2017 Nissan Altima Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Altima years
- More complaints than other years 13th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 392 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Nissan Altima. That ranks 13th out of 32 Altima model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (133 complaints, 34%), typically at around 66,000 miles. Complaints mention 24 crashes, 7 fires, 23 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 392owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 24complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2017 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 133 | 34% | 66,000 | “cvt transmission” (13%) | $5,000 |
| Air Bags problems | 73 | 19% | 65,000 | “air bag” (27%) | $2,750 |
| Unknown or Other | 62 | 16% | 35,325 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 41 | 10% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 39 | 10% | 51,850 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 27 | 7% | 29,127 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 19 | 5% | 25,630 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 18 | 5% | 51,144 | — | — |
| Structure | 18 | 5% | 57,150 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 17 | 4% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 16 | 4% | 20,525 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 14 | 4% | 75,233 | — | — |
| Suspension | 11 | 3% | 26,525 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 6 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 1% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 1% | 21,050 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 1% | 42,600 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 0% | 148,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2017 Nissan Altima recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.
Risk: Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. If the primary latch is inadvertently released again and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an OwnerÂs Manual addendum card with instructions on how to lubricate and maintain the secondary hood latch mechanism, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: Recall 16V-029 remains open for any unremedied 2013-2015 Altimas and this recall applies to all vehicles covered by 16V-029 even if those repairs have already been performed.
Structure:emergency:escape/egress/exit; latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles, previously remedied under recall number 17V-040. The door latch-lock cable may not have been routed properly in the rear door when the remedy was applied. As a result, the cable may interfere with the window regulator causing the rear passenger door to unlatch and inadvertently open without warning when the window is lowered.
Risk: If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will secure the latch-lock cables in the correct position using the new remedy procedure, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7669.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles. The rear door latch/lock cable on the vehicles may have been improperly routed. As a result, lowering a rear window may inadvertently cause that door to unlatch and open.
Risk: If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will correct the rear door latch/lock cable routing, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
- Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure (EA19002) — opened Jul 29, 2019, closed Jun 16, 2025.
- Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure (PE18013) — opened Dec 1, 2018, closed Aug 21, 2019.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
2017 Nissan Altima purchased used from large used dealer chain location in Albuquerque, NM on 11/24/25. At delivery, salesman demonstrated driver seat moved up/down and stated it just needed a bolt/belt. Co-signer who was present witnessed. Component failed: Driver seat front mounting bolt missing…
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with an electrical fault inside the air bag, and it was determined that the air bag inside the seat…
1. Headlights. The headlights are dim to the point that vision at night is greatly impaired unless I use my high beams. It is available for inspection. 2. Impaired vision at night, I cannot see very well when driving at night, and others may be affected by not being able to see me as well. 3. This…
I was driving home from the store like 4 blocks away and on the road thereâs dip n the road you canât avoid it so after i drive over it the airbag light comes on with hitting anything.
Shuddering and loss of acceleration/vehicle slowed on its own while driving on the highway. Managed to get to Firestone and diagnostic codes P0776 and P0841 came up. Advised to take vehicle to dealer shop as work could not be done on CVT there. Car was towed to Nissan Bonney Road Virginia Beach…
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 | 392 | 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 Altima | 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 2017 Nissan Altima?
Owners most often report power train, air bags, unknown or other problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 133 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2017 Nissan Altima?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2017 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 2017 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.