2006 Nissan Altima Power Train Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Nov 4, 2025 · 79 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 79 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2006 Nissan Altima, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 55,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “clutch pedal” (16% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Clutch pedal: mentioned in 13 of 79 complaints (16%)
  • Shift gears: mentioned in 6 of 79 complaints (8%)
  • Stuck floor: mentioned in 5 of 79 complaints (6%)
  • 5TH gear: mentioned in 5 of 79 complaints (6%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2006 Nissan Altima at $1,250, and half of them between $1,100 and $1,400.

Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2006–2010), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.

At what mileage do power train problems happen?

Based on 70 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles10 · 14%
10k–25k miles9 · 13%
25k–50k miles12 · 17%
50k–75k miles10 · 14%
75k–100k miles8 · 11%
100k–150k miles13 · 19%
150k+ miles8 · 11%

How serious are the reports?

Of 79 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 2 an injury.

Nissan Altima power train complaints by model year

Peak: 2013, with 505 complaints
1995: 2719951996: 71997: 81998: 619981999: 72000: 92001: 620012002: 392003: 342004: 1720042005: 1152006: 792007: 6220072008: 802009: 952010: 7320102011: 682012: 1492013: 50520135052014: 2092015: 1612016: 23520162017: 1332018: 242019: 920192020: 172021: 32022: 420222023: 12024: 42025: 12025

n = 2,187 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearPower Train complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2025 Altima114%—
2024 Altima410%—
2023 Altima13%—
2022 Altima413%—
2021 Altima34%—
2020 Altima1711%14,500
2019 Altima94%82,000
2018 Altima2411%12,105
2017 Altima13334%66,000
2016 Altima23542%64,700
2015 Altima16117%61,500
2014 Altima20919%70,000
2013 Altima50522%69,000
2012 Altima14935%92,800
2011 Altima6828%100,200
2010 Altima7319%54,964
2009 Altima956%120,000
2008 Altima808%110,000
2007 Altima6213%103,000
2006 Altima7910%55,500
2005 Altima11511%65,749
2004 Altima176%61,500
2003 Altima344%59,000
2002 Altima394%80,000
2001 Altima64%453,400
2000 Altima96%36,000
1999 Altima78%—
1998 Altima65%164,500
1997 Altima87%131,000
1996 Altima78%—
1995 Altima2715%83,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2010, with 14 complaints
2006: 6200662007: 552008: 6200862009: 332010: 142010142011: 772012: 3201232013: 662014: 3201432015: 662016: 102016102017: 222018: 3201832020: 112021: 2202122023: 112025: 120251

n = 79 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (0)

No safety recall lists power train for the 2006 Nissan Altima. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

Cvtc transmission stalls almost got my kids and my pregnant daughter hit I bought the car only 2 months ago

Received Apr 14, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11654471

I started my vehicle, as usual, and when driving at a very slow speed (neighborhood speed limits) I approached a very busy intersection and the car just stopped. Not only did it stop, it would not steer and a bunch of warning lights came on the dashboard. Tav I believe, oil, check engine light…

Received Dec 2, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11558113

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled upon the depression of the accelerator after coming to a complete stop. The contact was uncertain if any warning lights appeared during the failure. The contact was able to pull the vehicle off the road and into the…

Received Oct 8, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11436044
Nissan Altima
A 2023 Nissan Altima SR I photographed in Lompoc, California. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: LukaCali, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2006 Nissan Altimas have power train problems?

No. NHTSA has 79 owner complaints about power train for the 2006 Nissan Altima (10% of the 824 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2006 Nissan Altima power train?

No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.

At what mileage do power train problems start?

The median reported mileage is 55,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2006 Nissan Altima?

Owners report a typical cost of $1,250 (half paid between $1,100 and $1,400), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about power train problems on the 2006 Nissan Altima?

The most frequent phrase is “clutch pedal”, in 13 of 79 complaints, followed by “shift gears” (6).

Other 2006 Nissan Altima problems

See all 2006 Nissan Altima problems or power train problems across all Altima years.