1996 Nissan Altima Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Altima years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 25th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 92 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Nissan Altima. That ranks 25th out of 32 Altima model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (37 complaints, 40%), typically at around 78,075 miles. Complaints mention 21 crashes, 5 fires, 14 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 92owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 21complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Nissan Altima problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 37 | 40% | 78,075 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 11 | 12% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 9% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 4% | 40 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 4% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 3% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 40 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Nissan Altima recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1996 Nissan Altima.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Car was driving crazy and turned off in street.
My car crashed into the back of another vehicle. I had plenty of time to stop, but my car just didn't & my airbags didn't deploy. Even before the crash, the dash lights flicker on and off, & i can barely see with my headlights! Also, my car makes loud cranking noises when i turn. Every car i see…
1996 altima left front tire separated from vehicle. *ts *jb
My daughter's 1996 nissan altima developed an intermittent problem that sometimes left her stranded. When i discovered what the problem was, i wanted others to know. The problem turned out to be an intermittent electrical connection inside the fuel tank. It was burned and had actually melted the…
I have a 1996 nissan altima gxe. The air bag system developed a problem, i.e. The indicator light would not go out - it continued to flash. Upon diagnosis by the nissan service department, they determined the problem to be a malfunctioning control module. This will cause the unit to not operate…
Other Nissan Altima years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Altima | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 Altima | 7 | 2 |
| 2024 Altima | 41 | 1 |
| 2023 Altima | 30 | 0 |
| 2022 Altima | 31 | 0 |
| 2021 Altima | 70 | 2 |
| 2020 Altima | 158 | 6 |
| 2019 Altima | 233 | 7 |
| 2018 Altima | 226 | 2 |
| 2017 Altima | 391 | 3 |
| 2016 Altima | 554 | 4 |
| 2015 Altima | 955 | 10 |
| 2014 Altima | 1,114 | 8 |
| 2013 Altima | 2,313 | 12 |
| 2012 Altima | 426 | 4 |
| 2011 Altima | 241 | 1 |
| 2010 Altima | 381 | 3 |
| 2009 Altima | 1,547 | 4 |
| 2008 Altima | 1,030 | 4 |
| 2007 Altima | 471 | 3 |
| 2006 Altima | 824 | 3 |
| 2005 Altima | 1,091 | 1 |
| 2004 Altima | 276 | 1 |
| 2003 Altima | 883 | 4 |
| 2002 Altima | 1,047 | 5 |
| 2001 Altima | 159 | 1 |
| 2000 Altima | 160 | 1 |
| 1999 Altima | 87 | 0 |
| 1998 Altima | 123 | 0 |
| 1997 Altima | 108 | 1 |
| 1996 | 92 | 0 |
| 1995 Altima | 180 | 3 |
See all Nissan Altima problems by year, every Nissan model, or the Nissan VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Nissan Altima?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 37 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Nissan Altima?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1996 Nissan Altima a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Altima model years, the 1996 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.