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2004 Nissan AltimaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 276 owner complaints about the 2004 Nissan Altima, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2004 Nissan Altima
50
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.0× the Altima median · #16 of 32 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints27626 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage67kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 7, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 Nissan Altima has problems

276 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 cooling1090
Structure420
Electrical system324
Engine302
Power train170
Steering110
Air bags117
Suspension102
Service brakes, hydraulic91
14 other systems444

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

1 recall

2004 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

Engine and engine cooling

Recall 06V-242 · Jul 7, 2006 · 294,166 vehicles

Risk. IF THE INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL FROM THE SENSOR IS SO BRIEF THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) LOGIC DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO DIAGNOSE THE CONDITION, THE…

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?

67kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 93 engine and engine cooling complaints. 87% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
4under 30k miles81under 100k miles12100k 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

15 owners mentioned a cost

$330median

Middle half: $266 – $650

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

2004 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

2004 Nissan Altima safety ratings

2004 Nissan Altima 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2004 Nissan Altima frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2004 Nissan Altima side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: Optional
  • 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.

WHILE I WAS PULLING OUT FROM A PARKING LOT, MY CAR JUST CUT OFF. I HAVE NOT HAD THE MONEY TO EVEN TAKE IT TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT UNTIL RECENTLY AND WAS TOLD THAT BOTH OF MY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS WERE GOING BAD AND THAT IT WOULD COST $1100 TO GET IT FIXED. SO I CHECKED ONLINE TO SEE IT WAS ANY…
Complaint 10676717 · Jan 20, 2015 · 136,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. A PRIVATE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CRANK SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE…
Complaint 10618916 · Aug 5, 2014 · 110,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START UNTIL AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT THEN ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS, WHO STATED THAT THE CRANK AND CAM…
Complaint 10526125 · Jul 22, 2013 · 95,000 miles

Own a 2004 Altima?

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