2009 Nissan Altima Engine Problems
Owners have filed 107 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2009 Nissan Altima, 7% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 80,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering lock” (21% of reports).
- 107engine complaints
- 80,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering lock: mentioned in 23 of 107 complaints (21%)
- Key fob: mentioned in 9 of 107 complaints (8%)
- Start push: mentioned in 7 of 107 complaints (7%)
- Exhaust manifold: mentioned in 7 of 107 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 84 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 107 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 4 a fire.
Nissan Altima engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Altima | 5 | 12% | — |
| 2023 Altima | 6 | 20% | — |
| 2022 Altima | 7 | 23% | — |
| 2021 Altima | 6 | 9% | 51,000 |
| 2020 Altima | 33 | 21% | 12,738 |
| 2019 Altima | 48 | 21% | 52,000 |
| 2018 Altima | 14 | 6% | 22,228 |
| 2017 Altima | 39 | 10% | 51,850 |
| 2016 Altima | 86 | 16% | 53,000 |
| 2015 Altima | 66 | 7% | 55,000 |
| 2014 Altima | 77 | 7% | 67,500 |
| 2013 Altima | 158 | 7% | 61,000 |
| 2012 Altima | 68 | 16% | 80,000 |
| 2011 Altima | 36 | 15% | 86,069 |
| 2010 Altima | 50 | 13% | 68,000 |
| 2009 Altima | 107 | 7% | 80,000 |
| 2008 Altima | 54 | 5% | 100,000 |
| 2007 Altima | 31 | 7% | 121,000 |
| 2006 Altima | 166 | 20% | 110,500 |
| 2005 Altima | 141 | 13% | 97,000 |
| 2004 Altima | 30 | 11% | 92,000 |
| 2003 Altima | 117 | 13% | 122,438 |
| 2002 Altima | 92 | 9% | 124,000 |
| 2001 Altima | 7 | 4% | 133,543 |
| 2000 Altima | 4 | 3% | 136,673 |
| 1997 Altima | 1 | 1% | 131,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2009 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.
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?…
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was an abnormal clanking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was driving rough. The contact stated that the ABS, brake, check engine, and TPMS warning lights were…
Purchased the vehicle from Quality Auto sales llc.had tge vehicle less than 48 hours in traffic stopped. Had it towed to find they just put it together to rode off the lot but transmission is gone. Brought as is could have lost my life. Paid 6990.25.i feel misled and cheated tried to see if they…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2009 Nissan Altimas have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 107 owner complaints about engine for the 2009 Nissan Altima (7% of the 1,547 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 2009 Nissan Altima engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 80,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2009 Nissan Altima?
The most frequent phrase is “steering lock”, in 23 of 107 complaints, followed by “key fob” (9).
Other 2009 Nissan Altima problems
- Steering problems (859)
- Electrical System problems (466)
- Power Train problems (95)
- Air Bags problems (91)
- Structure problems (90)
See all 2009 Nissan Altima problems or engine problems across all Altima years.