2015 Nissan Altima Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 64,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The headlights are so dim we cannot see safely at night, we have had everything professionally cleaned and installed new super bright bulbs, it has made zero difference. Does someone really have to die for this to be taken seriously? There was a huge lawsuit apparently but we never heard about it and missed the window!Owner complaint, filed 2026

The headlights are dangerously dim. There has been a class action lawsuit for these specific makes and models for the reflectors in the headlights being damaged over time, resulting in the entire headlight assemblies needing replaced.Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 30,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

A vehicle airbag light is staying on which indicates my airbags will not work this is a common problem in a 2015 Nissan Altima SL but it is not showing up as a recall on my certain vehicle. This recently started happening at 114,000 miles. When the light first came on it would go on and off at different times it would not be every single…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the SRS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a driver's side air bag module internal failure. The dealer recommended replacing the driver's side air bag module and informed the contact that the repair was not covered…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 59,256 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 62,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

Subject: Dangerous Transmission Failure in 2015 Nissan Altima While my 2015 Nissan Altima has always exhibited questionable performance, including abnormal acceleration, hesitation during throttle response, and mismatched RPMs relative to acceleration, the transmission has now begun to severely slip. I have also experienced sudden loss…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle failed to accelerate from a complete stop and jerked. Additionally, the vehicle failed to respond as intended while in reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 68,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 62,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (55), Hood: latch (20).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

Dear NHTSA, The rear control arm on my 2015 Nissan Altima broke after driving over a very small speed bump at ~10-15 MPH. Had this happened at highway speed, my family’s lives could have been at risk. A suspension component should not fail under such ordinary driving conditions. This incident has left me deeply concerned about the safety…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that in September 2025, an unknown hood latch recall repair was performed by the dealer, but six months later, while the vehicle was parked and attempting to open the hood, the hood failed to open. The contact state while driving approximately 65 MPH, the hood unexpectedly popped…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 129,944 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 55,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

Vvt valve has failed twice now despite timely oil changes. This is a safety risk because vehicle will stall at low speeds like when starting at an intersection from a stopped positionOwner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact stated that the TPMS warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and added transmission fluid and was able to continue driving the vehicle to the residence. The local dealer was contacted…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 112,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 69,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

The passenger side rear spring mount/Lower Control Arm separated at the weld and failed at highway speed. Control of the vehicle was momentarily lost and I was able to safely pull to the side of the highway to await a tow truck. Vehicle is not drivable. Mechanic confirmed it was an "Insufficient Weld" consistent with a safety bulletin…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The rear lower control arms (lower links) on my 2015 Nissan Altima are actively cracked and broken at 91,359 miles. An authorized Nissan dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed the severe structural failure on video, explicitly stating it is an immediate safety hazard. However, the manufacturer is refusing to repair this dangerous…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 35,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a used car dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 73,328, and the Carfax report provided by the Bank listed the mileage as 69,850 on August 19, 2022. However, while…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 117,974 miles

The contact purchased a 2015 Nissan Altima. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage wasOwner complaint, filed 2026, at 114,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 14,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

My 2015 Nissan Altima started having some steering issues over the 2022-2023 winter. It seemed a bit stiff, but I thought it was from the snow tires I had just had placed. When it continued after change over in the spring to regular tires, I took it in and they said I had low power steering fluid. They replaced it for around $100 and it…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Steering - Rack and Pinion Issues - Struts Leaking possible FACTORY DEFECT per Dealership. It is extremely unsafe to drive with a bad rack and pinion because you no longer can control your vehicle and keep it in a straight line. There would be so much free play and your vehicle would just wander on the road. This could be fatal for you…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 40,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

The gas petal broke while accelerating to get on the highway. My safety was put at risk as I was unable to move out of harms way. I was shocked to find out the gas pedal was plastic. It was the original gas pedal provided by Nissan and I am the original owner.Owner complaint, filed 2023

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at 53 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed but failed to respond and the vehicle started decelerating. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and other unknown warning lights also were illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 115,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 33,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

Our Nissan Altima has been experiencing the brake lamp relay switch issue, where the brake light will be on when brakes are not pushed and causes issue with acceleration. There is an existing recall open on this exact issue for the 2013-2015 models, however when I called a Nissan Service Center was advised our VIN is not part of the…Owner complaint, filed 2025

I bought my car brand new in 2015 from a Nissan dealership. Few months after that the breaks started making noise. I took my car to the dealership thinking that I needed new breaks and learned that the breakes were fine and the issue was debris accumulations inside the breaks. Since then I had the same issue a number of times, roughly…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 58,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally strong gasoline odor inside the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the fuel tank. The vehicle was not…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 146,000 miles

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle had randomly experienced speed reduction, jerking, stalling, and excessive fuel consumption. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who replaced the battery and alternator, but the failure continued to occur. A second…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 200,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 34,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

I am reporting a serious safety issue with the rear lower control arms on my 2015 Nissan Altima. The control arms have completely failed due to severe corrosion, and my vehicle is now undrivable. This failure occurred without warning and poses a significant risk to driver and passenger safety. I live in Massachusetts, where road salt is…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Driving to work and the car started acting like there was a flat tire and was difficult to steer properly. Pulled over to find that the back left wheel is crooked. Looked underneath and the arm to the wheel is completely broke. Looks to have rusted out and broke completely.Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 3,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2015 nissan altima. The contact noticed that the driver seat was very unstable and the seat cushion felt uneven. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat rail and frame failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired six times, but the failure recurred. The [VIN] was made…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 300 miles

Takata recall. The contact owns a 2015 nissan altima. The contact notified the dealer that the seat belt warning light remained illuminated for an extended period of time. The dealer provided no solution other than clearing the code and recommended that the contact turn off and restart the vehicle to clear the code. The vehicle was not…Owner complaint, filed 2016

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

the headlights are very bad and have to basically drive with the high beams on in order to see because on low beam i almost ran someone over i changed the bulbs a few times but it has not improved any and while changing them that it seems as the bulb burnt something. I have been on the nissan forums and theres many complaints saying that…Owner complaint, filed 2025

The problem with the C17F1 cvt judder when pressing the gas the car would not go. So you turn car off. Then restart car pressing gas all the way down, and the car jumps forward and luckily doesn’t hit car in front of you. Nissan is well aware of cvt transmission problems on 2011 and 2015 Altima’s in which now it costs me $5400.00 to…Owner complaint, filed 2022