1998 Nissan Altima Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Altima years
- Fewer complaints than other years 23rd of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 123 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Nissan Altima. That ranks 23rd out of 32 Altima model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (15 complaints, 12%), typically at around 70,000 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 2 fires, 9 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 123owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 | 15 | 12% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 15 | 12% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 14 | 11% | 108,833 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 14 | 11% | 71,220 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 | 10% | 96,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 7% | 142,400 | — | — |
| Visibility | 9 | 7% | 103,112 | — | — |
| Tires | 7 | 6% | 187,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 5% | 164,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 5% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 3% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 2% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 179,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 180,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | 147,769 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 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
1998 Nissan Altima recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1998 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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 NISSAN ALTIMA. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE AND SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO ENGAGE AS IT TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STOPPED ONCE IT…
I received a recall notice in the mail
Driving in semi heavy rain. Vehicle in motion while turning onto a street, wipers were at medium to high speed. Drivers wiper stopped in mid-stroke; passenger wiper ran over driver wiper. Have taken to see problem: needing complete wiper linkage & set up.
It happened again on my drive to cooper hospital, the car veers all over the road, it is not a steering problem, it is underneath the car.....please help me, i will get killed in this car......it seems to want to jump to the left or right when ever it feels like it, no matter the speed. Of course…
My car was all over the road while driving at 55, 60 mph. It does it at slower speeds too but we were almost killed this time. It seems to want to go to the left or right when ever it feels like it. I just bought it from a private person not too long ago.
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 | 123 | 0 |
| 1997 Altima | 108 | 1 |
| 1996 Altima | 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 1998 Nissan Altima?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 15 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Nissan Altima?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.