Nissan Altima 1998–2001
2nd generation (L30)
NHTSA data through 12 August 2026652 complaints, 306 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 51,134 and 120,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 10 complaints (3.3%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 32,223
- 25%
- 51,134
- Median
- 80,000
- 75%
- 120,000
- 90%
- 160,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 9 | 2.9% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 8 | 2.6% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 5 | 1.6% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 29 | 9.5% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 19 | 6.2% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 32 | 10.5% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 26 | 8.5% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 24 | 7.8% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 26 | 8.5% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 18 | 5.9% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 15 | 4.9% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 17 | 5.6% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 14 | 4.6% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 12 | 3.9% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 7 | 2.3% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 12 | 3.9% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 7 | 2.3% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 7 | 2.3% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 9 | 2.9% |
| 200,000+ | 10 | 3.3% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 652 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998–2001 Nissan Altima, and 306 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 51,134 and 120,000 miles. The median is 80,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the engine and its cooling system (20.6% of complaints, typically around 78,000 miles), the electrical system (9.8% of complaints, typically around 69,000 miles), the airbag system (8.9% of complaints, typically around 73,000 miles).
What fails, and when
- Engine and its cooling system78,000median 78,000 miles, middle half 57,000 to 99,000
- Electrical system69,000median 69,000 miles, middle half 49,000 to 108,000
- Airbag system73,000median 73,000 miles, middle half 45,000 to 113,000
- Throttle and speed control49,000median 49,067 miles, middle half 34,000 to 118,000
- Suspension113,000median 113,000 miles, middle half 89,000 to 169,000
- Visibility equipment59,000median 59,176 miles, middle half 35,000 to 79,000
- Fuel system74,000median 73,964 miles, middle half 57,000 to 86,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and its cooling system | 134 | 20.6% | 78,000 | 57,000–99,000 |
| Electrical system | 64 | 9.8% | 69,000 | 49,000–108,000 |
| Airbag system | 58 | 8.9% | 73,000 | 45,000–113,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 44 | 6.7% | — | — |
| Throttle and speed control | 43 | 6.6% | 49,000 | 34,000–118,000 |
| Tyres | 43 | 6.6% | — | — |
| Suspension | 43 | 6.6% | 113,000 | 89,000–169,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 38 | 5.8% | 59,000 | 35,000–79,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 30 | 4.6% | — | — |
| Fuel system | 28 | 4.3% | 74,000 | 57,000–86,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 80,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 20.6% of complaints (134 reports, 93 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 78,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 57,200 and 99,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 9.8% of complaints (64 reports, 38 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 49,464 and 107,900 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 8.9% of complaints (58 reports, 26 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 73,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 113,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 6.6% of complaints (43 reports, 24 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 49,067 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 33,500 and 117,922 miles.
The suspension accounts for 6.6% of complaints (43 reports, 19 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 113,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 89,000 and 169,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 5.8% of complaints (38 reports, 19 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 59,176 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,450 and 78,550 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2001 model year drew the most — 202 complaints — while 1999 drew the fewest at 110. The median year sits at 170.
Recalls and what they cover
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Reported severity
Of the 652 complaints filed against this generation, 112 reported a crash; 14 reported a fire; 96 reported an injury; 7 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 17.2% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 51,134 and 120,000 miles, with a median of 80,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the engine and its cooling system and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 69,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Engine 1998–2001
Timing chain guide and tensioner wear on the KA24DE; distributor and crankshaft position sensor failures causing intermittent stalling and no-start.
Emissions 1998–2001
Catalytic converter and oxygen sensor failures generating high check-engine-light complaint volume.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 141 | 36 |
| 1999 | 110 | 40 |
| 2000 | 199 | 109 |
| 2001 | 202 | 121 |
What owners reported
Power locks go on and off repeatedly, making all kinds of racket and buzzing sounds, even when car is turned off!! Have to play with key and locks to get into the car... Fuel door opens on own repeatedly, won't stay shut. Brakes make a deep growling sound when gently pressing the brake pedal. Car has 40,000 miles on…
1998 · 43,000 miles · Latches and locks
After arriving home safely from a long highway drive (7 hrs), our car sat for about 5 hours. When i started the car, i smelled smoke and heard a unusual rubbing noise under the hood. After popping the hood, i saw smoke pouring out of the alternator. I turned off the engine, went inside to get a fire extinguisher.…
1998 · 67,000 miles · Electrical system
The car was idle at a red light when it shut down completely (engine, radio, lights, etc). It would not start again. I got a jump and it started. The next day it started fine. I let it idle for about 15 minutes and it was okay. I drove it for a few minutes and it died again. I had it towed to a repair shop.…
1998 · 70,000 miles · Electrical system
July of 2002 (days before my vacation) my Altima would not start. I was under an third party service agreement and was towed 25 miles from work to the selling dealership. It was determined that wires in/ around the fuel pump had been severely damaged and needed to be replaced, the damage to the wires caused excessive…
1998 · 86,000 miles · Electrical system
Built from 306 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page