Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Nissan Altima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
During an annual inspection, it was discovered that both driver and passenger floor pans are rusting thru. Please note that this is a garage kept car with low miles for it's age. There is no other rust on the undercarriage of the car except in these areas. The inspector noted that this is not normal for a car of this age and mileage. After research on the odi site, I've found numerous complaints for the exact same issue. This is a serious safety and structural issue that is known by Nissan for years, but they refuse to act upon it. The vehicle can now be considered unsafe to drive by fault of design of the manufacture. Please have an investigator open a ticket to have a recall, or at the very least, a manufacture fix since this is a safety issue...even though Nissan is stating that it isn't and they won't act...this should be a negligence case on the part of Nissan.
There is severe rust/rot visible on at least the driver side floor board. I am the second owner of this vehicle which I purchased from a close family member and the car was well maintained. I am deeply concerned that this is a serious safety issue and why this was not detected during a recent nys dmv inspection. After doing some online research I learned that many other owners have experienced the same issue and I cannot believe that Nissan will not stand behind this issue. This is clearly a design deficiency/defect... Severe rot should not occur in just 10 years. I purchased this car nearly two years ago and this repair will not likely be cost effective.
Rusted floor boards/panels under vehicle at the driver and passenger floor side due to a manufacturer defect. Rust started after 2 years of use .vehicle was purchased brand new at the dealership and rust started 24 months afterwards with no action taken by the dealership of Nissan. Owner decided to repair the rust at the dealership with no compensation from the dealership of Nissan corporate headquarters. Repair s acknowledgement and receipt attached. Nissan corporate claim #22951460.
The front passenger side floor is rusted thru. The hole is about 6 x 9. If more of the rust is removed, I know it will be much bigger. I was quoted $900-$1200 for the repair. Is there a recall or campaign for this problem. Im told this is common for, this car. If there isn't there should be. [redacted] fixed now will I get reimbursed? Thank you, [redacted]
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the front driver and passenger side floorboards were rusted and had holes. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the floorboards were rusted, fractured, and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 146,000. Updated 5/28/15 updated 11/23/2015
I recently had my car serviced and was told my floor panel had rotted through. The car is a 2004 but has less than 44,000 miles, has been serviced regularly and has been garaged part of the time.articles on the internet show it is a massive problem with these cars due to poor drainage design. The repair is over $2000. Otherwise the car is in good shape. This is just one of 1000's of reports to the NHTSA about this problem.
The frame of the vehicle is rusting away. There is a hole in the floor board on passenger side, from underneath the vehicle from rust. You can feel around the frame of the car and chunks of metal fall off . This was noticed during maintenance on the vehicle . Car was stationary , I had noticed that I was getting an extreme amount of dust inside the vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Nissan Altima. While accelerating off from a completed stop, the contact noticed rust on the ground. The contact exited the vehicle and noticed that the rust was falling from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the passenger's side floor board rusted out. The vehicle was taken the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the floor board needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 202,000.
My 2004 Nissan Altima has severe corrosion on the passenger-side floor board. I fear this vehicle is no longer safe to drive> Nissan is aware of this issue and has been for several years yet they refuse to repair these corrosion issues, claiming there are not a safety issue and out of warranty.
Body complaints in other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2004 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA has 42 complaints about the body & structure of the 2004 Nissan Altima, 15% of the model year's 276 complaints. The component named most often is body (35 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Nissan Altima body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2004 Nissan Altima, though it has 1 recall 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 2004 Nissan Altima body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 114,000 miles.
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.