Complaint volume
221 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
221 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Nissan Altima, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
221 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
The most common categories are unknown or other, air bags, power train. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Enriched records include 11 crash reports, 0 fire reports, 5 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage is available on 109 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 34,207 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
221 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | THE FRONT ELECTRONIC BRAKING SYSTEM FEB INTERMITTENTLY GOES OUT SAYING "FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION" EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR. IF THE CAR IS TURNED OFF THEN BACK ON IT WORKS NORMALLY BUT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN WITHIN AN HOUR OR SO EVERY TIME IT'S DRIVEN, NO EXCEPTIONS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 45,500 |
| Oct 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, NOTIFICATION OF "FEB: UNAVAILABLE FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION" COMES ON AND STAYS ILLUMINATED FOR UPWARDS OF 5 TO 10 MINUTES BEFORE TURNING OFF. THIS OCCURS WHEN THERE ARE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT OF MINE AND NO ROAD HAZARDS THAT WOULD HAVE TRIGGERED IT TO TURN ON. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE WAY THE CAR IS DESIGNED TO STOP WHEN IT DETECTS A HAZARD. THIS STARTED OUT RANDOMLY OVER THIS PAST SUMMER AND IN THE LAST WEEK, HAS BEEN A DAILY OCCURRENCE. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT, THE SOONEST THEY HAD AN OPENING TO ADDRESS IT IS A MONTH AWAY. NO A HAPPY CAMPER, FEELS LIKE THEY ARE NOT AS CONCERNED AS I AM WITH THE SAFETY OF MY VEHICLE. BRAKE SWITCH FAILURE LESS THAN ONE YEAR OF OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE. UNABLE TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL IN TO START THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE SWITCH TO RELEASE IS TO TAP ON IT WITH A HAMMER. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FAIRLY REGULARLY FOR THE PAST WEEK BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY. (IS SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED TOMORROW??) AT ONE POINT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ALTOGETHER. POPPED THE HOOD TO JUMP START IT, AND NOTICED BLACK POWDERY STUFF ON THE TOP OF THE BATTERY AS THOUGH THE BATTER HAD GOTTEN TOO HOT AND BOILED OVER POSSIBLY. THE DEALERSHIP TEST THE BATTERY AND TOLD ME THAT MY BATTERY IS FINE AND FULLY CHARGED. THIS WAS AFTER I HAD IT ON THE CHARGER FOR SEVERAL HOURS YESTERDAY SO THAT IT WOULD START FOR ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,575 |
| Oct 2019 | SEAT BELTS | A TRUCK TURNED QUICKLY IN FRONT OF MY WIFE WHICH MADE HER HIT HIM IN THE SIDE OF HIS TRUCK WHILE SHE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX. 55MPH. THE TRUCK WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON HIGHWAY AND SHE WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON A FOGGY DAY.SHE HIT HER BRAKES SLID ABOUT 30 FT BEFORE STRIKING THE SIDE OF HIS F150 TEARING HIS REAR AXLES OUT AND DAMAGING HER 2018 ALTIMA IN THE FRONT END BADLY. THE PROBLEM IS NONE OF THE IMPACT DEVICES DEPLOYED: AIR BAGS NOR SEAT BELTS OR ANYTHING DEPLOYED. SHE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HER CHEST AND KNEES WENT INTO DASH AND HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND HAS RIB, BACK, AND NECK PAIN FOR SEVERAL DAYS. I THINK WE MAY HAVE A DEFECTIVE CAR AND HAVE CONTACTED NISSANS CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF THE VEHICLE. THE PICTURE IS FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE, YOU CAN SEE BOTH VEHICLES.*DT*JB | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 30,000 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE A NOTIFICATION OF 'FEB: UNAVAILABLE FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION' IS CONSTANTLY COMING ON LCD SCREEN ON DASHBOARD WHILE A CHECK LIGHT OF 2 VEHICLES IN HEAD ON COLLISION CONSTANTLY SHOWS UP AND LEAVES THE DASHBOARD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,000 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | FRONT SENSOR KEEPS GOING OFF AND ON EVEN WHEN NOT AROUND ANY CARS... BACKUP CAMERA CUTS OFF AND ON WHILE REVERSING | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,576 |
