2016 Nissan Altima
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Transmission & Drivetrain
Transmission & Drivetrain leads by volume: 235 of 553 complaints (42%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Electrical include more deaths (1) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 951 in 2015 to 553 in 2016.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | vs. 2016 Midsize Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,000–2,500 | 2,000–2,400 | 2,000–2,400 | 2,000–2,400 | 2,000–2,400 | |
| Combined MPG | 25–31 | 26–31 | 26–31 | 26–31 | 26–31 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 22–27 / 31–37 | 22–27 / 31–37 | 22–27 / 31–39 | 22–27 / 32–39 | 22–27 / 32–38 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 290–353 | 290–352 | 287–352 | 287–347 | 287–347 | |
| Complaints filed | 1,114 | 951 | 553 | 390 | 225 | |
| Recalls issued | 8 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 52 | 45 | 28 | 24 | 11 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 8 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 60 | 26 | 32 | 23 | 6 | |
| Deaths reported | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2016 Nissan Altima have?
4 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2016 Nissan Altima?
Transmission & Drivetrain: 235 of 553 NHTSA complaints (42%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Nissan Altima get?
EPA rates it 26–31 MPG combined across 3 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2016 Nissan Altima?
EPA estimates $2,000–$2,400 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (3)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (AV-S7) | 4 | 2.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 26 mpg | 37 mpg | 30 mpg | $2,100 | 296 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 4 | 2.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 27 mpg (high) | 39 mpg (high) | 31 mpg (high) | $2,000 (low) | 287 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (AV-S7) | 6 | 3.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 22 mpg (low) | 31 mpg (low) | 26 mpg (low) | $2,400 (high) | 352 g/mi (high) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 86 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 235 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical | 42 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Brakes | 15 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Steering | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 74 | 13 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 71 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 57 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 53 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 81 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (4)
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH · Campaign 20V315000 · May 29, 2020
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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.
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 Owners 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.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH; STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT · Campaign 18V915000 · Jan 30, 2019
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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 contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7669.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH · Campaign 17V040000 · Jan 23, 2017
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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 1-800-647-7261.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION · Campaign 16V244000 · Apr 26, 2016
Defect: 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, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
Consequence: 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 Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.