This page covers 3 recalls, 380 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2017 Nissan Altima.
26–31 mpg combined
7.6–9 L/100km
Midsize Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 2 tested variants for this model year.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
The dominant complaint pattern for the 2017 Altima centers on the powertrain, with transmission issues drawing the most reports by a wide margin. Owners frequently describe the CVT shuddering, juddering, or hesitating, particularly during acceleration or when merging into traffic. Some report the vehicle bogging down and losing power, requiring the engine to be restarted before normal operation resumes. The second most-reported area involves airbags, where owners describe concerns about the passenger seat occupant sensor failing to detect a passenger correctly, raising doubts about whether the airbag would deploy in a crash. A smaller but notable cluster of complaints involves vehicle speed control, where owners describe unexpected behavior during acceleration or cruising. Back on the powertrain side, battery drain and terminal corrosion also show up across multiple reports, with owners noting the car failing to start without any prior warning.
380
Total Complaints
24
Crash-Related
7
Fire-Related
18
With Injuries
By System
The 2017 Nissan Altima has 3 recalls, the most serious being a rear door latch defect where lowering a rear window can inadvertently unlatch the door and allow it to swing open while driving. This issue was the subject of a prior repair attempt, but the cable routing in the rear door may not have been corrected properly during that fix, leaving the underlying problem unresolved for some vehicles. There is also a hood latch concern: if the primary hood latch is accidentally released, the secondary latch can corrode over time and remain in the unlatched position even when the hood appears closed, which could allow the hood to fly up unexpectedly while driving.
At a glance
What can fail
The primary hood latch can accidentally release. When this happens, the secondary hood latch may corrode over time, potentially allowing the hood to open while driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, add a warning label near the secondary latch, and provide maintenance instructions to help prevent corrosion.
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The door latch-lock cable in the rear door may be routed incorrectly, allowing it to interfere with the window regulator. This can cause the rear passenger door to unlatch and open unexpectedly when the window is lowered.
What the fix does
Dealers will reposition and secure the latch-lock cables in the correct location using an updated procedure at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear door latch/lock cable may be routed incorrectly. Lowering a rear window can unintentionally unlatch and open that door.
What the fix does
Dealers will reposition the rear door latch/lock cable to the correct routing at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
