The best and worst Nissan Altima years, by the numbers
Short answer: among Nissan Altimas old enough to judge (2005–2022), the 2011, 2018 and 2021–2022 have the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold. The 2008–2009 and 2013–2014 have the most.
We counted every owner complaint filed with the federal government (NHTSA) for each model year and divided by how many were sold that year, so a year that sold more doesn’t look worse just for being popular. Years newer than 2022 are shown but not ranked — they haven’t been on the road long enough. How this is calculated.
Years with the most complaints
2008 Nissan Altima · 35.4 per 10,000 sold (2.2× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Doors, windows, latches, seats and trim, typically around 67,000 miles; then airbags, seatbelts and restraints.
2009 Nissan Altima · 75.3 per 10,000 sold (4.7× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Body control and other modules, typically around 75,000 miles; then tie rods, linkage, shaft and column.
2013 Nissan Altima · 72.0 per 10,000 sold (4.5× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 12,736 miles; then harsh, delayed or erratic shifting.
2014 Nissan Altima · 33.2 per 10,000 sold (2.1× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Wiring harness, grounds and connectors, typically around 80,000 miles; then airbags, seatbelts and restraints.
Years with the fewest complaints
2011 Nissan Altima · 9.0 per 10,000 sold (0.6× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 100,429 miles.
2018 Nissan Altima · 10.8 per 10,000 sold (0.7× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Driver-assist cameras, radar and calibration, typically around 35,000 miles.
2021 Nissan Altima · 6.6 per 10,000 sold (0.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Driver-assist cameras, radar and calibration, typically around 17,000 miles.
2022 Nissan Altima · 2.1 per 10,000 sold (0.1× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Driver-assist cameras, radar and calibration.
Every year: complaints per 10,000 sold
Typical Nissan Altima year: 16.0 per 10,000 sold.
Complaints are counted once each, even when an owner lists several parts. Sales are US units sold in the calendar year, a close stand-in for the model year.
Common questions
What is the worst year for the Nissan Altima?
Among Nissan Altimas old enough to judge (2005–2022), the 2009 has the most owner complaints per 10,000 sold: 75.3, about 4.7× a typical Nissan Altima year. The 2008 and 2013–2014 also stand out.
What is the best year for the Nissan Altima?
The 2022 has the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold among Nissan Altimas from 2005–2022: 2.1, against 16.0 for a typical year. The 2011, 2018 and 2021 are also well below typical.
What goes wrong on the 2009 Nissan Altima?
The most-reported problem on the 2009 Nissan Altima is body control and other modules, typically around 75,000 miles.
Why aren't the newest Nissan Altima years ranked?
The 2023–2025 haven't been on the road long enough. Newer cars have fewer complaints mainly because they're newer, so ranking them would flatter them.
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Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; US sales from public industry figures. Complaints are self-reported and not independently verified. This is not an inspection and not a recommendation to buy or avoid any vehicle.