| Oct 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | VEHICLE IN MOTION AND WARNING SIGNAL 'FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION'. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | ON ONE OCCASSION THE RADIO SYSTEM FROZE AND THE BACK UP CAMERA WASN'T WORKING BECAUSE THE SCREEN WENT BLACK. VOLUME ALSO COULD NOT BE TURNED DOWN | Crash: No Fire: No | 52,000 |
| Sep 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS A DEFECTIVE PUSH START AND BRAKING SYSTEM. UNABLE TO START CAR WITH PUSH START BECAUSE IT FEELS AS IF THE BRAKES ARE STUCK. HAVE TO CONTINOUSLY PUMP THE BREAK IN A EFFORT TO GET THE BRAKE TO RELEASE IN ORDER TO START THE CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,100 |
| Sep 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | I WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH ON A CITY STREET. THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGED WHEN A GUST OF WIND BLEW LEAVES IN FRONT OF MY CAR. FORTUNATELY NO CARS WERE CLOSE BEHIND ME BECAUSE IT WAS AS IF I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. BEING TRIGGERED BY LEAVES SEEMS TOO SENSITIVE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,500 |
| Sep 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS A DEFECTIVE PUSH START AND BRAKING SYSTEM. UNABLE TO START CAR WITH PUSH START BECAUSE IT FEELS AS IF THE BRAKES ARE STUCK. HAVE TO CONTINOUSLY PUMP THE BREAK IN A EFFORT TO GET THE BRAKE TO RELEASE IN ORDER TO START THE CAR. THERE IS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH THE FRONT RADAR SENSORS. I WHILE IN MOTION I RANDOMLY RECEIVE AN AUDIBLE ALERT AND WARNING MESSAGE SAYING THAT THE FRONT RADAR IS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION YET THERE WOULD NOTHING IN FRONT OF THE CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | MY 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA RANDOMLY THROWS OUT A MESSAGE TO THE DASH SAYING, "FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION" AND THIS IS ACCOMPANIED BY A WARNING BEEP, WHICH CAUSES A MOMENT OF PANIC. THIS OCCURS EVEN ON AN OPEN ROAD WITH NO OTHER CARS OR OBSTRUCTIONS PRESENT. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERN SINCE THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS DISABLED WHEN THIS OCCURS. WE WENT TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY WANT $165 TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM AND $1000 TO FIX IT BECAUSE WE ARE OUT OF WARRANTY. WE PURCHASED THE CAR SECOND HAND WITH 42K MILES. THEY TOLD US THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AS THEY SEE THIS ALL THE TIME. WE OPENED A CASE WITH NISSAN (36978530) AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT HELP US UNLESS WE SPENT THE MONEY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED. SO, AT THIS POINT, NISSAN IS NOT STANDING BY THEIR PRODUCT AND ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS WE BOUGHT THE CAR IS NOT WORKING. AND, NISSAN KNOWS IT! | Crash: No Fire: No | 42,000 |
| Aug 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS A DEFECTIVE PUSH START AND BRAKING SYSTEM. THE CAR WILL NOT START WITH THE PUSH START AND BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS PARKED AND WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR THE PUSH START WOULD NOT WORK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 46,500 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA - FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE. THIS VEHICLE WILL HAVE THE INTELLIGENT BRAKE ASSIST UNEXPECTEDLY BE DISENGAGED. A WARNING LIGHT AND SOUND WILL BE ACTIVATED INDICATING THAT THE THE BRAKE ASSIST HAS BEEN RENDERED USELESS AS WELL AS THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION. THIS IS AN EVERY DRIVE OCCURRENCE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 40,000 |
| Aug 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | THE CAR WILL NOT START IF THE BREAK IS SOMEHOW "STUCK". YOU HAVE TO PUMP ON THE BREAKS TO RELEASE IT FOR THE CAR TO START. IF THE CAR DOES START, THE BREAKS MAY BE STUCK WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT WHICH TIME THE CAR CAN'T DRIVE FASTER THAN 5 MPH AND SOMETIMES THE CAR JUST STAYS IN ONE SPOT. I HAVE TWO OTHER NISSAN CARS AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT NISSAN HAS ISSUES WITH THE BREAK SYSTEM. THIS IS DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE DRIVING ON THE ROAD WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER IS NOT WANTING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM UNTIL THEIR COMPUTER GENERATES A CODE. ON MY OTHER TWO CARS, THE PROBLEM GOT REALLY BAD BEFORE THEIR SYSTEM WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PEOPLE CAN BE STRANDED IF THEIR CAR DOESN'T START OR GET INTO AN ACCIDENT IF THE CAR CAN'T MOVE AFTER A COMPLETE STOP. