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2001 Nissan AltimaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 159 owner complaints about the 2001 Nissan Altima, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2001 Nissan Altima
58
CarFlaw IndexSolid year28% below the Altima median · #23 of 32 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints15936 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage70kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 2, 2019. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2001 Nissan Altima has problems

159 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling591
Suspension203
Electrical system192
Air bags1513
Visibility130
Vehicle speed control111
Engine70
Power train60
Equipment60
11 other systems3810

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2001 Nissan Altima recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Tires: tread/belt

Recall 01V-065 · Feb 23, 2001 · 21,622 vehicles

Risk. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, A BELT EDGE SEPARATION IS POSIBLE, WHICH COULD RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Nissan.

Mileage at failure

When do engine and engine cooling problems start?

70kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 46 engine and engine cooling complaints. 76% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
1under 30k miles35under 100k miles11100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine and engine cooling

11 owners mentioned a cost

$734median

Middle half: $600 – $910

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2001 vs. every other Altima year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Altima median. How we score

'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2001 Nissan Altima safety ratings

2001 Nissan Altima 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2001 Nissan Altima frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Altima owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE ENGINE RPMS AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN INTAKE GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE…
Complaint 10457048 · May 1, 2012 · 82,000 miles
WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THERE WAS A PIECE OF TAPE OVER THE AIRBAG LIGHT AND AUTO ZONE HELPED ME TAKE IT OFF. THE NISSAN DIED GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE AND I LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND BRAKES. LATER TO FIND THAT I NEEDED A OXYGEN SENSOR AND NOW ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT…
Complaint 10441042 · Dec 22, 2011 · 159,999 miles
I JUST HAD TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON THE #4 CYLINDER FOR THE 2ND TIME ON MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE FIRST TIME WAS FEB 23, 2005 AT JUST UNDER 57,000 MILES. NOW, THE MILEAGE IS 123,225. LUCKILY, MY FIANCE WORKS AT A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY GAVE ME A BREAK ON THE LABOR RATE! AT A…
Complaint 10405990 · Jun 11, 2011 · 123,225 miles

Own a 2001 Altima?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.