Nissan Altima Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 1,890 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Nissan Altima across 24 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (594). The words owners use most often: “catalytic converter” (14% of reports).
- 1,890engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 22mention a crash
- 22mention an injury
- 7related recalls
- $990typical repair cost reported by owners
- 39%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 264 of 1,890 complaints (14%)
- Position sensor: mentioned in 227 of 1,890 complaints (12%)
- Service engine: mentioned in 176 of 1,890 complaints (9%)
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 116 of 1,890 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Nissan Altima at $990, and half of them between $440 and $2,650.
Based on 225 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (1999–2015), 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 engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 1,530 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 1,890 complaints, 22 mention a crash, 61 a fire, 22 an injury.
Nissan Altima engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Altima | 1 | 1% | 118,000 |
| 2020 Altima | 5 | 3% | — |
| 2019 Altima | 9 | 4% | 108,000 |
| 2017 Altima | 1 | 0% | 148,000 |
| 2014 Altima | 3 | 0% | 4,520 |
| 2013 Altima | 8 | 0% | 2,150 |
| 2012 Altima | 4 | 1% | 35,503 |
| 2011 Altima | 6 | 2% | 95,836 |
| 2010 Altima | 4 | 1% | 1,849 |
| 2009 Altima | 10 | 1% | 69,870 |
| 2008 Altima | 21 | 2% | 60,000 |
| 2007 Altima | 44 | 9% | 28,000 |
| 2006 Altima | 189 | 23% | 54,700 |
| 2005 Altima | 259 | 24% | 72,490 |
| 2004 Altima | 109 | 39% | 67,000 |
| 2003 Altima | 450 | 51% | 77,500 |
| 2002 Altima | 594 | 57% | 87,000 |
| 2001 Altima | 59 | 37% | 70,000 |
| 2000 Altima | 49 | 31% | 81,500 |
| 1999 Altima | 8 | 9% | 104,000 |
| 1998 Altima | 14 | 11% | 108,833 |
| 1997 Altima | 7 | 6% | — |
| 1996 Altima | 8 | 9% | 84,000 |
| 1995 Altima | 28 | 16% | 40,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (7)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Model years: 2019, 2020
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. The engine bearings may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine failure.
Risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash. A bearing failure may cause a breach in the engine block, allowing hot oil to be discharged, increasing the risk of an engine fire.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or Infiniti's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R25A8/A9 and R25B1/B2.
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 2002, 2005, 2006
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crankshaft position sensor can overheat causing a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.
Risk: If the interruption in the signal from the crankshaft position sensor is so brief that the electronic control module (ecm) logic does not have time to diagnose the condition, the engine may stop running without warning while the vehicle is driven at a low speed increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the ecm free of charge. Certain my 2006 altimas which have been previously remedied under recall campaign 06v223 (nissan r0606) are not included in this recall since the reprogramming for 06v223 also included this reprogramming. The recall began on december 31, 2007. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 2007
Problem: On certain vehicles, if a sufficiently hot object enters the air filter housing through the engine fresh air intake system and contacts the engine air filter, the flammability characteristics of the air filter material are such that the filter may ignite.
Risk: If the air filter material ignites, a fire may occur.
Fix: Dealers will replace the air filter with a new one that has improved anti-flammability material characteristics. The recall began on july 3, 2007, and will continue through october 1, 2007. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 2003, 2004
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crank angle sensor is affected by temperature variations. Under certain driving conditions, these variations in temperature can be large enough to cause a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.
Risk: If the interruption in the signal from the sensor is so brief that the electronic control module (ecm) logic does not have time to diagnose the condition, the engine may stop running without warning while the vehicle is driven at a low speed increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the ecm free of charge. The recall began on august 21, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 2006
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.5l engines may experience excessive engine oil consumption as a result of improper performance of the piston rings.
Risk: If the oil is not maintained at least at the minimum level, engine damage can occur and in extreme cases result in an engine fire.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the electronic control module (ecm or engine computer). Your vehicle will also be inspected to determine if it has been consuming engine oil at a higher than normal rate. In a small percentage of vehicles, engine replacement will be needed. On june 9, 2006, nissan notified owners of the possibility of excessive oil consumption and the importance of maintaining the oil at a proper level. Follow-up letter to owners advising them of the status of the recall was sent during august 2006. Followup letter to owners was sent on november 15, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 2002, 2003
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor may have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
Risk: This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this new campaign. The replacement sensors used in that campaign are also affected. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Model years: 2002, 2003
Problem: On certain vehicles equipped with the 2.5 liter engine, the exhaust pipe hanger pin may catch debris from the road that could be ignited by contact with the main catalyst. Also on 2002 altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions may cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate.
Risk: Either of these two conditions could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will remove the protruding portion of the exhaust pipe hanger pin. In addition to the corrective action, in order to reduce the risk of fire in the event of poor or improper maintenance that could result in oil spillage, heat shield(s) will be installed on the pre-catalyst and exhaust tube. Owner notification began on july 28, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261. Nissan recall nos. R3007, r3014, r3015, r3016, r3017. Also on 2002 altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions may cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate. If substrate particles enter the combustion chamber, they could score the cylinder walls, resulting in increased oil consumption. If the engine oil level is not checked on a periodic basis and drops below the low level, and the driver continues to operate the vehicle ignoring noticeable engine noise, engine damage may occur which could result in a fire. The pre-catalyst will be tested to ensure it is working properly and replaced if necessary. If damage is found inside the pre-catalyst, it will be necessary to replace the engine.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Altima. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer for a trade-in, and during the test drive, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the cam actuator and the bearings were falling apart. The mechanic informed…
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Engine Malfunction" was displayed. Additionally, the vehicle experienced excessive coolant consumption and the engine overheated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic…
See attached document for complaint.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that after stopping at a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was determined…
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that lead was found in the oil pan. The vehicle remained at the dealer…

Frequently asked questions
Do all Nissan Altimas have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 1,890 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Nissan Altima. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Nissan Altima engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 7 safety recalls list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Nissan Altima?
Owners report a typical cost of $990 (half paid between $440 and $2,650), from 225 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Nissan Altima?
The most frequent phrase is “catalytic converter”, in 264 of 1,890 complaints, followed by “position sensor” (227).
Other Nissan Altima problems
- Power Train problems (2,187)
- Air Bags problems (1,894)
- Electrical System problems (1,749)
- Structure problems (1,742)
- Engine problems (1,449)
- Steering problems (1,338)
- Exterior Lighting problems (1,221)
- Suspension problems (906)
See all Nissan Altima problems.