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,996 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | FRONT CRASH CAMERA. IT GOES OFF FOR NO REASON. IF I'M DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY & IT JUST GOES OFF, IF I'M GOING ON A FLYOVER RAMP IT PICKS UP THE CTB (CONCRETE TRAFFIC BARRIER) & GOES OFF AGAIN. IT DON'T MATTER WHERE OR WHAT IT JUST GOES OFF. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | I HAVE 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA SR SPECIAL EDITION WITH ABOUT 25,000 MILES ON IT. FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS THE INDICATOR FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION HAS BEEN GOING OFF CONSTANTLY. LAST NIGHT WHEN I WAS COMING HOME FROM WORK ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY THE INDICATOR CAME UP AND SHORTLY AFTER THE BLINKING YELLOW INDICATOR OF A CAR CAME UP AND STARTED BREAKING BY ITSELF, TWICE. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 75 MPH AND THE DRIVERS ASSISTANT STARTED BREAKING. THERE WAS NOT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME OR AROUND ME AT ALL. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND SAW NOTHING IN THE WAY OF THE SENSOR. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED PROBABLY ABOUT 10 MILES FROM THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. THEN, I TURNED OFF THE 'DRIVERS ASSISTANTS'. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY BAD ACCIDENT IF THERE WAS ANOTHER CAR AROUND ME AT THE TIME. I TOOK MY CAR IN THIS MORNING TO THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM. THE SERVICE GIRL WHO I DEAL WITH EVERY TIME I GO TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. GOT MY CAR RIGHT IN AND FOUND OUT THE SENSOR WAS BAD AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND GOT ME INTO A LOANER VEHICLE BECAUSE I NEEDED TO GO TO WORK AND COULDN'T WAIT. I'LL BE PICKING UP MY CAR TOMORROW AND HOPING THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN!! NISSAN YOU SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THE MATTER RIGHT AWAY. OBVIOUSLY BY READING OTHER CONSUMERS ISSUE THEY ARE THE SAME AS MINE AND THAT IS WHY I AM WRITING THIS REVIEW! | Crash: No Fire: No | 25,000 |
| Jul 2019 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | THE FRONT SENSOR ON MY 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA MALFUNCTIONS, STATING THAT THERE'S A FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION AT TIMES. OTHER TIMES, IT FALSELY DETECTS A VEHICLE TOO CLOSE IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THERE'S NOTHING ACTUALLY IN FRONT OF ME ON STREETS AND ON THE FREEWAY. IT RECENTLY ENGAGED THE BRAKES WHILE I WAS ON A STREET WHEN IT FALSELY DETECTED ANOTHER VEHICLE TOO CLOSE IN FRONT OF ME. LUCKILY, NO ACCIDENT RESULTED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 45,500 |
| Jul 2019 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUSLY AND INADEQUATELY LOW, NOT ALLOWING DRIVER TO SEE ROADWAY AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING. LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS PROJECT ONLY APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET; THEREFORE, FOR ANY SPEED OVER 45 MILES PER HOUR IT IS I'M POSSIBLE TO SEE FAR ENOUGH IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | I DRIVE A BLACK 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA SR SPECIAL EDITION. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS 24,000 MILES ON IT. AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET MY AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED AND MY CAR SLOWED DOWN AND TRIED TO STOP ON ITS OWN. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE ABS IS TO ASSIST DRIVERS IN SAFELY STOPPING THE VEHICLE WHEN THEY ARE TO CLOSE TO AN OBJECT AND/OR ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT OF THEM. HOWEVER THERE WAS NO CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THIS OCCURRED. IT IS NOW HAPPENING CONSISTENTLY AND I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, ESPECIALLY WITH MY TWO YEAR OLD SON IN THE CAR. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL IF IT HAPPENS AT THE WRONG TIME!!! | Crash: No Fire: No | 24,000 |
