2010 Nissan Altima Engine Problems
Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2010 Nissan Altima, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 68,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “catalytic converter” (12% of reports).
- 50engine complaints
- 68,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 64%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.
- Catalytic converter: mentioned in 6 of 50 complaints (12%)
- CVT transmission: mentioned in 5 of 50 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 40 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 50 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 2 an injury.
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 2010 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.
I am having problems with my ECU malfunctioning which is causing my catalytic converter my exhaust manifold and my O2 sensors to malfunction. I'm having all the same issues as the recall campaign reference number NTB 12-040 d
Yes, while driving down Atlanta Highway I was going around 55 mph then all of a sudden saw smoke was coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle. When I pulled over Flames was coming from the front right side and spread it to the center of the front hood, then spread it to the front seat…
At some point on the highway the car throttles down to less than 60 mph. Mashing the gas pedal to the floor results in nothing happening. This causes a dangerous road situation with the slower speed, but the worst part is when it suddenly begins to accelerate again, potentially hitting the car in…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2010 Nissan Altimas have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 50 owner complaints about engine for the 2010 Nissan Altima (13% of the 381 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 2010 Nissan Altima engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 68,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2010 Nissan Altima?
The most frequent phrase is “catalytic converter”, in 6 of 50 complaints, followed by “cvt transmission” (5).
Other 2010 Nissan Altima problems
See all 2010 Nissan Altima problems or engine problems across all Altima years.