2020 NISSAN ALTIMA — Owner-Reported Problems
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 155 complaints · 6 recalls
Verdict & Safety Summary
Most-reported system: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (24 complaints · 15.5%)
Safety signals:
- Crashes 15
- Fires 5
- Injuries 13
- Deaths 1
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 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.
Component Problem Distribution
Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)
UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 24 | 15.5% | 0 crashes · 2 fires |
| ENGINE | 23 | 14.8% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 23 | 14.8% | 3 crashes · 0 fires |
| POWER TRAIN | 12 | 7.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| VISIBILITY | 7 | 4.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 6 | 3.9% | 3 crashes · 0 fires |
| AIR BAGS | 5 | 3.2% | 4 crashes · 0 fires |
| STEERING | 5 | 3.2% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| STRUCTURE | 5 | 3.2% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 65 | 41.9% | 5 crashes · 2 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 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.
Problem & Recall Timeline
Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time
- Campaign 23V628000 was reported 1,034 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 25V437000 was reported 1,732 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2025-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V570000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V685000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V138000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V169000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V628000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 25V437000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | AQ22003 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE23023 |
Safety Recalls (6)
Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 20V570000
- Report date
- Component:
- VISIBILITY
- Consequence:
- Rear window glass that separates from the vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the back window glass, free of charge. The recall began November 4, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC752.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 20V685000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 10, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-8677669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC765.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 21V138000
- Report date
- Component:
- STEERING
- Consequence:
- A detached tie rod ball joint can cause a loss of steering control, and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the left and right-side tie rod ball joint fasteners, or install new fasteners as necessary, free of charge. The began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PC795.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 21V169000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC798.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 23V628000
- Report date
- Component:
- BACK OVER PREVENTION
- Consequence:
- A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23C3.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 25V437000
- Report date
- Component:
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Consequence:
- Engine failure increases the risk of a crash. A bearing failure may cause a breach in the engine block, allowing hot oil to be discharged, increasing the risk of an engine fire.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or Infiniti's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R25A8/A9 and R25B1/B2.
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 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.
Complaint Narrative Explorer
Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Showing 0 of 155 complaints · page 1 of 7
No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 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.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.