2009 Nissan Altima Problems: Steering (1,595 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2009 Nissan Altima is Steering (46% of 1,595 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Steering — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-16 1,595 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2009 Nissan Altima?

729 of 1,595 filings named Steering (46% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (284 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2008 has 1,034 reports on file; this year has 1,595. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2009 Nissan Altima

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 4 campaigns on file below.
  2. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Steering. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Steering 729 complaints · 45.7% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 37
  • Fires 8
  • Injuries 20
  • Deaths 2
All Nissan Altima years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Steering (STEERING) appears in 729 of 1,595 owner complaints (45.7%) in this vehicle snapshot. Steering (STEERING): 729 complaints, 45.7% of reports Steering (STEERING) 2 crash reports 729 · 45.7% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 284 complaints, 17.8% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 284 · 17.8% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 75 complaints, 4.7% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 crash reports 75 · 4.7% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 69 complaints, 4.3% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 2 crash reports 1 fire reports 69 · 4.3% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 66 complaints, 4.1% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 8 crash reports 66 · 4.1% Engine (ENGINE): 59 complaints, 3.7% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 2 fire reports 59 · 3.7% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 36 complaints, 2.3% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 11 crash reports 36 · 2.3% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 26 complaints, 1.6% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 2 crash reports 26 · 1.6% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 24 complaints, 1.5% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 5 crash reports 24 · 1.5% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 251 complaints, 15.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 7 crash reports 5 fire reports 251 · 15.7% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Steering (STEERING) 729 45.7% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 284 17.8% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 75 4.7% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 69 4.3% 2 crashes · 1 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 66 4.1% 8 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 59 3.7% 1 crashes · 2 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 36 2.3% 11 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 26 1.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 24 1.5% 5 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 251 15.7% 7 crashes · 5 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2008; the first recall shown was reported in Sep 2008. 2008-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2009-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2009-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 2010-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2011-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2011-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2011-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2012-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2012-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2012-Q4: 52 owner reports 52 2013-Q1: 169 owner reports 169 2013-Q2: 26 owner reports 26 2013-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2013-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2014-Q1: 45 owner reports 45 2014-Q2: 19 owner reports 19 2014-Q3: 31 owner reports 31 2014-Q4: 38 owner reports 38 2015-Q1: 52 owner reports 52 2015-Q2: 56 owner reports 56 2015-Q3: 43 owner reports 43 2015-Q4: 115 owner reports 115 2016-Q1: 97 owner reports 97 2016-Q2: 89 owner reports 89 2016-Q3: 86 owner reports 86 2016-Q4: 144 owner reports 144 2017-Q1: 98 owner reports 98 2017-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2017-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 2017-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2018-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 2018-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2018-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2018-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2019-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2019-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2019-Q3: 16 owner reports 16 2019-Q4: 19 owner reports 19 2020-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2020-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2020-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2021-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2021-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2021-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2021-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2022-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2022-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2023-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2023-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2024-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2025-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Sep 2008 Jan 2026 Recall campaign 08V464000 ◆ Recall campaign 08V464000 Recall campaign 09V006000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V006000 Recall campaign 09V358000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V358000 Recall campaign 10V401000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V401000 Investigation DP22005 ● Investigation DP22005
  • Campaign 10V401000 was reported 602 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2008-Q4 Owner reports 1
2009-Q1 Owner reports 6
2009-Q2 Owner reports 2
2009-Q3 Owner reports 4
2009-Q4 Owner reports 4
2010-Q1 Owner reports 18
2010-Q2 Owner reports 3
2010-Q3 Owner reports 4
2010-Q4 Owner reports 6
2011-Q1 Owner reports 6
2011-Q2 Owner reports 5
2011-Q3 Owner reports 7
2011-Q4 Owner reports 7
2012-Q1 Owner reports 8
2012-Q2 Owner reports 3
2012-Q3 Owner reports 7
2012-Q4 Owner reports 52
2013-Q1 Owner reports 169
2013-Q2 Owner reports 26
2013-Q3 Owner reports 13
2013-Q4 Owner reports 18
2014-Q1 Owner reports 45
2014-Q2 Owner reports 19
2014-Q3 Owner reports 31
2014-Q4 Owner reports 38
2015-Q1 Owner reports 52
2015-Q2 Owner reports 56
2015-Q3 Owner reports 43
2015-Q4 Owner reports 115
2016-Q1 Owner reports 97
2016-Q2 Owner reports 89
2016-Q3 Owner reports 86
2016-Q4 Owner reports 144
2017-Q1 Owner reports 98
2017-Q2 Owner reports 25
2017-Q3 Owner reports 23
2017-Q4 Owner reports 16
2018-Q1 Owner reports 21
2018-Q2 Owner reports 14
2018-Q3 Owner reports 17
2018-Q4 Owner reports 15
2019-Q1 Owner reports 10
2019-Q2 Owner reports 17
2019-Q3 Owner reports 16
2019-Q4 Owner reports 19
2020-Q1 Owner reports 10
2020-Q2 Owner reports 4
2020-Q3 Owner reports 15
2020-Q4 Owner reports 14
2021-Q1 Owner reports 14
2021-Q2 Owner reports 5
2021-Q3 Owner reports 5
2021-Q4 Owner reports 7
2022-Q1 Owner reports 12
2022-Q2 Owner reports 2
2022-Q3 Owner reports 1
2022-Q4 Owner reports 6
2023-Q1 Owner reports 4
2023-Q2 Owner reports 4
2023-Q4 Owner reports 5
2024-Q1 Owner reports 1
2024-Q2 Owner reports 1
2024-Q3 Owner reports 2
2024-Q4 Owner reports 5
2025-Q1 Owner reports 1
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
2026-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 08V464000
Recall campaign 1 09V006000
Recall campaign 1 09V358000
Recall campaign 1 10V401000
Defect investigation 1 DP22005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Body / frame.

