2018 Nissan Altima Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Altima years
- About as many complaints as other years 18th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 226 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Altima. That ranks 18th out of 32 Altima model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is unknown or other (60 complaints, 27%), typically at around 37,000 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 6 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 226owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Other | 60 | 27% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 48 | 21% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 37 | 16% | 31,672 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 36 | 16% | 46,478 | — | — |
| Power Train | 24 | 11% | 12,105 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 15 | 7% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 14 | 6% | 22,228 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 13 | 6% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 12 | 5% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 5% | 36,700 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 11 | 5% | 44,675 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 5% | 51,770 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 2% | 79,825 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 1% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 1% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 1% | 33,500 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | 12,846 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | 15,300 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Nissan Altima recalls (2)
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.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
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
- Hertz/Vehicles Rented with Open Recalls (AQ22003) — opened Dec 16, 2022, still open.
- 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.
While operating my 2018 Nissan Altima on September 19, 2026, at approximately 9:20 a.m., during daytime highway traffic, the vehicle suffered a sudden and complete loss of propulsion, leaving me entirely immobilized on a highway ramp with no ability to accelerate or move out of danger. I was…
The passengerâside airbag warning light first appeared within the first year of ownership. During that visit, the dealership did not repair the defect. They only reset the warning light and told me it was not a problem. No diagnostic documentation or repair explanation was provided, and the…
While driving at regular road speeds, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic safety component failure. The primary hood latch disengaged, and the secondary safety backup latch failed to catch or secure the hood. This caused the hood to violently slam completely open against the front windshield…
I am currently experiencing CVT failure as of I have filed a case with the nissan consumer affairs unit, case number 56846043. I was advised that even though there was a class action suit in 2022 for CVT issues, my CVT Warranty Extension expired on 12/09/2024Â for this class action suit. I…
So I have the 2.5L QR25DE engine with the exact exhaust failure from campaign PC717, and I need Goodwill Assistance because the part failed identically.
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 | 226 | 2 |
| 2017 Altima | 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 2018 Nissan Altima?
Owners most often report unknown or other, service brakes, electrical system problems. The top one, unknown or other, accounts for 60 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Nissan Altima?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 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 2018 has about as many complaints as a typical year, 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.