repaired · 2023 Q1
Hood: latch
Risk. Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
2015 Nissan AltimaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 956 owner complaints about the 2015 Nissan Altima, most often about the exterior lighting. It is covered by 10 safety recalls, and for recall 20V-315 the manufacturer reports only 40% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 2, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2015 Nissan Altima has problems
956 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
270Exterior lighting8 crash/fire/injury
177Air bags23 crash/fire/injury
161Power train6 crash/fire/injury
66Engine
64Structure
64Suspension
56Electrical system
48Steering
44Latches/locks/linkages
17016 other systems17 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 270 | 8 |
| Air bags | 177 | 23 |
| Power train | 161 | 6 |
| Engine | 66 | 4 |
| Structure | 64 | 5 |
| Suspension | 64 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 56 | 7 |
| Steering | 48 | 1 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 44 | 0 |
| 16 other systems | 170 | 17 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
10 recalls
2015 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.
repaired · 2020 Q2
Doors: latch
Risk. If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
repaired · 2018 Q2
Doors: latch
Risk. If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.
repaired · 2018 Q2
Sensor: occupant classification
Risk. If the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Show 6 more recalls
repaired · 2017 Q3
Sensor: occupant classification
Risk. If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
repaired · 2017 Q2
Hood: latch
Risk. If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a…
repaired · 2017 Q1
Disc: caliper
Risk. If the bolts were not properly tightened, the caliper may detach and reduce braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2017 Q1
Air bags: frontal
Risk. If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated.
repaired · 2016 Q4
Fuel system, gasoline
Risk. If fuel leaks from between the fuel sending unit and the tank, it may increase the risk of a fire in the event of a crash.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Hood: latch
Risk. If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a…
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 exterior lighting problems start?
68kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 120 exterior lighting complaints. 77% were reported before 100,000 miles.
16under 30k miles92under 100k miles28100k 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.
Exterior lighting
17 owners mentioned a cost$1,200median
Middle half: $1,000 – $1,300
Power train
12 owners mentioned a cost$4,250median
Middle half: $2,975 – $5,055
Air bags
9 owners mentioned a cost$1,400median
Middle half: $1,000 – $1,900
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
2015 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
12210618092108123871601591,0478832761,0918244711,0311,5473812424262,3151,1149565553952262351627132304471
'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
2015 Nissan Altima safety ratings
2015 Nissan Altima 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (10.3% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: Optional
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2015 Nissan Altima, and the recalls they led to.
- Rear Suspension Control Arm FailureNo recall
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- Rear Suspension Control Arm FailureNo recall
In owners' words
What Altima owners report
Recent exterior lighting complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
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.
When driving at night, the low beam headlights were noticeably dim. The headlight bulbs were replaced and the lenses were cleaned on both headlights. This did not fix the issue. I have also adjusted the angle of them, and they’re still dim. My safety is at risk when I drive at night since I am…
Own a 2015 Altima?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.