2011 Nissan Altima Power Train Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jun 3, 2026 · 68 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2011 Nissan Altima, 28% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 100,200 miles. The words owners use most often: “cvt transmission” (24% of reports).

What owners describe

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

  • CVT transmission: mentioned in 16 of 68 complaints (24%)
  • Whining noise: mentioned in 7 of 68 complaints (10%)

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 2011 Nissan Altima at $4,900, and half of them between $4,600 and $5,200.

Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2017–2019), 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 53 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles3 · 6%
10k–25k miles1 · 2%
25k–50k miles2 · 4%
50k–75k miles6 · 11%
75k–100k miles12 · 23%
100k–150k miles23 · 43%
150k+ miles6 · 11%

How serious are the reports?

Of 68 complaints, 1 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: 2018, with 18 complaints
2011: 1201112012: 1201212014: 2201422016: 5201652017: 112017112018: 182018182019: 152019152020: 3202032021: 7202172022: 3202232024: 1202412026: 120261

n = 68 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (0)

No safety recall lists power train for the 2011 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.

Drive axle suddenly not functioning properly, caused dangerous conditions to stop the car while driving on highway.

Received Feb 25, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11720577

Unknown. My car is making a whining noise & no matter how much i push the gas pedal it won’t accelerate. Sometimes it works but mostly it won’t.

Received Mar 31, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11580274

Hi my Nissan has 120k miles son it and the transmission is completely wrong don’t go more than 30 mph I take it to the shop to inspect and they told me that it need to be replace. It has code p1778 and code p0868 they told me that the transmission has no oil presure that it was a mechanical…

Received Dec 22, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11498614
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 2011 Nissan Altimas have power train problems?

No. NHTSA has 68 owner complaints about power train for the 2011 Nissan Altima (28% of the 241 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 2011 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 100,200 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2011 Nissan Altima?

Owners report a typical cost of $4,900 (half paid between $4,600 and $5,200), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about power train problems on the 2011 Nissan Altima?

The most frequent phrase is “cvt transmission”, in 16 of 68 complaints, followed by “whining noise” (7).

See all 2011 Nissan Altima problems or power train problems across all Altima years.