RoadVitals

2011 Nissan Altima Powertrain (other) Problems

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

Data refreshed

Powertrain (other) 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.
67
Latest Feb 25, 2026
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.
28%
of 241 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Nissan Altima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 67 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 powertrain

The 25 most recent of 67, in the owner's own words

Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 25, 2026

Drive axle suddenly not functioning properly, caused dangerous conditions to stop the car while driving on highway.

NHTSA ID
11720577
Incident
Feb 25, 2026
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Mar 31, 2024

Unknown. My car is making a whining noise & no matter how much i push the gas pedal it won’t accelerate. Sometimes it works but mostly it won’t.

NHTSA ID
11580274
Incident
Oct 10, 2022
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 22, 2022

Hi my Nissan has 120k miles son it and the transmission is completely wrong don’t go more than 30 mph I take it to the shop to inspect and they told me that it need to be replace. It has code p1778 and code p0868 they told me that the transmission has no oil presure that it was a mechanical problem inside the transmission and that it was really common on that car becouse the cvt transmission

NHTSA ID
11498614
Incident
Dec 13, 2022
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 14, 2022

The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated. The contact stated that the vehicle performed as if the gear shifter was in neutral(N). The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacture was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ID
11484425
Incident
Sep 9, 2022
Mileage
100,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 11, 2022

Car all of a sudden started shuttering, hesitation in accelerator and then sudden acceleration. It could have killed us,

NHTSA ID
11468763
Incident
Jun 9, 2022
EngineFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 23, 2021

Going down interstate, when you press the gas, vehicle hesitates if you are going faster than 40 miles an hour, motor didn't die but you are unable to go faster for a few seconds, this is very dangerous situation on our interstates. And this is happening on every trip that I am afraid to drive this car, its not trustworthy and I can't afford a new car in today's economy.

NHTSA ID
11444843
Incident
Nov 20, 2021
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 8, 2021

The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the transmission lost functionality with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact initially took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where they referred her to a dealer since the vehicle was under warranty. The contact then drove to a dealer where they diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID
11439784
Incident
Nov 7, 2021
Mileage
140,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 17, 2021

My car was all morning in the parking lot of my apartments and it was time to go to work, then i started my car and drive it around 2 minutes of driving it engine light on (always) and the stability light turn on which it never happens. I accelerate because was taking a turn it did not rpm over 2,500 like it need it something so the only way to get up to speed was doing low rpm which can be dangerous when need to turn and cars are coming in front of you and can happen with any notice Nissan need to make it right and fixing their cvt transmission failing so early and deny to fix its problems with its customers.

NHTSA ID
11429381
Incident
Aug 2, 2021
ElectricalPowertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Aug 9, 2021

No incident, but I am prevent one from happening. My C.V.T. Transmission is winning in 1st gear, CVT stands for {continuously variable transmission}. I need to let up on the gas pedal each time it's supposed to shift.. Even if you don't know much about how a transmission works, you have probably heard of the manual and the automatic. The CVT is the newest type of a transmission. It is sometimes referred to as the shiftless transmission and is a type of automatic, a steady RPM constant even if the vehicle is accelerating rapidly in a passing scenario, for example, the CVT knows the optimal engine speed is pretty high (typically around 5,000 RPM or less on the tachometer), so it shifts you up there as soon as you put the gas petal down...In a passing scenario, for example, the CVT knows the optimal engine speed is pretty high (typically around 5,000 or less RPM's on the tachometer), so it shifts you up there as soon as it is ready ! Shifting this car is like its going to exploded !! I had it serviced at Nissan as soon I perchance it.. The cost was $250.00 for the transmission flush with new oil, no change and I am sick of riding like this thinking my investment can be left on a high way ...

NHTSA ID
11428444
Incident
Feb 4, 2021
Powertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Aug 5, 2021

I bought this car 2011 Nissan Altima 2.5s Feb -2021 ....Now the transmission I had serviced at Colonial Nissan Altima in Medford Mass. in March 2021..which is a C.V.T. Transmission and 1st gear is acting wrong... Driving it I need to let up on the gas pedal to shift gears, I did call 30 days after my service...They told me to drop it off and leave your car here and we will get to it, we are backed up with C.V.T. Transmissions !!! I NEED DIRECTION TO HANDLE THIS...PLUS A RECALL.. Transverse Link Bolt MAY NOT Have Been Torqued TO THE Proper Specification....AND I did snap a strut 1 month owning this car,, Thank you !