| Jun 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | VEHICLE IN MOTION, THE FLAW IS IN THE FRONT RADAR/DISTANCE SENSOR UNIT ALLOWS THE SENSOR TO FREQUENTLY DEACTIVATE ITSELF, DISABLING CRUISE CONTROL AND EMERGENCY BRAKING. WHEN THE SENSOR TURN ITSELF OFF, DRIVERS ARE SEEING A WARNING IN THE DASH THAT SAYS, 'FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION.' | Crash: No Fire: No | 45 |
| Jun 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA SV HAS THE ERROR "UNAVAILABLE: FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION." AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC THEY DETERMINE THE PART IS FAULTY AND NO SYSTEM ERRORS ARE PRESENT. (DOCUMENT CAN BE UPLOADED UPON REQUEST) | Crash: No Fire: No | 45,000 |
| Jun 2019 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER CONDITION IS THIS LIGHT COMES ON NONSTOP | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | I BOUGHT MY 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA SR MIDNIGHT EDITION AROUND OCTOBER 2018. WHEN I REACHED ABOUT 8,500 MILES THE CARS FRONT RADAR SENSOR WENT OFF, AND MY ALTIMA WOULD SAY FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION, AND THIS WOULD GO ON AND OFF THE WHOLE WEEK. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME TO COME AND WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THAT WEEK I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT'S COVER BY WARRANTY AND THAT THE FRONT RADAR SENSOR NEEDS TO BE RECALIBRATED. WAITED THE WHOLE DAY FOR THEM TO FIX IT. WHEN I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP 10 MILES OUT THE FRONT RADAR WENT OFF AGAIN, AND I WAS FUMING THAT MY NEW CAR IS DOING THIS. I CALLED BACK AND TOLD THE THAT THE SENSOR IS DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL ORDER AND NEW SENSOR FOR YOU AND WILL FIX IT WHEN THE PART ARRIVES. TWO WEEKS LATER THE DEALERSHIP NEVER CALLED OR EMILED ME. I CALL THEM UP AND THEY SAID THAT THE PART IS HERE AND TO BRING THE CAR IN ANYTIME. SO I GO IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHANGED THE PART. DAY 1 WAS GOOD NO ISSUES. DAY 2 WAS GOOD NO ISSUES. DAY 3 THE CARS ABS SYSTEM KICKS IN AND BRINGS MY CAR TO A FULL STOP FOR NO REASON WHAT SO EVER. THERE WAS NO CAR IN FRONT OF ME, NO PEDESTRIANS NOTHING. THE WEATHER WAS A CLEAR SUNNY DAY AND I DRIVING IN MANHATTAN WITH A CLIENT IN MY CAR GOING 25 MPH. THE WHOLE CAR WAS SHAKING I HEARD THE TIRE SKID AND THE WHOLE CAR WAS SHAKING, I GOT SOO SCARED. THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT ME AND THE GUY COMES OUT HIS CAR ARGUING WITH ME ON WHY I STOPED SUDDENLY FOR NO REASON. I TOLD HIM IT WASN'T ME THE CAR STOPED ON IT'S OWN, BUT HE DIDN'T BELIEVE ME AND GAVE ME A COUPLE CUSS WORDS. I WAS IN RAGE, AND SCARED AT THE SAME TIME. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND TOLD THEM THE ISSUES, THEY TOLD ME COME IN AND WE'LL LOOK AT IT FOR YOU. IM SO ANGRY BECAUSE I COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT FORM THE SAME THING THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 18,989 |
| Jun 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | THE AEB (AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING) SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS CONTINUOUSLY. I GET A WARNING (FRONT SENORS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION) BUT THERE IS NO OBSTRUCTION. THIS SHUTS OFF THE SAFETY SYSTEM THAT WAS DESIGNED TO SENSE AND STOP THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY. MANY, MANY OTHER NISSAN OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE AND NISSAN IS FAILING TO DO A RECALL AND FIX IT. JUST AS THE SYSTEM ALERTED ME WHILE DRIVING YESTERDAY, IT THEN QUICKLY SHUT OFF SAYING THERE WAS AN OBSTRUCTION. IT WAS NOT ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND NOTHING WAS COVERING THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I STOPPED IN TIME. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT THIS WEEK WITH THE NISSAN DEALER, BUT WITH THIS BEING A MARKETED AS A SAFETY FEATURE, AND INCLUDED AS PART OF THE SAFETY RATINGS SYSTEMS BY THE GOVERNMENT, IT SHOULD BE A RECALL BY NISSAN. I PURCHASED THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY SYSTEM AND RATINGS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 14,500 |
| Jun 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | RADAR OBSTRUCTION WARNING KEEPS POPPING UP ON SCREEN.AFRAID THAT THIS WOULD MAKE THE CAR STOP AND GET REAR ENDED.THIS IS HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING.. | Crash: No Fire: No | 37,300 |