2009 Nissan Altima Steering Problems
Owners have filed 859 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2009 Nissan Altima, 56% 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” (47% of reports).
- 859steering complaints
- 80,000median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,400typical repair cost reported by owners
- 24%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 406 of 859 complaints (47%)
- Wouldn start: mentioned in 78 of 859 complaints (9%)
- Intelligent key: mentioned in 59 of 859 complaints (7%)
- Push button: mentioned in 43 of 859 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2009 Nissan Altima at $1,400, and half of them between $1,200 and $1,500.
Based on 161 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2023), 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 steering problems happen?
Based on 704 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 859 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 1 a fire.
Nissan Altima steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Altima | 5 | 12% | — |
| 2023 Altima | 1 | 3% | 5,300 |
| 2021 Altima | 7 | 10% | — |
| 2020 Altima | 13 | 8% | 2,500 |
| 2019 Altima | 3 | 1% | 9,750 |
| 2018 Altima | 12 | 5% | 36,700 |
| 2017 Altima | 16 | 4% | 20,525 |
| 2016 Altima | 16 | 3% | 45,500 |
| 2015 Altima | 48 | 5% | 14,500 |
| 2014 Altima | 58 | 5% | 16,304 |
| 2013 Altima | 94 | 4% | 23,000 |
| 2012 Altima | 17 | 4% | 26,358 |
| 2011 Altima | 12 | 5% | 72,000 |
| 2010 Altima | 20 | 5% | 64,000 |
| 2009 Altima | 859 | 56% | 80,000 |
| 2008 Altima | 37 | 4% | 72,000 |
| 2007 Altima | 17 | 4% | 70,000 |
| 2006 Altima | 15 | 2% | 69,000 |
| 2005 Altima | 31 | 3% | 85,000 |
| 2004 Altima | 11 | 4% | 63,000 |
| 2003 Altima | 13 | 1% | 110,000 |
| 2002 Altima | 15 | 1% | 35,000 |
| 2001 Altima | 5 | 3% | 119,971 |
| 2000 Altima | 3 | 2% | 84,000 |
| 1999 Altima | 2 | 2% | — |
| 1998 Altima | 3 | 2% | — |
| 1997 Altima | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1996 Altima | 3 | 3% | — |
| 1995 Altima | 1 | 1% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists steering 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.
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…
After the steering Lock anti theft activated, steering lock ESCL module does not allow to turn on the ignition even keys are inserted.
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2009 Nissan Altimas have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 859 owner complaints about steering for the 2009 Nissan Altima (56% 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 steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 80,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2009 Nissan Altima?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,400 (half paid between $1,200 and $1,500), from 161 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2009 Nissan Altima?
The most frequent phrase is “steering lock”, in 406 of 859 complaints, followed by “wouldn start” (78).
Other 2009 Nissan Altima problems
- Electrical System problems (466)
- Engine problems (107)
- Power Train problems (95)
- Air Bags problems (91)
- Structure problems (90)
See all 2009 Nissan Altima problems or steering problems across all Altima years.