The 2018 Nissan Altima is associated with 225 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Other / Uncategorized, accounting for 37 reports (16% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 3 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2.5l 4-cyl and 3.5l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 26 to 31 MPG combined.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 225 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Other / Uncategorized (37 / 16%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 11 crash / 0 fire / 5 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 26–31 MPG (3 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| Altima | 2.5L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 27 MPG | 38 MPG | 31 MPG | — | $2,000 / yr |
| Altima SR | 2.5L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AV-S7) | 26 MPG | 37 MPG | 30 MPG | — | $2,050 / yr |
| Altima | 3.5L 6-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AV-S7) | 22 MPG | 32 MPG | 26 MPG | — | $2,350 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| 4 DR FWD | | | | | 10.299999999999999% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 Nissan Altima models.
View complete 2018 Nissan Altima crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2018 Nissan Altima problems & component breakdown (63 categories) →
Affected Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
Defect Summary: 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.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Defect Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
View all 2018 Nissan Altima recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →