2017 Nissan Altima Power Train Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 14, 2026 · 133 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 133 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2017 Nissan Altima, 34% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 66,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “cvt transmission” (13% of reports).

What owners describe

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

  • CVT transmission: mentioned in 17 of 133 complaints (13%)

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 2017 Nissan Altima at $5,000, and half of them between $2,750 and $6,600.

Based on 12 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2019–2024), 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 68 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles6 · 9%
10k–25k miles2 · 3%
25k–50k miles12 · 18%
50k–75k miles24 · 35%
75k–100k miles14 · 21%
100k–150k miles9 · 13%
150k+ miles1 · 1%

How serious are the reports?

Of 133 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 3 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: 2020, with 34 complaints
2018: 5201852019: 162019162020: 342020342021: 172021172022: 182022182023: 152023152024: 182024182025: 8202582026: 220262

n = 133 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (0)

No safety recall lists power train for the 2017 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.

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…

Received Aug 5, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11754916

The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the roadway. No warning lights…

Received Feb 11, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11717377

Just bought a 2017 Nissan Altima SR. Took it for a ride. Attempted to merge into traffic and the car had zero acceleration once I merged and then the transmission seemed to completely disengage. The RPMs week to around 3500 so I quickly had to pull off so as not to get rear ended. Brought the car…

Received Nov 28, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11701902
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 2017 Nissan Altimas have power train problems?

No. NHTSA has 133 owner complaints about power train for the 2017 Nissan Altima (34% of the 392 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 2017 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 66,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2017 Nissan Altima?

Owners report a typical cost of $5,000 (half paid between $2,750 and $6,600), from 12 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about power train problems on the 2017 Nissan Altima?

The most frequent phrase is “cvt transmission”, in 17 of 133 complaints.

Other 2017 Nissan Altima problems

See all 2017 Nissan Altima problems or power train problems across all Altima years.