2009 Nissan Altima Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Altima years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1,547 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Nissan Altima. That ranks 2nd out of 32 Altima model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (859 complaints, 56%), typically at around 80,000 miles. Complaints mention 36 crashes, 8 fires, 21 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 1,547owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 36complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2009 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 859 | 56% | 80,000 | “steering lock” (47%) | $1,400 |
| Electrical System problems | 466 | 30% | 78,010 | “steering lock” (32%) | $1,400 |
| Unknown or Other | 146 | 9% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Engine problems | 107 | 7% | 80,000 | “steering lock” (21%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 95 | 6% | 120,000 | “cvt transmission” (14%) | $5,700 |
| Air Bags problems | 91 | 6% | 65,500 | “air bag” (37%) | $2,450 |
| Structure problems | 90 | 6% | 60,000 | “dashboard melting” (30%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 49 | 3% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 41 | 3% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 33 | 2% | 90,750 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 32 | 2% | 65,100 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 26 | 2% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 15 | 1% | 72,822 | — | — |
| Seats | 14 | 1% | 59,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 14 | 1% | 11,165 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 1% | 69,870 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 10 | 1% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 10 | 1% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 1% | 40,971 | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 0% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 0% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 3 | 0% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 0% | 41,250 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 0% | 190,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | 9,065 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | 184,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | 1,100 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2009 Nissan Altima recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:electrical:navigational system(global positioning system)
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain vehicles that were equipped with a garmin nuvi model 750 navigation system. The batteries contained in the affected gps units can overheat.
Risk: Overheated batteries could result in a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners and the repairs will be performed by garmin technicians by replacing the battery and inserting a spacer on top of the battery free of charge. The safety recall began on september 16, 2010. Owners may contact garmin directly at 1-866-957-1981 or nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Suspension
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 altima and maxima passenger cars. The upper front strut insulators may have been manufactured out of specification resulting in a potential for the strut insulator to crack.
Risk: If the strut insulator is cracked, there is a potential for the strut rod to come out of its mounting position, which could affect vehicle stability and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners and dealers will replace both left and right side front strut insulators free of charge. The safety recall began october 2009. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-nissan1 (1-800-647-7261).
Structure:body:door
Problem: Nissan is recalling 225 my 2009 altima vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 214, "side impact protection." these vehicles may have been manufactured with an out-of-specification weld on the door assembly.
Risk: This does not meet the standard requirements.
Fix: All the affected vehicles have been brought back from the dealerships and remedied at the factory. No vehicles had been retailed.
Wheels
Problem: Nissan is recalling 3,403 my 2009 altima vehicles equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels. Some these wheels may not have been manufactured to specification. This could cause one or more of the five lug nuts attaching the wheel to the vehicle to become loose.
Risk: If the lug nuts become loose, it could eventually result in a loss of control and a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicle to determine if it is equipped with one of the affected wheels. If it is, the wheels will be replaced with new ones that have been manufactured to the correct specification. The recall is expected to begin during september 2008. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
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.
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. While attempting to start the vehicle, the steering wheel was locked, preventing the remote start feature from functioning as designed. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The…
1) What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The cylinders are constantly misfiring. 2 )How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Yes. 3) Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?…
After the steering Lock anti theft activated, steering lock ESCL module does not allow to turn on the ignition even keys are inserted.
Was stopped at a red light - when light turned green car in front of me proceeded to go but stopped . I pressed on the brake at a speed of no more then 15 miles an hour and the driver side airbag from the steering wheel deployed . No other air bags deployed and there was no type of collision or…
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle using the key fob, the vehicle failed to start. The contact depressed the brake pedal and ignition button, and the vehicle failed to start. The contact was unable to depress the brake pedal to start the…
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 | 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 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 2009 Nissan Altima?
Owners most often report steering, electrical system, unknown or other problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 859 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Nissan Altima?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2009 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 2009 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.