2014 Nissan Altima Owner Complaints

Rear lower control arm broke while driving on interstate car darted to the left but control was maintained

NHTSA ID

11755804

Incident

Aug 4, 2026

Right rear lower control arm fully broke while traveling 35 mph and going around a curve. The car immediately pulled hard right into the adjacent lane. Fortunately, there were no vehicles in that lane at the moment. I have contacted the dealership. This issue is addressed in Service Bulletin NTB21-045. However, the local dealership will not cover repairs because the car has been in service for over 10 years.

NHTSA ID

11755429

Incident

Aug 7, 2026

As far as I am aware there are no causes to the failure but the sensor of the left panel on the driver side airbag is alerting. Nissan checked it and advised it would be @ $2000 to repair because it required the replacement of the entire driver side chair. However I am now being told that they don't have/make the replacement part(s) needed. Scouring the Internet I'm finding this complaint is pretty common considering it also happened in our 2006 Nissan Armada (no accidents).

NHTSA ID

11748214

Incident

Dec 19, 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while his son was driving 50 MPH, the ABS warning illuminated, and the vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH. The vehicle was driven to the residence and parked. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer associated the failure with TSB: NTB21-045a. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the warranty on the vehicle had expired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 216,000.

NHTSA ID

11747794

Incident

Jun 24, 2026

Mileage

216,000 mi

At159,000 main console air bag light came on and won't turn off.

NHTSA ID

11746053

Incident

Jan 2, 2026

-Upon research, it appears my Nissan has an issue with the headlight lamps that have caused the low beams to diminish over time. This is a recorded defect (class action lawsuit [XXX], et al. v. Nissan North America, Inc.) of Nissan Altimas years 2013-2018. -There is a Nissan Dealership in my city I can take the vehicle to for further inspection and subsequent replacement. I would like documentation to further provide to the dealership in case there is any resistance to replacement. -The headlights are so dim I cannot see the road ~15 feet beyond me. The car's high beams, turn signals, and brake lights are all in working condition. The only thing affected are the low beam lights, which further suggest the headlight lens is not of issue. This can cause difficulty seeing at night and could prove to be a safety issue for myself and others, as well as limiting others' visibility of me. -There have been no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior. The check engine light is not on. I have had this car in my possession and under my name for about a year and the headlights have diminished over time to an unsafe degree. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11745675

Incident

Jun 19, 2026

Airbag light for driver turned on and took it to the dealership to get it fixed. They fixed it but it came back on and they reset it. A few months later it turned back on and they said they couldn't fix it because that part was not available anymore.

NHTSA ID

11745276

Incident

Jun 9, 2020

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The rear control arm (rear suspension component) failed catastrophically by snapping while the vehicle was in motion. This is a critical structural component responsible for maintaining proper wheel alignment and vehicle stability. The failed part has been retained and is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The sudden failure of the rear control arm placed my husband and son in immediate danger. This component is essential for maintaining control of the vehicle; when it snapped, it compromised the stability and handling of the rear wheel, significantly increasing the risk of loss of control, collision, or rollover. The failure occurred without warning while driving, creating a serious and unpredictable hazard not only for them but also for surrounding drivers on the road. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The failure has been visually confirmed by a service provider as a snapped rear control arm. Additionally, this issue is widely documented as a known defect in similar vehicles, with multiple reports indicating premature failure of this component under normal driving conditions. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? At this time, the component has been inspected by a service professional. The dealership has been contacted but declined assistance, citing that the vehicle falls just outside of the extended warranty parameters, despite the nature of the failure. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warning lights, messages, or noticeable symptoms prior to the failure. The control arm snapped suddenly and without any indication, which underscores the dangerous and unpredictable nature

NHTSA ID

11735813

Incident

May 4, 2026

Nissan has put a service campaign P9324 as a known issue for rear lower suspension corrosion. Last week as I was driving my vehicle collapsed on its back tire there was no safety warning lights that had come on. I was able to safely pull off the road however if I had been driving in a highway this would have more than likely put myself and others at grave risk. After towing to a local garage I have photos of the rear suspension corrosion and the left side separated. This was then fixed by the garage for $2,700. I spoke with Nissan corporate in regards to the Campaign bulletin which they stated they will not stand behind even though they published as a known issue. MY case number should you need it with Nissan is 56665209.

