2016 Nissan Altima
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Vehicles › Nissan › Altima › 2016
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
These records cover every 2016 Nissan Altima. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
4 recalls name the 2016 Nissan Altima. Newest first.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.
Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. If the primary latch is inadvertently released again and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an Owners Manual addendum card with instructions on how to lubricate and maintain the secondary hood latch mechanism, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: Recall 16V-029 remains open for any unremedied 2013-2015 Altimas and this recall applies to all vehicles covered by 16V-029 even if those repairs have already been performed.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles, previously remedied under recall number 17V-040. The door latch-lock cable may not have been routed properly in the rear door when the remedy was applied. As a result, the cable may interfere with the window regulator causing the rear passenger door to unlatch and…
If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will secure the latch-lock cables in the correct position using the new remedy procedure, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7669.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles. The rear door latch/lock cable on the vehicles may have been improperly routed. As a result, lowering a rear window may inadvertently cause that door to unlatch and open.
If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will correct the rear door latch/lock cable routing, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan…
If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
The airbag light on my 2016 Nissan Altima model came on, showing code B0020-13. This airbag code indicates a problem with the driver side airbag system, typically caused by damaged wiring, a malfunctioning seat sensor, or a loose connector beneath the driver's seat. The repair quote from my local Nissan dealership ranges from $1500 to $3000 to replace the entire seat back. With other airbag issues resulting in a recall, Nissan's failure to address this particular issue raises significant concerns regarding safety. The local dealership cleared the code and I'm uncertain how to proceed with this repair due to the high costs and no guarantee that it will fix the problem.
I have a 2016 Nissan Altima, Its airbag light is on. diagnose say the driver side airbag has problem. Nissan has recall, but not include my VIN: [XXX]. How?? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The HVAC system in my 2016 Nissan Altima produces cold air, but the airflow is not properly directed through the dashboard vents toward the occupants. Instead, the airflow is primarily directed toward the floor and windshield. This problem has continued throughout the summer of 2026. I have two children, ages [XXX] and [XXX], who ride in the vehicle. My [XXX] daughter rides in the vehicle frequently because I transport her to and from her year-round school. She has repeatedly complained about being extremely hot in the vehicle and has become visibly red and sweaty because the cold air is not adequately reaching the passenger area. My [XXX] son has also been affected by the heat. I have tried to compensate by driving with the windows and sunroof open to create additional airflow. However, this does not adequately address the problem when the vehicle is stopped or moving slowly. On XXX, while waiting in a drive-thru with several vehicles ahead of me and vehicles behind me, my [XXX] daughter repeatedly said that she was very hot. She became visibly red, sweaty, increasingly uncomfortable, and eventually began crying because of the heat. I could not immediately exit the line because vehicles were positioned both in front of and behind my vehicle. This incident caused me serious concern about continuing to transport my children under these conditions. I previously took the vehicle to an independent repair facility regarding the HVAC problem and was advised that this repair needed to be addressed by a Nissan dealership. I subsequently contacted a Nissan dealership regarding diagnosis and repair. This vehicle has also experienced two previous transmission failures and a prior A/C compressor failure. The manufacturer previously provided assistance with repairs involving the transmission and A/C compressor. I am reporting the current HVAC airflow failure because I am concerned about the safety consequences of conditioned air not being adequa INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.
To recap: •Nissan manufactured defective transmissions. •Nissan granted me a warranty extension with a fleeting expiration date (2023) to shift the cost away from them. •In 2020, Nissan performed work on my car. The work they performed masked the problem, didn’t fix it. And it deferred the problem, “kicking the can down the road.” •In 2026, Nissan denied my claim for goodwill approval. •I paid for a piecemeal fix on the car, leaving all the other transmission components still at risk. •My car, with 44,000 miles, is not safe.
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the driver's side headlight had become inoperable. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with an internal headlight failure, and it was determined that the headlight assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
My 2016 Nissan Altima has approximately 68,900 miles. When I am stopped and press the gas pedal, the vehicle sometimes hesitates before it begins moving. It does not accelerate normally, which is dangerous when I am pulling into traffic, crossing an intersection, or making a turn. At other times while driving, the vehicle will not accelerate properly and appears to become stuck in a low gear. The engine RPM may rise to approximately 4,000, but the vehicle does not shift or increase speed normally. Turning the vehicle off and restarting it may temporarily make the problem go away, but it can happen again without warning. There is currently NO CHECK ENGINE light or other warning light that has ever come on. So I had the auto parts store attach an OBD-II scanner and the ONLY error code was P0776. This prompted me to research further and that is when I learned of the CVT issues with Nissan. Because the loss of acceleration and failure to shift are intermittent, I cannot predict when the vehicle will hesitate or fail to respond. I am concerned that I could be struck by another vehicle if this happens while entering traffic, crossing an intersection, or attempting to maintain speed.
