Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1995 Nissan Altima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Rusting cross member bar of the radiator core of all Nissan Altima from 1995. Upon inspection I noticed the cross member bar of the radiator core completely rusted. No rust anywhere except for this area of vehicle. Part should be recalled due to inferior workmanship of the steel this is a serious and dangerous problem because it supports engine components and May cause an accident it the parts give way under the rusted support structure.
My brakes have always screeched, the dome light never worked, the sensor for engine check light had to be replaced, leak from oil pan defective seal, the starter had to be replaced, when taken to the dealership to fix there were always excuses for the malfunction we had to pay for most of the replacements always over 500 dollars per visit.
Vehicle has remote lock on starter,( if payment is not made on due date). One week after purchase, remote lock failed. At attempt to repair it was made 3 times, since then other electrical parts have failed and/or failing. Air conditioning has failed, windows and door locks have haphazderly worked off and on. Radio doesn't work since repairs have been attempted. Transission shift doesn't work properly. Have to go to accessory put shifter in neutral to start vehicle. When in park start will not engage. There are no rubber boots on cv joints. Dealer claimed the vehicle was never wrecked or had any major repair work done. Dealer had warranty on vehicle, then sold business, full coverage insurance was required for warranty to be in effect. New dealer is not honoring warranty and the vehicle is falling apart.
Oil leaked from engine after owning vehicle 6 days, almost 700.00 to repair now the oil is leaking again. I had put only 400 miles on the car when it broke down. The dealership gave me a break on fixing it, but now it is leaking again. According to their repair record 3 seals were replaced and a belt. I felt sure this must be some defect but have not found any information. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I will be taking the vehicle back to the dealer again this Friday 7/20. Because 2000 miles after their repairs I checked the oil and again nothing showed on the dip stick. I am a single mother making payments on this vehicle, I understand I purchased the vehicle "as is". But this is becoming very costly. Thank you very much, lesia turner.
A gasket on my engine started leaking at around 64000 miles. I did not realize that it was a gasket until about 72000 miles when I reported it to Nissan. Since the car was no longer on warranty Nissan didnt want to do anything about it. The leak is on a section of the motor that is between the block and the oil pan. Nissan used silicone vtr to seal these two parts. Nissan should have used a standard paper type gasket. This gasket should not have started leaking at this mileage. A Nissan maechanic that I spoke to at grossmans Nissan in old saybrook, ct told me that this was a typical problem on this motor and has seen the problem quite a few times on altimas. This oil leakage could be very hazordous if it caused the engine to seize up on the highway.
My 1995 Nissan is effected by a known service defect concerning an oil leak in the right front of the engine. Upon contacting my local Nissan service center they informed me that almost all 1995 Altima'a are effected by this defect, the defect is not an official recall, and it would be my responsibilty to have the repairs made at my expense. Escalating this to the national Nissan hot line proved ineffective. The defect is documented in the following technical service bulletin: service bulletin number: ntb95-058a . Can anything be done?
An oil leak from the front of the engine was noticed @ 56,000 miles. The dealer resealed the oil pan on visit #1(56,733 mi.), replaced the crank seal on visit #2(59,889 mi.), and tighted the timing cover on visit #3 (62,371 mi.). After researching the NHTSA site, I found that this particular problem has been well-documented with regard to TSB's from 1995 and many owner complaints. The dealer should have diagnosed this problem from the beginning as the leak continues as of this date.
A great deal of oil is leaking from the front seal on the timing cover. This is a very common problem with the 1995 Nissan Altima and Nissan has issued at least three service bulletins regarding this problem, two service bulletins were issued in the first year of production (1995)!! This defect requires a repair cost of approximately $750, and should be a recall where Nissan bears the cost of replacing such a quickly occurring and obvious defect.
The defect database is full of customer complaints regarding the defective seal between the timing cover and the block. A technical service bulletin exists (nntb95058a ), yet why are droves of Nissan owners still paying $500.00 to have this poorly engineered part replaced? My mechanic stated that he has replaced many of these seals. When is there going to be a recall issued? What does it take? Thank you for your attention.
Engine developed oil leak beginning at around 63000 miles, leak intensified and is in need of repair at 73000 miles, leak was diagnosed as a failure of o-rings from timing cover, resulting in $700.00 repair bill. Nissan states that since scheduled maintenance was not completed by authorized dealer they will not be able to assist in repair. Dealer advises that they have not seen allot of this problem, but they have seen some.
Engine complaints in other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1995 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1995 Nissan Altima, 16% of the model year's 180 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1995 Nissan Altima engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 1995 Nissan Altima, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1995 Nissan Altima engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 1 injury to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.