NHTSA ID
11427821
Incident
Aug 5, 2021
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed May 30, 2021

I was driving in early n all of a sudden car started slowing down n there’s other cars n I have my kids in car was very scary I started praying n calling on Jesus N car slowly started taking off again I just bought used car I’m very worried I hope someone reads this and calls me I never experienced this .

NHTSA ID
11419034
Incident
May 29, 2021
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 25, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO SWITCH GEARS. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 154,000.

NHTSA ID
11397875
Incident
Feb 16, 2021
Mileage
154,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 24, 2020

WHILE IN MOTION EXITING A HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES PER HOUR, THE ENTIRE CAR SHOOK, AND STARTED TO LOCK UP THE WHEELS UNTIL THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION RELEASED AND HAD NO FURTHER RESPONSE. I HAD TO COAST OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR WAS DISABLED AS I HAD NO FORWARD OR REVERSE GEARS DESPITE THE ENGINE RUNNING PERFECTLY. CAR WAS FREE WHEELING AS IT WOULD NOT REMAIN STATIONARY ON AN INCLINE ROAD (HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BREAK TO RESTRAIN THE CAR AS WHEELS WERE FREE WHEELING IN PARK. IT WAS VERY SCARY AND HAD OTHER CARS BEEN AROUND OR NEXT TO ME I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SO LUCKY. IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE CAR WHILE THE SHAKING WAS OCCURRING UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION RELEASED AND STEERING WAS REGAINED WHILE COASTING.

NHTSA ID
11319141
Incident
Mar 23, 2020
Mileage
111,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 22, 2020

AT 97,000 MILES THE NISSAN DEALER RECOMMENDED A TRANSMISSION OIL FLUSH. AFTER THE FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP. I CHECK ON LINE AN IT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE NISSAN CVT (TRANSMISSION). THE DEALER TOLD US THEY WILL CHECK THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY, SO WE MUST PAY FOR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICE ON 24 FEB 2020, BEGINS SLIPPING NOTICEABLE TWO WEEKS LATER. THE LACK OF POWER CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, WHILE PULLING FROM INTERSECTIONS, OR DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID
11318975
Incident
Feb 24, 2020
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 8, 2020

NISSAN SAYS MY CVT TRANSMISSION ISNT COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. MY CAR HAS ONLY 72,000 MILES AND IS STARTING TO SHOW PROBLEMS. I FEEL IF IT DOESN'T BREAK NOW IT WILL SOON AND FEEL THEY SHOULD HONOR THE WARRANTY THAT A LAW SUIT WAS FILED. THE RPMS ARENT CLIMBING WHEN I ACCELERATE AND THERE IS A NOISE WHEN ITS BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MILES AN HR.

NHTSA ID
11307867
Incident
Jan 11, 2020
Mileage
72,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 11, 2019

I PURCHASED THIS CAR JUST FIVE YEARS AGO FROM A NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN CA. I DON'T DRIVE IT MUCH BECAUSE I USE A WORK VEHICLE DURING THE WEEK. OVER THE LAST YEAR, I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH RATTLING, TRANSMISSION DELAYS AND SUDDEN SURGES IN POWER. A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE CAR LOST ITS ABILITY TO ACCELERATE WHILE HEADING OVER THE GRAPEVINE TO SOCAL. THE CAR SUDDENLY SLOWED TO 35 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY! I HAD TO QUICKLY SWITCH LANES IN ORDER TO AVOID A COLLISION. ONCE IN THE SLOW LANE, THE CAR HELD UP TRAFFIC AND NUMEROUS ANGRY DRIVERS SPED AROUND ME. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE!!! THE CAR ONLY HAS 96,000 MILES ON IT. THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN! TODAY, I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR A 90K SERVICE. AN ADVISOR CALLED ME SEVERAL HOURS LATER TO INFORM ME I NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT THE COST OF MORE THAN $3,700. HE ALSO SAID THE CAR HAS SEVERAL HOSE LEAKS, ETC. THESE ARE SUSPICIOUSLY SIMILAR PROBLEMS OTHER DRIVERS REPORTED HAVING WITH THEIR 2013-2016 ALTIMAS AS WELL AS 2006-2010 ALTIMAS. WHY WAS THE 2011 LEFT OUT OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION AND CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT? I COULD HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY ANOTHER CAR WHEN MY ALTIMA SUDDENLY LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY! IT COULD HAVE IMPACTED THE LIVES OF OTHER DRIVERS AROUND ME! NISSAN NEEDS TO FIX ITS TRANSMISSION ISSUES. IT'S BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE! THE COMPANY ALSO NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF IT'S CUSTOMERS - IF IT DOESN'T WANT TO LOSE THEM FOREVER! I CAN NOT BELIEVE MY CAR NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION WHEN IT HAS UNDER 96,000 MILES! I HAD A TOYOTA CAMRY LAST TIL 365,000 MILES! I WOULD DEFINITELY NOT RECOMMEND BUYING A NISSAN!!! YOU JUST MAY PUT LIVES AT RISK!

