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#BS-2016-NISALT-73F42016 Nissan Altima
Based on reports from 773 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 773 complaints, 43 crashes, 4 fires, and 4 recalls. Complaint rate is 3.6x the class average.
Top reported problems
transmission failure
37 complaints • Severity 8.9/10
hesitation when accelerating
12 complaints • Severity 9.2/10
delayed acceleration from a stop
5 complaints • Severity 8.8/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
228 owners reported drivetrain issues — failures commonly reported around 58K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (139 reports) • Median: 58K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Drivetrain (228 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2016 Nissan Altima: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 29% of all reports filed for the 2016 Nissan Altima, with 228 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 57,786 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 58K-mile mark.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2016 Nissan Altima, with 85 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Airbags Issues
Airbags complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2016 Nissan Altima, with 67 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Speed Control Issues
Speed Control complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2016 Nissan Altima, with 63 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2016 Nissan Altima. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (4 recalls)
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
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 Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
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.
STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT
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 inadvertently open without warning when the window is lowered.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
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.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Nissan Altima is the 2013 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.
2016 Nissan Altima vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)
This vehicle
773
Class avg
213
3.6x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 773 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Nissan Altima Model Years
2016 Nissan Altima: Frequently Asked Questions
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Does the 2016 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
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Get the Full 2016 Nissan Altima Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 773 owner reports. Know before you buy.