NHTSA ID

11735061

Incident

Apr 26, 2026

Hi, my name is [XXX] . I rented a car through [XXX] , and I need to report serious mechanical issues. All of the spark plugs are not secured, as they are missing screws, and oil is present. The only reason i know is because of the check light engine being on one minute and off the next. I chose to get it looked at and when being examined it was a noticed Additionally, the cooling reservoir tank is missing its top, leaving the system exposed. Please advise on next steps as soon as possible, as this is a safety concern. Thank you.” INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11733632

Incident

Apr 23, 2026

The dash indicates the driver side air bag is not operational. After the car starts, the air bag indicator stays on, indicating the driver's air bag is defective. If I were in an accident, the Nissan dealership told me the air bag would not deploy. The car was inspected by the dealer. The car has never been in an accident and the air bag has never deployed. But after the air bag sensor came on, it has been on since each time the car is started. My other car (2011 Tahoe) does not have this problem, nor do any other old cars I know of. Per an internet search, it seems there are lots of other Nissan Altimas with this problem. Nissan should fix this, it's a safety hazard for their customers.

NHTSA ID

11732576

Incident

Aug 1, 2024

After a month of purchase this car from a buy here pay here lot they offer no help my transmission slipping going cost about $4000 to get repaired

NHTSA ID

11730054

Incident

Dec 10, 2025

Air bag light stays on and seatbelt light comes on even when nothing is in seat.

NHTSA ID

11729699

Incident

Mar 1, 2026

Headlights on Nissan Altima started to dim, even when replacing bulbs. There was a settlement to get the bulbs replaced: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11729545

Incident

Apr 6, 2026

In my altima I've noticed over the few years of ownership occasionally the passenger airbag light wouldn't go off for a few minutes sometimes like it wasn't recognizing a passenger was occupying the vehicle. Then it started occasionally not recognizing the occupant, now it will not recognize an occupant and the airbag light is permanently stuck on the dash. This puts any occupant in the car at risk, when I hookup my own abs/airbag scan tool it shows no faults. It would appear to me the occupant sensor in the seat isn't functional because this is a common fault with this vehicles and it typically exhibits these symptoms. This is such a problem and replacing it is so difficult people have come up with seat sensor emulators which bypass the sensor making the system think there's always an occupant so the airbag goes off, a quick google search will show what I'm talking about. I called my local dealer sutherland nissan and they refused to help me, they said they were going to charge me a diagnostic fee and if it's anything other than the sensor I'd pay thousands, they're known for lying at that dealer so I know they'll tell me it's something else even if it isn't. So essentially I cannot have a passenger safely in my vehicle because nissan is going to make it a financial hardship for me. This is a known safety defect in this vehicle, I shouldn't be paying for anything. It shouldn't be this difficult to have a known safety defect fixed, I shouldn't have to be playing mind games with Dealership employees who are trying to steal my money and I shouldn't have to make complaints about this.

NHTSA ID

11721231

Incident

Feb 28, 2026

We took our Nissan for repair of recalled Headlights and was told they had no more headlight assemblies, they have to reorder. I got on waiting list. I called a couple of times to check on headlight shipment. Theni finally went back and they told me they stopped repairing headlight assemblies. I kept getting the run around! NOW MY HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM I CAN NOT SEE ROAD AND I WORK NIGHTS. I HAVE TO GET TO MY JOB WHICH IS AN HOUR AWAY, 3 HOURS EARLY WHILE I CAN SEE ROAD. PLEASE HELP ME GET HEADLIGTS REPLACED ASAP. WEBSITE IS SAYING I HAVE "0" UNREPAIRED RECALLS THAT IS NOT CORRECT. I NEVER RECEIVED RECALL ON ELECTRICAL PROBLEM SO THAT IS UNREPAIRED AS WELL. THERE MAY BE OTHERS. PLEASE HELP!!! I HAVE NO HEADLIGHTS WORKING!!!! I HAVE HAD NEAR CRASHES BEFORE THEY TOTALLY WENT OUT. I NEED THIS REPAIRED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU!

NHTSA ID

11712475

Incident

Jan 3, 2020

I was reversing out of a spot and I heard a loud bang. When I looked my rear control on my passenger side had broken due to rust and corrosion. I reached out to Nissan because I saw there was a voluntary recall and I had never received any information. When I contacted them they told me I was outside of the timeline but the website doesn’t explain that. They never notified me about the safety issue and there was never a formal recall but there should’ve been.

NHTSA ID

11706547

Incident

Dec 20, 2025

Sept 1 2025 hood latch failed causing hood to fly open to full vertical position causing body damage to both fenders and completely taking away visibility of roadway. Latch was replaced by Nissan dealer in 2022 for recall. Nissan dealer verified failed component and replaced at no charge but NISSAN USA would not repair body damage.