There is an active recall for the generic 2016 Nissan Altima OCS sensor, but it does not apply to my specific VIN apparently. This sensor is a problem with other vehicles of the same year, make, and model, but I am apparently on the hook for almost $1000 repair cost because the recall did not extend to my VIN. Again, same year, make, model, and issue as other 2016 Nissan Altimas, but the recall did not extend for some reason.
Hood popped up while driving and smashed windshield and did additional body damage. Secondary hood latch safety mechanism was non operable according to mechanic who looked at it after incident. Hood latch was replaced as part of recall in 2022. Spoke to Nissan but they are dismissing because there is no open recall and because it was already fixed. Many online comments about others dealing with this same issue of failure after repair and Nissan not taking responsibility.
The headlights on this vehicle are very dim because of a defect by the manufacturer. The inside of the headlight has delamination and causes the lights to be very dim which is a hazardous situation when driving at night. A recalled was issued, but has since expired. Dealer wants to charge over 1800 to replace both headlights.
Upon impact driver's side and passenger side airbags did not deploy.
3 days before the incident the check engine light came on but went off the next day. I was driving home from an overnight shift on Sunday, July 5th when I heard a loud boom the car instantly began to sound like something was dragging on the ground, the car was shifting right no matter which way I turned the steering wheel. I pulled over checked underneath the vehicle noticed this piece dragging I immediately called a tow. A mechanic took a look and stated the control arm has snapped and deemed the car unsafe to operate. I am financing this vehicle and it has only been a year even with routine maintenance and the upkeep of the vehicle since about a month or 2 after purchasing the vehicle I’ve been having major issues
My daughter was driving down the road and came to a 2-wayy stop. Went to pull out and the car stalled and started shuddering. On down the road leaving a red light it did the same thing and not wanting to really go.
Headlights on vehicle are very dim and often do not appear to be on causing bright lights to be used in replacement. Lights are not burnt out.
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle was difficult to control at higher speeds. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the rear passenger’s side wheel was misaligned, and the rear control arm was fractured and had detached. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and it was determined that the rear control arm needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 211,000.
My headlights are not putting out very well at all. I have to drive on high beams at night to be able to see which I’m sure is disrupting others driving but when I have my lights on low beams it’s almost like my lights are off or like fog lights. It’s super dangerous. This is been going on for months and I have to avoid driving at night all the time because it’s so bad.
Drivers side window & door latch does not work. door latch has to be push in after it opens the door & window will not go now.
Delayed gear change from 1st to 2nd/delayed acceleration 1-5 seconds mid-traffic because the car overheats soon after driving which causes the car to not properly accelerate causing more RPMs than necessary during longer drives with frequent stops (within urban/suburban areas).
This vehicle has unusually dim lights that have gotten worse over time, the local dealership told me I missed the recall on the headlight assembly
Subject Safety Defect Complaint Recall Repair Refusal and Manufacturer Delay Nissan Altima 2016 My 2016 Nissan Altima is subject to a safety recall related to the hood latch cover The hood latch cover on my vehicle is defective and stuck which caused the hood to become completely locked shut This defect creates a serious safety hazard because the hood could unexpectedly open while driving putting me my family and other road users at risk I contacted and visited two authorized Nissan dealers multiple times to have the recall repair performed Both dealers refused to repair the vehicle unless I personally opened the hood first I explained that the hood cannot be opened due to the recall related defect and that attempting to force it open is unsafe The dealers still refused to perform the recall repair I then contacted a third party service AAA but they refused to work on the vehicle stating that opening or driving the vehicle with a compromised hood is extremely dangerous and that this issue must be handled by the manufacturer and its authorized dealers I contacted Nissan North America directly to seek assistance Instead of resolving the issue Nissan has repeatedly delayed action stating that my case is still pending dealer approval I have been told many times that there would be updates but no solution has been provided I was informed multiple times that the case is delayed and that there is currently no resolution available As of today my vehicle has been undrivable for more than one and a half months due to this unresolved safety defect I am afraid to drive the vehicle because it poses a real danger to my safety and the safety of my family This situation has caused significant stress and hardship I am filing this complaint with NHTSA because an authorized dealer is refusing to perform a required safety recall repair
Headlight lowbeams are dim. Replaced with new bulbs, no improvement. Headlight lens are crystal clear from being clear vinyl wrapped when purchased new.
Icc stopped working
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with curtain air bags failure. The dealer provided an estimate for the repair, and the contact was informed that the cost of the repair would not be covered because the vehicle was out of warranty. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 102,464.
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond while the engine was running. The contact stated that the vehicle responded and returned to normal functionality after depressing the accelerator pedal several times. The contact stated that the failure was more evident while driving in cold weather. No warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
While i was driving the transmission felt as if it was slipping and didn't want to switch gears. When i stopped at a red light it didn't want to kick into drive it took like 3 -4 minutes to kick in no warning lights came on it just started messing up when I took it to get it looked at the code p17f0 came up. Im still paying a 429 car note on this vehicle and can not drive it plus the Carmax Care coverage i had on the car, is unusable!! So now im stuck with a broken car that im still paying on.
