What 241 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Nissan Altima

THE CAR HAS LEFT ME STRANDED OVER 20 TIMES THIS PAST YEAR FROM NOT STARTING ( I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR A YEAR). ALL THE LIGHTS WILL COME ON BUT WHEN I PUSH THE START BUTTON IT WON'T DO ANYTHING. IT WILL JUMP OFF AND MIGHT RUN FOR WEEKS BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL FAIL ME AGAIN. I HAVE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP A COUPLE OF TIMES(WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY) AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. I HAVE ALSO TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE SEVERAL TIMES (AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED) TO FIND OUT THERE WASN'T A BATTERY ISSUE. I RESEARCHED ONLINE TO FIND MANY MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT OTHERS DOING THE SAME THING WITH MOST OF THEM SAYING ITS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER THE FACTORY WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10588786

I HAD NOTICED THAT REGARDLESS OF OCCUPANCY, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG INDICATOR NEVER LIT UP AFTER INITIAL TESTING ON START-UP. IN LATE JAN 2014, I WAS T-BONED ON PASSENGER SIDE BY MERCEDES WHOSE SPEED WAS SUCH THAT HIS AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO ONE WITH ME OCCUPYING MY PASSENGER SEAT, THE SIDE CURTAIN AND SEAT BAG DEPLOYED, ADDING MANY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10584404

WHILE DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC, THE CAR STARTED TO STALL. DRIVER PARKED THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WALKED TO WORK TO AVOID HAVING THE CAR DIE IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. NONE OF THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RETRIEVE THE CAR THAT EVENING, IT COULD NOT BE STARTED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO A MECHANIC. DESPITE BEING ONLY 3-YEARS OLD AND HAVING GONE JUST 60,022 MILES, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE CAR HAD A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK! THE ENGINE HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED INCLUDING OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10566407

I WAS ENTERING A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED CAUSING ME TO DRIVE OVER THE PARKING CURB AND INTO A SHRUB. I WAS PULLING SLOWLY INTO THE SPACE AND THE CAR JUST LURCHED FORWARD, I QUICKLY HIT THE BRAKE. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT HURT AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10555969

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED AND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE END BEGAN TO SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN IT RAINED, THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT A LOUD GRINDING NOISE FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ROTORS AND THE SHOCKS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,425. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10545104

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE USING THE PUSH-TO-START BUTTON WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT A SENSOR NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE SENSOR WAS BUT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ODI 10544597

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A POLE BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE WHILE TRYING TO PULL OVER AND PARK THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE LATER COULD NOT BE SHUT OFF USING THE PUSH-TO-START BUTTON. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO T REPROGRAMMED THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.

NHTSA ODI 10532705

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ON MY 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S AT ABOVE 65 MPH, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON SHOWING IT WAS OFF/ DISABLED AND STAYED OFF FOR THE WHOLE TRIP DURATION - ABOUT 45 MINUTES. AIR BAG LIGHT LOCATION IS IN THE CENTER OF DASHBOARD AND SHOULD LIGHT UP WHEN IS DISABLED OR NO PERSON IS SITTING ON PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS CLEARLY A MALFUNCTION AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO PROTECT HUMAN LIVES. AIR BAGS SAVE LIVES AND THEY SHOULD WORK ALL THE TIME NOT INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10523571

PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY ...NO MATTER THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER UP TO 240 THE AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS DISABLED....CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS CONSIDERING AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10519882

I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, THE STEERING BECAME DISABLED AND THE CAR COASTED TO A STOP. WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, IT IMMEDIATELY TURNED BLACK AND 60 SECONDS AFTER THE CAR LOST POWER IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10515044

SBRP215/55TR17 CONTINENTAL CONTI PRO CONTACT ALL-SEASON TIRES ON MY 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA COUPE. I'VE HAD ISSUES WITH THE TIRES AND THE CHECK TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN OCTOBER 2010. I'VE HAD IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER COMPLETELY RESOLVED. THE LIGHT WAS A DAILY OCCURANCE AND AT 20K I CONSIDERED TRADING THE VEHICLE IN BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. IT FELT UNSAFE - EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT. I FINALLY BOUGHT NEW TIRES AT 30K MILES BECAUSE I WAS TIRED OF HAVING TO PUT AIR IN THE TIRES EVERY MORNING. THAT IS HALF OF THE EXPECTED LIFE OF THE TIRES. THE TIRE HAD A LEAK THAT CAUSED MOISTURE TO GET INTO THE TIRE AND CORRODED THE SENSOR. NISSAN CLAIMS THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE SENSORS IN COLD WEATHER CLIMATES EVEN THOUGH IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND I HAVE REPORTED THE TIRE ISSUE TO THEM NUMEROUS TIMES. THE WEATHER HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SENSORS SEIZING. IF THE TIRES WERE NOT DEFECTIVE THE SENSORS WOULDN'T CORRODE. REPLACED TIRES AND SENSOR AT 30,990. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10512345

