluctuate while the car is still and the ignition is on. The complainants claim that the RPMs fluctuate without any input from the driver. A handful of complainants reported the engine to stall after some fluctuations.
4. Transmission issues: Many 2019 Altima owners have reported the transmission in their cars to jerk at speeds less than 30 MPH. The complainants claim that the transmission jerked and stalled the car while moving. Some 2020 Altima owners have reported the issue to happen in their cars as well. A handful of these complainants had reported complete transmission failure.

Interior issues:

1. Seat derailment: Some complainants state that the seats in the 2019 Altima had a weak attachment to the seat rails. The complainants claim that the front seats derailed during a crash. The seats moved into the rear passengers and caused injuries.
2. Seat spring noise: The seatbacks in the 2020 Nissan Altima give out a peculiar noise whenever some occupants sit on/get up from the seats. The issue is reported to the dealerships and is also communicated to the manufacturer as well. 

Safety features issue:

1. Radar issues: People have complained that the radar in the Altima is prone to get jammed and accumulate dust. This causes all the related river-assistance features to not work properly and malfunction. Some complainants have also reported the vehicle speed control malfunctioning. This has caused the car to accelerate unintentionally. 
2. Lane Departure Warning issues: The Lane Departure Warning system in 2019 and the 2020 Altima disengages itself. This sudden disengagement of the system causes the car to veer off the lane and cause collisions. 

Nissan Altima Recalls

The Nissan Altima has been in its current generation for four model years now and has amassed 8 recalls, with the 2019 Altima racking in 5 of those recalls. The 2020 model year follows suit and adds in three new recalls to the list. The latest recall for the Nissan Altima was made on March 11, 2021 and carried NHTSA Campaign ID 21V169000.

Nissan North America recalled 36,141 units of the Altima and the Titan for an issue with the stock Continental tires. These tires may be over-cured during production and may develop cracks in the sidewalls. This may cause loss of handling and increase the risk of a crash. The dealers changed the affected tires free of charge. A summary of the other recalls is present below:

S. No.	Date	NHTSA Campaign Number	Issues Noticed	Additional Remarks
1.	December 20, 2018	18V922000	Fuel System	Improperly locked retainer clip connecting the low-pressure fuel tube to the high-pressure fuel pump might cause a fuel leak, increasing the risk of fire.
2.	March 25, 2019	19V235000	Exterior Lightning	An incorrectly located brake switch bracket may cause the switch to remain on. This might also cause unintended movement since the gears might move out of the Park position.
3.	April 18, 2019	19V316000	Fuel System	Partially engaged fuel pump lock ring might cause a fuel leak, making the affected units fail to comply with the requirements of the FMVSS number 301, "Fuel System Integrity".
4.	September 12, 2019	19V654000	Back Over Prevention	Improper adjustment of the backup camera and display settings will hinder the intended purpose of the camera, causing it to improperly display what’s behind. These affected units fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS number 111, "Rear Visibility”.
5.	September 22, 2020	20V570000	Visibility	Improperly secured rear window glass may separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
6.	November 5, 2020	20V685000	Tires	Overcuring of one or more tires during tire production may cause a break in the sidewall, causing sudden loss of air pressure and possible tread/belt loss.
7.	March 4, 2021	21V138000	Steering	Improperly tightened tie rod ball joint fastener could detach the tie rod ball joint from the steering knuckle.

What model year of the Nissan Altima to avoid?

The Nissan Altima has been a pretty reliable bet in its latest avatar but the debut model years had issues. The 2019 and the 2020 Altima were prone to many issues and niggles which caused inconvenience to the owners in the longer run. The Japanese manufacturer took notice and resolved a lot of these issues but some niggles still persist. 

Should you go for the 2022 Nissan Altima?

The 2022 Nissan Altima is a stupendous offering that has won the hearts of many people with a comfortable ride and a solid reliability record. There have been many complaints about the initial model years which were resolved later. The sedan strikes a perfect balance in the segment and is a better VFM proposition than its rivals. If you want to go for a used Altima, thorough research is mandatory to save you from the hassles of the older model years.