  1. Recall campaign 08V464000

    Safety recall 08V464000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    IF THE LUG NUTS BECOME LOOSE, IT COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF IT IS EQUIPPED WITH ONE OF THE AFFECTED WHEELS. IF IT IS, THE WHEELS WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEW ONES THAT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATION. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING SEPTEMBER 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 09V006000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
    Remedy:
    ALL THE AFFECTED VEHICLES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIPS AND REMEDIED AT THE FACTORY. NO VEHICLES HAD BEEN RETAILED.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 09V358000

    Safety recall 09V358000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    IF THE STRUT INSULATOR IS CRACKED, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT ROD TO COME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING POSITION, WHICH COULD AFFECT VEHICLE STABILITY AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FRONT STRUT INSULATORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-NISSAN1 (1-800-647-7261).
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 10V401000

    Safety recall 10V401000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY GARMIN TECHNICIANS BY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND INSERTING A SPACER ON TOP OF THE BATTERY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN DIRECTLY AT 1-866-957-1981 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-10-16
Safety incident filters
Showing 9 of 1,595 complaints · page 1 of 64
2026-01-16Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11711432
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. While attempting to start the vehicle, the steering wheel was locked, preventing the remote start feature from functioning as designed. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000.
2025-06-10Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11666131
CrashFireInjuryDeath
1) What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The cylinders are constantly misfiring. 2 )How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Yes. 3) Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. 4) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes, by a private auto service center. 5) Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No. 6) Problem description: The service technician from the repair shop tried replacing the plug, coil, injector but it still misfires. Later the technician reported that this is a problem listed as recall (Recall Reference number : NTB13-056a, Campaign ID: PC131) for 2007-2008 Nissan Altima, but the same problem exists in 2009 Nissan Altima and is not listed as recall. Links for references are given below. The technician is sure that it is the same problem and NISSAN should fix it by recalling instead of asking the Owners to pay for this known recall issue. Repairing this issue by owners, would cost them several thousand dollars and is definitely not worth for a 2009 car. So I request the authorities to enforce this known issue as a recall to 2009 NISSAN ATLIMA as well as it has been done for 2007 and 2008 NISSAN ALTIMAs. Thanks and Regards. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2025-01-13Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11635582
CrashFireInjuryDeath
After the steering Lock anti theft activated, steering lock ESCL module does not allow to turn on the ignition even keys are inserted.
2024-12-21Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11631936
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Was stopped at a red light - when light turned green car in front of me proceeded to go but stopped . I pressed on the brake at a speed of no more then 15 miles an hour and the driver side airbag from the steering wheel deployed . No other air bags deployed and there was no type of collision or contact with a vehicular.
2024-12-11Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11630111
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle using the key fob, the vehicle failed to start. The contact depressed the brake pedal and ignition button, and the vehicle failed to start. The contact was unable to depress the brake pedal to start the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering lock mechanism needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
2024-11-03FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11623353
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Unknown
2024-11-01Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11623150
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V521000 (Air Bags, Electrical System); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 166,000.
2024-10-07Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11618392
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was an abnormal clanking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was driving rough. The contact stated that the ABS, brake, check engine, and TPMS warning lights were illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there were no recalls for the failure on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the strut housings had failed. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 184,000.
2024-08-10Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11607763
CrashFireInjuryDeath
There is Transmission problems with the 2009 Nissan. The car shakes/ Vibrates when idle, when sitting to long at a light the idle engine delays the gas pedal from going forward, having to accelerate the gas pedal till it jumps to proceed to move forward, The liquid is up to date however the car can’t move backwards in reverse but can move forward.

Nissan Altima Complaints and Recalls by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2009 Nissan Altima?

Owners named Steering most often — 729 of 1,595 reports (46%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2009 Nissan Altima?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2009 Nissan Altima?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-10-04 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-10-04
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-10-16. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources