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KLUNK

2015 Nissan Altima

The Verdict

5 Total Klunk

The 2015 Nissan Altima has 941 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (446 complaints) and body (252 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 5/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Nissan Altima, consider the 2025 model year which has 99% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2025 has 99% fewer complaints

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5

Klunk Score: Total Klunk

Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Recalls 10

Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.

20V315000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

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...

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 ...

Remedy

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 Owner’s Manual addendum card with ins...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

16V029000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 6, 2012, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood ...

Risk

If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy

These vehicles were previously included in recalls 14V-565 and 15V-116, however the previous remedy plan may not have been performed consistently to remove the safety risk. To correct this issue, ...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

15V116000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 1, 2013, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood ...

Risk

If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will be instructed to modify the bend angle of the hood actuation lever to eliminate potential interference with the hood inner panel. In addition, dealers w...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

15V681000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 ...

Risk

If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warran...

Remedy

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Reported Apr 10, 2026

16V244000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60...

Risk

If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

Remedy

Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in A...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

16V911000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014,...

Risk

If the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECU and update the OCS software free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

17V040000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

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 win...

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.

Remedy

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-...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

18V915000 STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT

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 ...

Risk

If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.

Remedy

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 cont...

Reported Apr 10, 2026

15V733000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2015 Altima and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured October 6, 2015, to October 7, 2015. The affected vehicles have front brake ca...

Risk

If the bolts were not properly tightened, the caliper may detach and reduce braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will check the brake caliper mounting bolts, tightening them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 14, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan ...

Reported May 11, 2015

15V486000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified the agency on July 31, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2016 Nissan Maxima vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to August 18, 2015. ...

Risk

If fuel leaks from between the fuel sending unit and the tank, it may increase the risk of a fire in the event of a crash.

Remedy

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer ring between the fuel tank and the fuel sending unit. The recall began on September 28, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer servi...

Reported Apr 8, 2015

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
20005012426210
200158535695
20021872710871723
200317589059020
20047983414411
20054553110441982
2006300197037163
200719871928750
2008593841878872
20098063749312586
201014125985957
20118212404760
2012110168882127
201366338956198443
20142962150997183
20152522144686136
20161309112103190
2017107179256109
20187844641522
2019822946588
20206616374112
202120191972
202263452
2023104860
2024243363
202530111

By Category

Electrical
446
Body
252
Transmission
136
Engine
86
Brakes
21

By Severity

1
454
2
434
3
3
4
50

Worst Problems

Compare Against

See how the 2015 Nissan Altima stacks up against rivals.

Complaints

Transmission 2

Subject: Dangerous Transmission Failure in 2015 Nissan Altima While my 2015 Nissan Altima has always exhibited questionable performance—including abnormal acceleration, hesitation during throttle response, and mismatched RPMs relative to acceleration—the transmission has now begun to severely slip. I have also experienced sudden loss of power, pronounced shuddering, and complete power failure while driving. On multiple occasions, these issues have placed me in dangerous driving situations. It is important to note that I have regularly maintained the vehicle and kept it in mechanically decent shape throughout my ownership. I believe it is critical for other drivers to be aware of these ongoing problems, especially since Nissan appears to be avoiding responsibility for manufacturing such faulty powertrains. New car buyers and those purchasing used vehicles are becoming victims of this defective transmission, which poses a serious risk to passengers, drivers, and others on the road.

1mo ago
Electrical 1

The contact purchased a 2015 Nissan Altima. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was

1mo ago
Electrical 1

When driving at night, the low beam headlights were noticeably dim. The headlight bulbs were replaced and the lenses were cleaned on both headlights. This did not fix the issue. I have also adjusted the angle of them, and they’re still dim. My safety is at risk when I drive at night since I am almost completely unable to see the road using the low beams at night. The problem has not be confirmed by a dealer, but I am willing to let them inspect and confirm it. There were no warning lights when this occurred. I contacted the manufacturer and they were unhelpful.

1mo ago
Electrical 2

The passenger seat airbag detection system consistently mis-characterizes whether a passenger is in the seat. The vehicle should have been covered under the 2016 recall - before I owned it. The website doesn’t show any outstanding recall items, but the problem persists.

2mo ago
Electrical 2

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the headlights were very dim. Due to the failure, the high beam headlights were activated while driving in low light conditions. No warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 110,000.

2mo ago
Body 1

At speed, my wife was driving and without warning was pulled into oncoming traffic. Thank goodness, no accident. A completely failed and broken rear control arm (photo attached). I was told Nissan offered an extended 10 year warranty for this. We were 10 months beyond that. This is no exaggeration, people will be killed because of this. The part literally separated in 2, causing the wheel to immediately slant at a near 45-degree outward angle and shoot ther car forcefully across the lane. One day prior she was on the expressway in [XXX] . I can’t imagine the outcome there. To make this an extended warranty item and not a recall to me is this agency not looking out for the citizens of this country. Nissan is protected, but that should not be this agencies mission. This should be a recall. I can’t imagine how many thousands of people are out there this very day with this suspension part right at the breaking point. We received no notice about this extended warranty, no notice that would have prompted me to have it checked out. It was an accident-bomb waiting to explode. The repair was $1500, and despite having a part Nissan themselves admit is prone to failure, they are dodging the financial ramifications of their inadequate part. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

3mo ago
Body 1

The hood to my car randomly unlatched and smashed my windshield while I was going 30mph.

