The 2009 Nissan Altima has 3 recalls, the most serious being two chassis-level defects that can cause sudden loss of vehicle control: a front strut that can pull free from its mounting and, on vehicles with 16-inch alloy wheels, lug nuts that can work loose until a wheel detaches.
The strut defect affects the upper mounting hardware, and if the strut rod pulls out of position, steering and handling can deteriorate rapidly without warning. The wheel issue is limited to vehicles equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels, where the wheel attachment may not hold properly under normal driving loads. The third recall covers a small number of vehicles with an out-of-specification weld in a door assembly that does not meet federal side impact protection standards, which can reduce the door's ability to protect occupants in a side collision.
At a glance
What can fail
The metal upper strut insulators may be defective and could fail, allowing the strut rod to shift from its proper position and affecting how the vehicle handles.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front strut insulators.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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At a glance
What can fail
The door assembly may have a weld that doesn't meet specifications, reducing side impact protection in a crash.
What the fix does
The door assembly weld was corrected at the factory before any vehicles were sold to owners.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Some 16-inch alloy wheels may not meet manufacturing specifications, allowing one or more of the five lug nuts that attach the wheel to the vehicle to loosen.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect your vehicle and replace affected wheels with new ones manufactured to correct specifications.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