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE PUSH BUTTON IGNITION WOULD NOT START THE VEHICLE AT TIMES. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

NHTSA ODI 10509541

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A PUSH START IGNITION AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO OPERATE UPON ENGAGING THE SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BCM NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,327.

NHTSA ODI 10509059

BRAKE PEDAL SQUEAK UPON DECOMPRESSION. FOUND RING OF BRAKE FLUID ON MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR CAP. DEALERSHIP STATED OVERFILLED AND WIPED BRAKE FLUID INSPECTED MC FOR RECALL -- NO LEAK. RING CAME BACK AFTER TWO DAYS. DEALERSHIP STATED MASTER CYLINDER KICKING FLUID BACK UP -- NO LEAK -- MC REPLACED NOT DUE TO RECALL. MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED DUE TO FLUID BEING KICKED BACK UP. BRAKE PEDAL SQUEAK WENT AWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10504182

DRIVER DOOR HANDLE SQUEAKED WHEN PULLED. SERVICE ADVISOR STATED NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. UPON INSPECTION TECHNICIAN FOUND CABLE BINDING IN DOOR. CABLE WAS ADJUSTED AND DOOR WAS LUBED. DOOR HANDLE WAS REPAIRED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10504183

INTERIOR DASH RATTLE IN A PILLAR. ROAD TESTED WITH TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED RATTLE. DEALER REPLACED A PILLAR COVER AND SPEAKER COVER -- REPAIR WAS MADE. RATTLE REPAIRED - DEALER WILL NEED TO STRIP DASHBOARD. - REPAIR WILL BE MADE AT LATER DATE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10504184

VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO KEY. DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK FROM KEY. DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK FROM INTERIOR SWITCH. TRUNK WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE. WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO DOWN. PUSH TO START SWITCH STUCK "ON" POSITION. INTERIOR LIGHTS STUCK ON. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED VEHICLE AFTER TWO DAYS OF TESTING. INITIAL DIAGNOSIS WAS KEY NEEDED REPROGRAMMING. AFTER MORE DIAGNOSTIC --CONCLUDED BCM NEEDED REPROGRAMMING. BCM WAS REPROGRAMMED. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10504180

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHO STATED THAT THE INDEPENDENT POWER DRIVE MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10500033

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. IN ADDITION, THE TIRES WOULD NOT RESPOND TO MOVEMENTS OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE RACK AND PINION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 50,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10490767

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING HIS VEHICLE IT CONTINUED GOING FORWARD. THE CONTACT HASTILY JUMPED BACK INTO THE VEHICLE TO STOP IT AND BROKE HIS WRIST IN THE PROCESS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE VEHICLE NOT NEEDING A KEY TO START OR STOP IT CAUSED HIM TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS STILL IN THE DRIVE POSITION. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE SAFETY CONCERN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ODI 10479413