NHTSA ID
11279458
Incident
Nov 11, 2019
Mileage
95,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 29, 2019

MY CAR STARTED WITH A BAD JERKING MOTION WHEN DRIVING IT. THEN IT STARTED NOT WANTING TO PICK UP SPEED, BUT THE RPM WOULD GO UP. THE FIRST TIME IT MALFUNCTIONED ON ME I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I DID NOT GET INJURED BECAUSE THE CARS BEHIND ME STOPPED IN TIME.

NHTSA ID
11258811
Incident
Aug 10, 2019
Mileage
180,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 24, 2019

THIS SEEM LIKE A BIG ISSUE WITH NISSAN VEHICLES WITH THE CVT TRANSMISSION. WHEN OUR CAR GOT TO 90,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTER OVERHEAT CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE SPEED WHILE I'M ON THE HIGHWAY NOT GOOD WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR WIFE AND DAUGHTER IN THE CAR

NHTSA ID
11257583
Incident
Sep 21, 2019
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 13, 2019

THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND MAKING A WHINING NOISE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAS UNDER 110K MILES ON IT AND IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT NISSAN HAS OFFERED TO THE 2010 ALTIMAS. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED IN 2011 AND AS A RESULT, MY CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID
11255312
Incident
Aug 1, 2019
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 12, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED, LUNGED, AND LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. CARRIAGE NISSAN (2400 BROWNS BRIDGE RD, GAINESVILLE, GA 30504, (678) 944-8663) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ID
11255040
Incident
Aug 14, 2018
Mileage
80,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 7, 2019

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AFTER DRIVING AN HOUR AND A HALF. TRANSMISSION GOES IN TO FAIL/SAFE MODE AND LEAVES ME ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. DEALER SOLD IT TO ME WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11253797
Incident
May 6, 2019
Mileage
122,530 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 10, 2019

TRANSMISSION FAIL AT 115000 MILES CAR WONT ACCELERATE

NHTSA ID
11242985
Incident
Aug 10, 2019
Mileage
55 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 24, 2019

I BOUGHT A 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA AND AT 127,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND WHEN IT WARMS UP THE CAR WILL NOT GO OVER 50 MPH. TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THESE TRANSMISSION FROM EVERYTHING I'M FINDING OUT ABOUT THEM NOW. AT THIS POINT WITH WHAT THIS IS COSTING I WON'T BY ANOTHER NISSAN WHEN THEY DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THESE TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ID
11234661
Incident
Jul 24, 2019
Mileage
127,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 10, 2019

CAT TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 129K MILES. WINDING NOISE AND SLIPPING. CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THIS IS A CVT TRANSMISSION THAT NISSAN HAS AN ISSUE WITH AND REFUSES TO OWN UP TO IT. NOT A SAFE VEHICLE TO BE DRIVING IN CITY OR OPEN HIGHWAYS. NISSAN WANT ME TO PAY 3-4 GRAND TO FIX. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE WAKE THESE PEOPLE UP

NHTSA ID
11219133
Incident
Jun 8, 2019
Mileage
15 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 25, 2019

CVT TRANSMISSION FAILED. DOESN'T GO FORWARD OR REVERSE.

NHTSA ID
11203757
Incident
Apr 25, 2019
Mileage
160,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .