RoadVitals

2001 Nissan Altima Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
18
Latest Feb 21, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
11%
of 159 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Nissan Altima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Feb 21, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT, CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, EMISSIONS CONTROL, AND SENSORS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ID
10956037
Incident
Jul 1, 2004
Mileage
50,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 10, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND RESET TO ZERO. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUTDOWN AND RESTARTED AND THE GAUGES RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,255.

NHTSA ID
10492083
Incident
Jan 9, 2013
Mileage
103,255 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 30, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD FAIL SPORADICALLY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO LOSE POWER INTERMITTENTLY, WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,205 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,312.

NHTSA ID
10445827
Incident
Jan 23, 2007
Mileage
54,205 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Dec 11, 2007

I HAVE TWO PERSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH MY 2001 ALTIMA. ISSUE #1: THE CAR RANDOMLY STALLS AT LOW SPEEDS (0-10MPH) WITH NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN IN OCTOBER 2006. THIS PROBLEM RESULTS IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WHICH HAS CAUSED MANY NEAR ACCIDENTS. THERE IS NO PATTERN OR SYMPTOM TO FORECAST WHEN STALLING WILL OCCUR. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP (DEALERSHIP AND OTHERS) NUMEROUS TIMES WITH MECHANICS NEVER ABLE TO "DUPLICATE" THE PROBLEM. AFTER SPENDING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON A NEW BATTERY, LEAD WIRES, NEW SPARK PLUGS AND SPARK PLUG WIRES, MY NISSAN MECHANIC SAID THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO EXCEPT "THROW PARTS AT IT UNTIL SOMETHING STICKS." ISSUE #2: THE CAR IDLES ROUGHLY AND SHAKES UNLESS IN NEUTRAL. THE SHOP SAID THE PROBLEM IS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WHICH IS A $600 REPAIR. A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET PROVIDES AN ABUNDANCE OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10211427
Incident
Oct 15, 2006
Mileage
95,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 31, 2006

VEHICLE LOST SPEED FROM 40 TO 80 MPH. GAUGES SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN ON THE DASHBOARD. THE ENGINE STILL RUNS. I AM ABLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL , BACK INTO DRIVE AFTER COASTING. THE ACTS LIKE IT WANTS TO TURN OFF. ON OCT 31, 2005 THE SPEED SENSOR UNIT WAS REPLACED. CAR RAN GREAT UNTIL WARM WEATHER. NOW IT IS SHUTTING DOWN AGAIN, AGAIN, AND AGAIN ON WARM DAYS. DEALERSHIP CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, BUT IT HAS ACTED THIS WAY ON THEM ALSO. *NM

NHTSA ID
10158642
Incident
Oct 31, 2005
Mileage
80,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 21, 2006

CAR HAS TO BE SHIFTED FROM PARK ALL THE WAY DOWN THE SHIFTER AND BACK UP TO START SOMETIMES. I'VE OWNED THIS CAR SINCE APRIL 24, 2001. DEALER WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING SINCE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" WASN'T ON. *NM

NHTSA ID
10157940
Incident
May 11, 2001
Electrical
Filed Mar 16, 2005

VEHICLE LOST SPEED FROM 65 MPH TO 20 MPH , AND ALL THE GAUGES ON THE DASHBOARD SHUT DOWN, BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. VEHICLE THEN WENT TO 0 AFTER ABOUT 20 SECS. ALL GAUGES WENT DEAD. BATTERY LIGHT BRAKE LIGHT AND AIRBAG LIGHT COME ON. INTERMITTENTLY PRIOR TO THIS OTHER ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES WOULD BEGIN TO MALFUNCTION HEAT/AIR BLOWERS, WIPERS, LIGHTS DIMMING, ETC. ALTERNATOR CHECKS GOOD, BATTERY REPLACED. RUNS FOR A COUPLE DAYS THEN DOES IT AGAIN. MALFUCTION IS NOT LIMITED TO HIGH SPEED TO LOW. HAS HAPPENED AT VARYING SPEEDS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10114157
Incident
Dec 21, 2004
Mileage
107,900 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 31, 2004

WHEN THE CONSUMER TURNED ON THE ENGINE THE BATTERY EXPLODED. THE CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS SPLASHED WITH BATTERY ACID. *AK THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER SIMPLY TURNED THE KEY AND THE BATTERY EXPLODED. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10087302
Incident
Aug 2, 2004
Mileage
58,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 19, 2004

