2021 Nissan Altima · keep 3 yr

The records describe a possible fatal outcome.

“I purchased this car in April 2023 and in December 2023. I had to get a new battery when I purchased a car. They told me that there was no worries or mishaps with the vehicle they said just only normal wear and tear for is a used vehicle. My car is a 2021 Nissan Altima so the car would’ve been about two years old maybe or on his way to be in two years old when I got the car according to the Carfax and the information provided to me it only had one owner previously. I’m not sure what the person did with the car but the battery was bad fast-forward to 2025. I was hit by a F150 truck. I got T-bone I had to go to the hospital, etc. it was a pretty bad hit. My windows were cracked or excuse me broken and my airbags were not deployed. No airbag was deployed. I did have my seatbelt on when the police came. My CB was still on so my car had to go. It was towed, and then it went to a mechanic shop to be fixed by the other person‘s insurance at that time, the mechanic sent me photos and explain that there was faulty, wiring and seatbelts, and he was unsure why it would be there. He said it was a immediate safety hazard, and I should address it with North Coast as soon as possible North Coast auto Mall is where I purchased the car from when I reached out to them all they told me was all you’ve had the car for about three years now we don’t know what you may have done to the Car. I still have the photos of the faulty wiring. I’m no mechanic. I explained to them that was an accident and the airbags did not deploy and when the mechanic also confirmed that’s probably why I have not heard anything from North Coast. This is an extreme safety hazard.”

The records describe a possible fatal outcome.

“Door lock actuators have failed completely on 2 doors, and intermittently on 1 door of a 2021 Nissan Altima. They do not respond to either the key fob or door button. There are no warnings or indicators associated with this component so it is unknown when the failures first occurred, but it was first noticed in summer of 2025. The components have not been inspected but could be made available for inspection if requested. Not being able to unlock doors could present an entrapment hazard in the event of a collision. The doors remaining unlocked is a safety concern as there is nothing preventing the door from potentially being opened while driving, and a security concern as the vehicle may inadvertently be left unlocked even if the lock buttons are pressed on the key fob and/or door. Numerous official and anecdotal consumer reports exist but at the time of this submittal the manufacturer has not issued any notices or recalls regarding this problem.”

The records describe a possible fatal outcome.

“Passenger back locks stopped working first. Then driver side back locks. Now both driver and passenger front locks will not lock/unlock automatically. This is scary when not being able to get in/out of vehicle for an emergency. I have reviewed multiple complaints and it appears this is a very common Nissan problem that needs to be addressed before it becomes a bigger safety problem.”

The records describe a possible fatal outcome.

“Vehicle Breaking on Its Own While Driving I am writing to file a formal safety complaint and to demand immediate corporate intervention regarding an extremely dangerous mechanical/ADAS defect. My Nissan Altima has serious, ongoing safety issues where the vehicle will unexpectedly and aggressively apply the brakes on its own while I am driving, including on highways and regular roads. This defect happens without my input, without warning, and creates a major risk of being rear-ended, losing control of the vehicle, or causing a serious accident. This issue is Not minor. It is a life-threatening malfunction that makes the vehicle unsafe to operate. I have taken the vehicle to authorized Nissan dealerships for diagnosis and repair on multiple occasions & originally they told me it should be under warranty & when they spoke to the dealership they said it did not qualify under the warranty nor the extra insurance purchased & i'd have to come out of pocket for repairs. A vehicle that breaks on its own, especially at highway speeds – is not safe, not reliable, and not roadworthy. This situation has gone on for years and the vehicle is now a clear danger to me and the public and my three minor children who ride in the car with me. I am requesting immediate action and a good-faith resolution.”

The records describe a possible fatal outcome.

“Hi this is in reference to my 2021 Nissan altima. The fob key entry and electrical door control doesn't work. The automator for my doors have had to be replaced. First the rear passenger and five days later the rear passenger door on drivers side and now the drivers door. As a single female this is a safety issue. If I can't access my vehicle in an emergency it turns into a life or death situation. I've researched this and many owners of like vehicle have had this complaint and reported it, but appears that Nissan has ignored it. When my repairs are done it isn't inexpensive. Please please please!!! Look into this. Please and thank you. Tempe dodge chrysler and jeep Tempe Az is where the repairs are done. Jon (833) 552-1518 service department”

The records describe a possible fatal outcome.

