Nissan Altima 2007–2012
4th generation (L32)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20265,563 complaints, 4,116 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 42,000 and 104,912 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 50 complaints (1.2%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 15,000
- 25%
- 42,000
- Median
- 72,000
- 75%
- 104,912
- 90%
- 139,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 255 | 6.2% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 67 | 1.6% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 80 | 1.9% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 72 | 1.7% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 89 | 2.2% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 104 | 2.5% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 126 | 3.1% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 126 | 3.1% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 170 | 4.1% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 118 | 2.9% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 164 | 4.0% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 157 | 3.8% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 210 | 5.1% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 174 | 4.2% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 232 | 5.6% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 160 | 3.9% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 193 | 4.7% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 127 | 3.1% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 177 | 4.3% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 130 | 3.2% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 157 | 3.8% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 72 | 1.7% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 116 | 2.8% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 89 | 2.2% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 115 | 2.8% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 89 | 2.2% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 79 | 1.9% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 62 | 1.5% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 58 | 1.4% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 69 | 1.7% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 50 | 1.2% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 22 | 0.5% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 30 | 0.7% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 15 | 0.4% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 31 | 0.8% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 27 | 0.7% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 23 | 0.6% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 10 | 0.2% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 16 | 0.4% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 5 | 0.1% |
| 200,000+ | 50 | 1.2% |
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 5,563 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007–2012 Nissan Altima, and 4,116 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 42,000 and 104,912 miles. The median is 72,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the steering (17.3% of complaints, typically around 80,000 miles), the electrical system (13.4% of complaints, typically around 73,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (9.9% of complaints, typically around 85,000 miles).
6 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Steering80,000median 80,000 miles, middle half 59,000 to 106,000
- Electrical system73,000median 73,000 miles, middle half 48,000 to 100,000
- Problems owners could not categorise85,000median 85,250 miles, middle half 60,000 to 117,000
- Transmission and driveline97,000median 97,305 miles, middle half 58,000 to 127,000
- Body structure65,000median 65,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 88,000
- Airbag system59,000median 58,566 miles, middle half 20,000 to 104,000
- Engine83,000median 83,300 miles, middle half 57,000 to 121,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 964 | 17.3% | 80,000 | 59,000–106,000 |
| Electrical system | 743 | 13.4% | 73,000 | 48,000–100,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 548 | 9.9% | 85,000 | 60,000–117,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 530 | 9.5% | 97,000 | 58,000–127,000 |
| Body structure | 519 | 9.3% | 65,000 | 40,000–88,000 |
| Airbag system | 442 | 7.9% | 59,000 | 20,000–104,000 |
| Engine | 346 | 6.2% | 83,000 | 57,000–121,000 |
| Visibility/wiper | 257 | 4.6% | 70,000 | 44,000–95,000 |
| Suspension | 231 | 4.2% | 67,000 | 42,000–94,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 179 | 3.2% | 73,000 | 30,000–122,000 |
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 72,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The steering accounts for 17.3% of complaints (964 reports, 787 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 59,000 and 106,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 13.4% of complaints (743 reports, 600 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 48,000 and 100,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 9.9% of complaints (548 reports, 278 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,250 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 117,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 9.5% of complaints (530 reports, 422 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 97,305 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 58,000 and 127,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 9.3% of complaints (519 reports, 341 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 87,500 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 7.9% of complaints (442 reports, 312 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 58,566 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 20,000 and 104,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2009 model year drew the most — 2,150 complaints — while 2011 drew the fewest at 320. The median year sits at 588.
That makes 2009 an outlier: roughly 3.7 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 6 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the suspension (2), the airbag system (2), equipment (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 5,563 complaints filed against this generation, 266 reported a crash; 93 reported a fire; 199 reported an injury; 6 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 4.8% 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 42,000 and 104,912 miles, with a median of 72,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the steering 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 73,000, 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
Transmission (cvt) 2007–2012
JATCO Xtronic CVT overheating and belt/pulley failure producing judder, delayed engagement and loss of drive. Nissan extended CVT coverage to 10 years / 120,000 miles on affected 2007-2010 CVT vehicles.
Electronic Steering Column Lock 2009–2012
ESCL module failure leaves the steering locked and the vehicle unable to start; addressed by recall and warranty extension.
Engine (2.5l) 2007–2012
Elevated oil consumption complaints continuing from the L31 QR25DE family.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 598 | 472 |
| 2008 | 1,376 | 911 |
| 2009 | 2,150 | 1,706 |
| 2010 | 541 | 391 |
| 2011 | 320 | 220 |
| 2012 | 578 | 416 |
Recalls (6)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 12V494000 | 2012-11-12 | Suspension |
| 12V055000 | 2012-03-12 | Air Bags:side/Window |
| 11V408000 | 2011-08-22 | Air Bags:frontal:sensor/Control Module-Inactive |
| 11V371000 | 2011-08-08 | Suspension |
| 10V401000 | 2010-09-16 | Equipment:electrical:navigational System(global Positioning System) |
| 10V193000 | 2010-05-13 | Structure |
What owners reported
The driver seat in my 2007 Nissan Altima has moved while i am driving since i bought the car. I have brought this in to be serviced for this problem over 6 times in the last year and they have failed to fix it. They performed Nissan TSB ntb08-089 twice already and the seat still moves around when i am driving. This is…
2007 · 30 miles · Seats
Tl*the contact owns a 2007 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle has two engines: an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. After exiting the vehicle, he could not hear the electric motor engine running. Approximately two hours later, the contact noticed that the electric motor was…
2007 · 50 miles · Engine and its cooling system
The vehicle takes over 40 minutes of driving to have the heat blower activate on cold temperatures. Starting and letting the vehicle run idle for 20 minutes before driving doesn't seem to help this situation. Heater will not work under any circumstance, cause the windows to fog up while driving and putting the driver…
2007 · 50 miles · Problems owners could not categorise
Regarding the current (2013-2014) Nissan recall due to airbag defect: we traded in our 2007 Altima for a 2014 model. The 2007 model appeared to have the same airbag defect being described in the current recall. During our ownership of the 2007 model, the passenger seat airbag sensor malfunctioned about 80% of the…
2007 · 100 miles · Airbag system
Built from 4,116 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page