3mo ago
Body 2

I made a left turn out of my work parking lot and felt a clunk. Shortly afterward, the car started shaking violently at about 10 mph. I relocated it to the Nissan dealer near my workplace and they discovered the rear lower link/control arm was fractured from rust deterioration. I was advised that they had previously had an extended warranty for that item. I told them i was never made aware of that warranty and reached out to Nissan. They told me that because I “failed” to keep track of my warranty i was out of the window on that repair being covered. I asked how i was to know about the issue if not for the part snapping? He insisted that they sent notices (to the address i lived at when i purchased the car in 2015). He then advised that since work was already started on the car there was likely nothing they could do to offer a goodwill adjustment since I’d agreed to the repair. He advised me that i should have called before bringing the car in (to check the status on a warranty i had no idea existed). I take the tollway home. 5 minutes later and i could have died.

4mo ago
Electrical 1

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds with the headlights activated, the illumination from the headlights was extremely dim, as if the headlights were not turned on. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to another dealer, where it was determined that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced because the filament behind the light bulbs had disintegrated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

4mo ago
Body 1

I drove the car and 1min after it loses control and we checked it and found out the rear suspension lower control arm broke off from the subframe

4mo ago
Body 2

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that in September 2025, an unknown hood latch recall repair was performed by the dealer, but six months later, while the vehicle was parked and attempting to open the hood, the hood failed to open. The contact state while driving approximately 65 MPH, the hood unexpectedly popped open. The contact stopped, pulled over to the side of the road, and closed the hood. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 129,944.

4mo ago
Electrical 2

I didn't have a accident or got stopped by the police. I can't see anything at night from my headlights I wasn't aware of the recall in 2022. I may have gotten a letter but I do not recall. I would not be reaching out to you all if it was not affecting my driving at night & is really bad we have a bew black top road on [XXX] I can't even see the road properly nor the shoulder but when I put on my bright lights I can and I also live off of [XXX] & there are no street lights. Could someone please assist me on this matter involving my headlights. Thank you & have a Blessed day! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

4mo ago
Engine 2

The transmission failed in my 2015 Nissan Altima. The check engine light is currently on due to a defective transmission. While I understand that Nissan extended the transmission warranty by two years or 24,000 miles following a class action lawsuit, I find this coverage completely unreasonable, insufficient and irresponsible, and most importantly unsafe. My vehicle has only 83,800 miles and has been well-maintained, yet the transmission still failed. While driving in the freeway in San Diego, the vehicle suddenly lost complete transmission engagement and power. My vehicle was almost rear ended by multiple cars. The check engine light appeared after the transmission failure. A Nissan dealer later confirmed the vehicle needs a new transmission. Nissan and NHTSA should have done a complete recall after the class action lawsuit against Nissan for putting faulty transmission on Altimas 2015.

4mo ago
Body 1

When backing out of my garage the driver's side rear lower control arm catastrophically broke. Thankfully, I was traveling at slow speed so it did not cause and accident. This is a major safety concern for other Altima drivers and the drivers and occupants of vehicles around them if this type of failure would occur at highway speeds. This is a known issue for as there was an investigation which closed last year. That is unacceptable and there should be a recall. This is a severe product defect and the manufacturer should be held responsible.

5mo ago
Electrical 1

Low beam headlights delaminated so there is not enough light to see safely at night. I replaced the entire headlight units after just replacing the bulbs to see if that would fix it

5mo ago
Engine 2

Vvt valve has failed twice now despite timely oil changes. This is a safety risk because vehicle will stall at low speeds like when starting at an intersection from a stopped position

5mo ago
Body 1

Rear lower passenger side control arm snapped

5mo ago
Body 2

Rear Lower Link failure. The car has 145,XXX miles on it. I live in Wisconsin where we use Salt. I was driving the vehicle and hit a pot hole and the Driver Rear Lower Link failed in January 2026. Calling the dealer for repair I was informed of P9324 which did not cover my car. I bought replacement parts from Nissan to replace the Rear lower Links on both sides. Driver side had failed already and Passenger side was ready to fail also. I called Nissan support and I was informed that my car had a warranty extension on the Rear lower links through April 27 2025. this notice was sent to the wrong address so I was not aware of it. Also the Rear Lower link failed after the warranty extension. Nissan call person said there is nothing they can do for me. This is a know failure point Nissan know this by offering a warranty extension and P9324. All Altima's that used this same Rear lower link should have been included in P9324. Control of the car was compromised and harder to drive and not recommended with this failure. No need to reproduce failure as the part broke. No inspection besides my self as the dealer told me $500+ in labor to repair, I repaired my self. No warnings. Part can be inspected for 1 week then it will be disposed of. Pictures are attached.

5mo ago
Electrical 1

Got a post card stating that the headlamp covers were recalled I called Nissan to make an appointment and Nissan has fought me every step of the way. I am unable to see at night with my headlights on and I have to turn on high beams at night just to see. It's very frustrating to not being able to see and very expensive to pay tickets for driving with high beams on.

5mo ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the steering wheel jerked and caused the vehicle to shift into the left lane. The contact immediately slammed on the brake pedal and repositioned the vehicle into the intended lane, but the vehicle felt unstable as if the vehicle was driving on ice. The contact pulled over to the side of the road to inspect vehicle but found no cause for the failure. The contact drove to the residence. The contact’s husband reversed the vehicle into the garage, exited the vehicle and became aware that the rear passenger’s wheel was pushed into the wheel well, revealing that the rear control arm was fractured. The contact stated that the rear control arm had fractured while driving, causing the vehicle to veer into another lane. While reversing in the driveway, the control arm completely detached, and the wheel fell inward. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 196,000.

5mo ago

941 total

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