“Rear Crash warning comes on when stopped at light , or when car is put in reverse and nothings there . also wiper refill warning. stays on even when full. Has been reported to dealership more than once also hear clicking at speeds over 50 mph.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“My car is supposed to have an automatic braking system/collision detection. Two cars in front of me slammed on their brakes and the car in front of me slammed on his brake, and I didn't have enough time to react. I totalled my car, but my car is supposed to have a safety feature that automatically brakes. The faulty automatic braking didn't engage as it should have.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“The system malfunctioning is the front sensor braking. My safety and others were put at risk with this because multiple times my car has braked me and or completely stopped me because it’s malfunctioning , it happens while I am on a busy street and someone even almost rear ended me because my car braked out of nowhere. It’s called “Phantom Braking”. No, the problem has not been confirmed by dealer became they stopped answering. I took it to the manufacture but they want to charge me too much. Yes and it first appeared Feb 2nd , a day after I bought the car. So at first it will aggressively brake me and I can tell when it’s going to start braking me because this loud scratching/grinding noise appear .. the noise sounds like it’s coming from the bottom and I can feel it vibrating my car when I relax my feet on the brakes or the floor. But as soon as that noise comes on then the car starts braking me and sometimes it will cause the engine to stall and then the car will stop driving completely while im on the middle of traffic.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the brakes independently activated, and the rear of the vehicle fishtailed. The contact stated an unknown warning light showing an image of the rear of the vehicle was briefly illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the driver's side front seat frame was fractured, and the seat was loose. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the brake failure was not duplicated. The contact was informed that the driver's side front seat rack was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to several dealers; however, the brake failure was not duplicated. The contact was afraid to continue driving the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the repair for the driver's side front seat rack was not covered under warranty or any special programs. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“While driving home from work I experienced my fourth or fifth malfunction error flashing across my digital display. It scares me because this time is different. This time the flash made the seat vibrate and before I had a chance to react, I totally lost control Of my steering even though I had my hand family placed on each side of the wheel none of my maneuvers resulting in the tires moving in any direction. I was trying to straighten myself out but the trajectory Steered me to the right side of the road and up over the curb which tore out my front end And, had it not been for my superb braking skills, id be headfirst into a big cement hole on the side of the road. Brakes We’re locked out until I pressed on them 15,000 times it seems. Fortunately I am the only one hurt, I’m grateful that no one else has been involved in this malfunction of supposed quality machinery. But this is a ridiculous thing to have happened to listen 1000 miles in the car, this thing has been malfunctioning since the first day that I drove it off the lot. No clue who to get in touch until I started researching this Very same thing, and I am terrified for anyone else driving one of these vehicles right now, because It can Totally happened to you, and you may not be so lucky to have all the injuries only for yourself.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“When I make a turn, I hear a clicking noise and also when I come to a complete stop, I can a sound that sounds like a grunting noise. I had new brakes, rotors and brand new tires put on in 2025. I think my ball joints and tie rod is defective. I have a triple AAA membership and I just renewed it in June and it said that my 2021 has two recalls. NHTSA # 23V628000 The back over prevention sensing system camera & NHTSA# 21V138000 Steering Linkage Tie Rod Assembly.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“Steering wheel module buttons are not working . / needs a sensor replaced - recalibration.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“Hertz/Vehicles Rented with Open Recalls 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.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“Complete loss of motive power due to engine failure 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 engine knocking noises accompanied by a loss of engine power while driving. The investigation identified bearing failures in certain vehicles equipped with the subject 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. ODI also identified early warning reports describing thermal incidents that occurred immediately after the vehicle suffered a catastrophic engine failure.  The failures were the result of a manufacturing defect in specific engine bearings (main, A-, C-, and L-link) or other engine components that may cause engine damage and potentially lead to engine failure. Engine failure can result in a loss of motive power event that can increase the risk of a crash.  Engine failure might also result in a fire if internal components detach and impact the engine block creating a hole that allows engine oil to reach hot surfaces. In its April 2024, May 2024, and June 2025 responses to ODI’s information requests, Nissan provided 998 customer reports (including complaints, field reports, and legal claims) and 1,107 warranty claims related to the alleged defect.  When combining ODI and manufacturer report data, there are 1,878 unique VINs that have experienced failures across all subject vehicles.  In one of the early warning reports, ODI identified an incident involving a 2022 Infiniti QX55 that resulted in an engine fire following an alleged engine failure. The 2022 Infiniti QX55 was not included in the scope of this investigation but the vehicle model shares the same 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo engine.  Based on the information included with the early warning report, the fire can be directly related to the alleged defect.   A further review of ODI and manufacturer data, identified 12 allegations of engine compartment fires in subject vehicles; three were confirmed as directly related to the engine failure, and nine reports described an under-hood fire that occurred following a loss of power event. Additionally, ODI identified multiple reports describing an engine block crack or hole surrounded by oil residue following an engine failure. On June 27, 2025, Nissan submitted recall 25V-437 involving 443,899 MY 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue, MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50; and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles. The recall remedy provides the dealer instructions to inspect the engine oil pan for the presence of specific metal debris. For customers with the 3-cylinder 1.5L VC-Turbo engine, if no debris is detected during the inspection, dealers will replace the oil pan gasket, engine oil, and reprogram the vehicle’s Engine Control Module (ECM). For customers with the 4-cylinder 2.0L VC-Turbo engine, if no debris is detected, dealers will replace the engine oil. In the case where specific debris is detected and confirmed by Nissan Powertrain Call Center, dealers will be instructed to replace the engine. In addition, Nissan will extend the vehicle warranty to 10 years and 120,000 miles for the recall subject vehicle population after the dealer performs the inspection. Nissan has implemented multiple corrective actions to address the identified manufacturing defects of certain engine block internal components.  In view of the recall action (25V437) taken by Nissan, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Nissan Altima vehicles. The tie rod ball joint fastener was not tightened properly, which could result in the tie rod ball joint detaching from the steering knuckle. A detached tie rod ball joint can cause a loss of steering control, and increase the risk of a crash. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the left and right-side tie rod ball joint fasteners, or install new fasteners as necessary, free of charge. The began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PC795.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility." A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23C3.”