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the rear tire fell inside the wheel well. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull over safely. Upon investigation, the contact was able to associate the failure with NHTSA Action Number: EA19002 (Suspension). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the lower control arm was rusted and had fractured. The contact called the local dealer, who mentioned the recall in Canada was due to the snowy weather. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000. The VIN was not available.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
On July 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened EA19002 to investigate instances of alleged rear lower control arm failures in 2013-2018 Nissan Altima and 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima vehicles. At the time the investigation was opened ODI had 91 consumer complaints alleging rear lower control arm failures in the subject vehicles.ODI was concerned about these complaints because many of them alleged an increased steering effort or loss of vehicle control.At the time these complaints were received, ODI was also aware of a proactive service campaign addressing 2013 Nissan Altima in salt-belt states for a similar concern. Since opening the investigation, ODI has confirmed, based on consumer complaints, warranty data, and testing conducted by Nissan and ODI, that owners of the subject vehicles are experiencing a corroded bushing at one of three mounting points of the control arm to the rear subframe.ODI has also confirmed that drivers become aware of the problem because of sound and abnormal vibrations. In addition, the failure mileage is typically over 113,000 miles at the time of failure.In conjunction with Nissan and VRTC, ODI participated in testing to assess the potential safety consequence of a bushing failure.It was found the Vehicle Dynamic Control system allows the driver to maintain vehicle control in the event of a bushing failure.With between 7 to 13 years of field exposure, ODI is aware of only one low speed crash allegation describing minor contact with another vehicle’s trailer hitch. Nissan acknowledges that a crack can develop in affected control arms due to stress loading from normal use and that salts commonly used for roadway snow and ice treatment may result in corrosion that exacerbates the progression of the crack.Nissan implemented a design change in January of 2018 to improve the durability of the lower control arm.Affected vehicles have either been repaired with the countermeasure part under a customer satisfaction campaign or been provided a warranty extension from 3 years/36,000 miles to 10 year/unlimited mileage. Through testing and analysis of the information obtained to date, ODI has not identified a defect representing an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety involving corrosion of the subject rear lower control arm at this time.With a declining trend of reports and Nissan’s actions to implement a countermeasure and extended warranty coverage, further investigation of the issue does not appear to be warranted at this time.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov. A detailed discussion of the investigation and related complaint numbers can be viewed in the attached closing report.
PE18-013 was opened on December 1, 2018, with 4 complaints to ODI alleging incidents of the lower control arm fracturing at a connection point to the vehicle chassis due to corrosion. ODI has received an additional 87 complaints since the PE was opened. During PE18-013, Nissan indicated model years 2013-2018 shared a common rear lower control arm design. Nissan provided complaint and warranty data regarding 48 incidents of the subject failure. The majority of the complaints are from vehicles registered in salt belt states. There have been no crashes, injuries, or fatalities confirmed as of this date. Nissan advised that it has conducted testing to assess safety risk. Nissan states that due to low incident rate, high detectability, and low risk of adverse vehicle dynamics, it does not believe the subject lower control arm failure poses an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.This preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to Engineering Analysis (EA) 19-002. During the EA, ODI will continue to collect and analyze complaint and field data in its efforts to fully assess the scope and frequency of the alleged defect. More importantly, ODI will also seek additional information and data regarding the potential safety consequences of rear lower control arm failure, both from evidence collected from field failures and through more rigorous and comprehensive vehicle testing to be conducted by either Nissan and/or NHTSA.The ODI reports (VOQs) cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 11234334, 11234232, 11234189, 11233771, 11233234, 11232381, 11231589, 11230323, 11230184, 11229023, 11229003, 11228730, 11228651, 11228631, 11228625, 11223086, 11222602, 11222427, 11222303, 11221802, 11219943, 11217980, 11217542, 11217505, 11217290, 11210699, 11209647, 11208580, 11208274, 11207545, 11206310, 11205711, 11205461, 11203864, 11203005, 11195416, 11193545, 11193020, 11192269, 11192066, 11191270, 11191207, 11191185, 11191042, 11190360, 11190323, 11187334, 11187157, 11186747, 11186195, 11185664, 11185632, 11185589, 11183799, 11183295, 11183198, 11182705,11182528, 11182265, 11182137, 11182088, 11181373, 11181223, 11181155, 11181009, 11180126, 11176565, 11176261, 11176135, 11175821, 11172604, 11172200, 11172065, 11170019, 11169930, 11165194, 11163833, 11163489, 11162559, 11162195, 11161956, 11161497, 11161117, 11157323, 11157234, 11156772, 11141169, 11139516, 11129476, 11122829, 11114374.
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.