NHTSA ID

11695732

Incident

Sep 1, 2025

I am writing to formally escalate a serious safety issue with my 2014 Nissan Altima. My vehicle is affected by the known halogen headlamp delamination defect, which Nissan has previously acknowledged in a warranty extension and service campaign. Recently, because of the dangerously dim headlights, I struck a speed bump and damaged my vehicle. More importantly, I nearly hit pedestrians crossing the street because I could not see them in time. This is a life-threatening safety hazard directly caused by the defective headlamps. When I contacted my local Nissan dealer, they refused to honor the warranty/service campaign. I was told I would need to pay approximately $2,300 for repairs because the warranty extension expired in 2020. However, I did not begin noticing headlight visibility issues until 2022, well after the coverage period had ended. This demonstrates that the defect often develops after the expiration period and should still be addressed as a known, documented safety defect.

NHTSA ID

11686514

Incident

Aug 8, 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was determined that the air bag might deploy at any time, and that the clock spring, the steering wheel, and possibly the driver’s seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000.

NHTSA ID

11684513

Incident

Aug 27, 2025

Mileage

170,000 mi

My transmission blew out of nowhere on my 2014 Nissan Altima. It’s 6,200 to fix… I had to get it towed.

NHTSA ID

11680820

Incident

Aug 13, 2025

Supplemental Airbag Warning Light solid red, does not go off. Occurred after oil change done at dealership 1/13/2025. Dealer found code B0020, recommended part 87650-3TD6G, seat back replacement, parts and labor for repairs $2,950.

NHTSA ID

11680685

Incident

Aug 13, 2025

1. Component/System Failed: Halogen headlamp assemblies (low beams) malfunctioned due to delamination of the reflective surface, causing dimming. Available for inspection upon request. I have had the issue for years. Hard to see at night. 2. Safety Risk: Dim low beams reduce nighttime visibility, increasing risk of collisions. Using high beams to compensate may blind other drivers, creating further hazards. 3. Problem Reproduced/Confirmed: Not yet confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Issue matches known defect in 2013-2018 Altima halogen headlamps (TSB NTB15-111). 4. Inspections: No inspections by police, or insurance yet. I did have it inspected with the Santa Rosa California (Jim Bone) Nissan dealer inspection under Voluntary Service Campaign (PC861/PC890). That dealer said it was not bad however the headlights were bad before and after that so I believe they lied or didn’t test it correctly. That was in 2022 I believe. 5. Warning Signs/Symptoms: Gradual low-beam dimming noticed, first observed around 2017 perhaps. I just thought it was bad but it got worse. I saw in 2020 or 2021 some notice about a class action lawsuit (Suarez?) that Nissan lost so I tried to get them to fix it but they had various dates they said claims had to be done and it was confusing. I called Vallejo Nissan and they said I had to wait. Later it kept getting worse. No warning lamps; low beams too dim for safe driving, requiring high beams. 6. Description (if uncertain): Low beams are dim, compromising safe nighttime driving. Issue aligns with reported delamination defect in halogen headlamp assemblies. Exact onset date/mileage UNKNOWN. Sought dealers inspection for replacement under Nissan’s campaign but they didn’t take care of it. Nissan should be held responsible if any deaths, injuries or damages result from this issue. They should fix this asap! This is a major common issue you should already have on file.

NHTSA ID

11679798

Incident

Aug 1, 2022

My son purchased a used 2014 Nissan Altima 4 months ago from a dealership. He noticed it shuttering, delayed acceleration and not having power as well as a noise from the transmission. It had no check engine light but the code P17F1 CVT Judder came up. We looked for recalls and there have been so many on 2014 Nissan Altima's. His VIN number didn't come up for a recall. He paid $6000 for the car and only had it for 4 months, now he is out of a car. The dealership basically said its out of our hands. We can't afford to take it to a transmission shop and have them work hours on it. It is very unsafe to drive and I am concerned what he is going to do. Is there a chance that NIssan would help in this case? It is unfair that he has the issue that so many were recalled but for some reason not his. If you have advise please help. Thanks

NHTSA ID

11674900

Incident

Jul 14, 2025

While driving, the Altima’s rear control arm and suspension links broke due to corrosion resulting in loss of safe control of the vehicle. Nissan is aware that this is a problem with this year and make vehicle. They issued an extension of the warranty for this issue. This should be a mandatory recall for safety concerns, not simply a warranty extension. This is a very dangerous issue that can lead to serious injury! Very upset that money is valued over human life. When these parts fail, the vehicle is not safe.

NHTSA ID

11671557

Incident

Jun 27, 2025