WHEN DRIVING SPEEDS AS LOW AS 25 MILES PER HOUR, THE BRAKES STARTED TO GRAB. I FIRST NOTICED THAT WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE, WHEN RELEASED, THE PEDAL SEEMED TO STICK, AS IF THERE WERE GUM ON THE BOTTOM OF MY SHOE, PERHAPS STICKING TO THE PEDAL. I CHECKED THE PEDAL AND IT WAS CLEAR. THEN I NOTICED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT SLOWER RATES OF SPEED, AS I EASED ON THE BRAKE, IT SEEMED TO DEPRESS AGAIN, THEN THE BRAKES WOULD GRAB HARDER. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID IT WAS THE BRAKE BOOSTER--$700 ESTIMATE TO FIX. I DID NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, SO I TOOK IT TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO EVALUATED THE ISSUE, AND CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION--BRAKE BOOSTER. HE SHOWED ME THAT IT WAS BUSTED. HE WAS CONSIDERABLY CHEAPER, SO I HAD HIM TO FIX THE BRAKE BOOSTER. IT FIXED THE ISSUE THAT I WAS FEELING IN THE PEDAL WHEN STOPPING, HOWEVER, THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO GRAB, EVEN AT SLOWER RATES OF SPEED (<25MPH). AT SLOWER SPEEDS, THE BRAKES GRABBED HARD ENOUGH TO THROW PASSENGERS FORWARD IN THE VEHICLE. HE CONTACTED NISSAN AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY MASTER CYLINDER, BUT ONLY IF IT WAS LEAKING. MY MASTER CYLINDER DID NOT APPEAR TO BE LEAKING, BUT IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT IT HAS TO BE A FAULTY CYLINDER. I READ SEVERAL REPORTS OF NISSAN'S MASTER CYLINDERS LEAKING CAUSING THE BRAKE BOOSTER TO FAIL. THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN JONESBORO SAID THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER, BUT THE RECALL IS FOR LEAKING MASTER CYLINDERS ONLY. MY MC IS NOT LEAKING, AND THEREFORE, AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10470871

WHEN DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS AND HEADLAMPS & RUNNING LIGHTS CAME ON, AND VEHICLE BECAME TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE, STRANDING DRIVER & RUNNING DOWN BATTERY DUE TO INABILITY TO TURN ANY LIGHTS OFF OR TURN VEHICLE OFF. NO CONTROLS RELATED TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WERE CONTROLLABLE. SOME EXAMPLES INCLUDE: 1. POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCHES DID NOT FUNCTION (NO EFFECT FROM PRESSING). 2. POWER WINDOW SWITCHES DID NOT FUNCTION (NO EFFECT FROM PRESSING). 3. PRESSING THE VEHICLE POWER / IGNITION BUTTON (MODERN EQUIVALENT OF STARTING KEY SWITCH) DID NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT, WHETHER SHORT OR LONG DURATION PRESSES WERE USED, AND REGARDLESS OF DELAY BETWEEN KEY PRESSES. 4. HEADLIGHTS & RUNNING LIGHTS WERE ON REGARDLESS OF THE SWITCH POSITION OF THE HEADLIGHT CONTROL SWITCH. THIS RESULTED IN THE DRIVER BEING STRANDED. BECAUSE THE VEHICLE'S LIGHTING WOULD NOT TURN OFF, THE BATTERY RAN DOWN, DISABLING THE VEHICLE FURTHER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A NISSAN DEALER. NISSAN SERVICEMAN INITIALLY REFUSED TO WRITE THE CUSTOMER PROBLEM DESCRIPTION AS PER THE CUSTOMER DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM. LATER, CUSTOMER CALLED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REQUEST THE CUSTOMER DESCRIPTION INCLUDE SPECIFIC AND CORRECT INFORMATION ALREADY PROVIDED BY THE CUSTOMER SUCH AS VEHICLE WAS "COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE WHILE ALL THE WARNING LIGHT CAME [REMAINED TURNED] ON THE VEHICLE. DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK.", THE DEALER REPORTED THAT THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN FOUND TSB NTB12-041. DEALER RECORD READS: "REPROGRAMMED [SIC] BCM UPDATE AS PER TSB. VEHICLE IS NOW OPERATING AS DESIGNED [SIC] AFTER UPDATE." VEHICLE HAS FUNCTIONED NORMALLY SINCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10470271

2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH STARTING VEHICLE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK ANY OF THE DOORS, A MESSAGE INDICATED THE DOOR WAS OPEN, BUT IT WAS TIGHTLY CLOSED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTICED THE FAN WAS RUNNING. A DIAGNOSIS AT THE DEALER REVEALED A COMPUTER GLITCH.

NHTSA ODI 10467462

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE START BUTTON FAILED. THE START BUTTON WAS VERY LOOSE AND HAD TO BE CONTINUALLY PRESSED FOR TWO TO FIFTEEN MINUTES TO GET THE VEHICLE TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS; HOWEVER THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO GET PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER ONCE AGAIN THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE PUSH BUTTON ASSEMBLY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 10462409

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WHEN SHE HEARD A NOISE AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. SHE PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT THE CAR. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE CAR WAS ON FIRE AND BURNED TO THE GROUND. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10462483