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

NHTSA ID
10081323
Incident
Aug 1, 2002
Mileage
800 mi
Electrical
Filed May 6, 2004

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND OTHER PARTS.*AK PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID
10072242
Incident
May 6, 2004
Electrical
Filed Nov 20, 2003

IN 2001 I PURCHASED A NISSAN ALTIMA. IT LEFT ME STRANDED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. I COULD BE RUNNING ERRANDS AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY ERRANDS THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. I WOULD CALL A TOW TRUCK AND ONCE IT MADE IT TO THE NISSAN DEALER IT WOULD START RIGHT UP (I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM). I CONTACTED NISSAN IN DECEMBER OF 2001 REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND THEY "COULD NOT DUPLICATE" IT AND WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME OUT. I LEFT IT AT MY DEALER FOR WEEKS ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. SINCE NISSAN WOULD DO NOTHING TO HELP ME OUT AND I LIVE IN MINNESOTA WHERE BEING STRANDED IN COLD WEATHER COULD KILL YOU, I HAD TO TRADE IT OFF. THEN THE OTHER DAY I SAY AN ARTICLE THAT THEY HAD RECALLED ALL THESE VEHICLES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAD. SO I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN AND THEY TOLD ME MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY DESIGNATE WHAT GETS RECALLED AND WHAT DOESN'T, BUT IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE OTHER 2.56 MILLION VEHICLES. *LA

NHTSA ID
10047268
Incident
Feb 1, 2001
Mileage
150 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Nov 4, 2003

MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, WITH APPROX 89000 MILES, HAS STARTED EXPERIENCING ENGINE FAILURE AT CRUISING SPEEDS (50-70 MPH) ON THE FREEWAY. IT IS INTERMITTENT WITH NO APPARENT WARNING. FIRST, ALL GUAGES, INCLUDING GAS, TEMPERATURE, RPM AND ODOMETER, FALL TO ZERO. THE CAR JERKS AS IF DOWNSHIFTED, AND SLOWS DRASTICALLY, AND THE GAS PEDAL DOES NOT ACCELERATE THE CAR. IT HAS HAPPENED 7-8 TIMES IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS. THE RADIO DISPLAY LIGHT ALSO BLANKS OUT, NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELATED OR A SEPARATE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10045461
Incident
Oct 19, 2003
Mileage
890,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 3, 2003
Fire reported

CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT IN GARAGE. WHEN KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION, EXPLOSION OCCURRED UNDER THE HOOD. SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND ACID WAS DRIPPING TO THE PAVEMENT. THERE IS A DENT ON THE HOOD FROM THE INSIDE DIRECTLY ABOVE THE BATTERY LOCATION. THERE WAS ALSO ACID ON THE ENGINE AND LOCAL AREAS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10037144
Incident
Jun 27, 2003
Mileage
28,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 14, 2003

BATTERY EXPLODED WHEN KEY TURNED TO "ON" POSITION. CAR WAS IN GARAGE. IT WAS INITIAL CRANKING OF ENGINE THAT DAY. A LOUD "BOOM" WAS HEARD. UPON INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED TOP OF BATTERY IN THREE PIECES AND A SPLIT IN CASE NEXT TO NEG TERMINAL. ACID ON UNDERSIDE OF HOOD AND SURROUNDING AREA OF BATTERY. POOL OF ACID COLLECTED ON GARAGE FLOOR.*AK

NHTSA ID
10032835
Incident
Aug 8, 2003
Mileage
44,500 mi
Electrical
Filed May 12, 2003

THE POWER DOORS AND LOCKS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10019680
Incident
May 12, 2003
Electrical
Filed Oct 30, 2002

WHILE STARTING THE ENGINE THERE WAS A VERY LOUD BOOM, CONSUMER STATED SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER HOOD, BATTERY HAD EXPLODED, DENTED THE HOOD OF VEHICLE AND BATTERY ACID WAS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND THEY REPLACED BATTERY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID
8021944
Incident
Oct 3, 2002
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Oct 26, 2001
Crash reported

WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY A LOUD NOISE OCCURRED FOLLOWED BY FUMES FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SECONDS LATER, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 80 MPH AND HIT A BRICK WALL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
898284
Electrical
Filed Oct 13, 2001

COMPLETE ENGINE SHUTDOWN AT ANY TIME-NO WARNING.*AK

NHTSA ID
753182
Incident
Sep 28, 2001

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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