Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Nissan Altima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The clutch pedal lost pressure after idling for over thirty minutes, while in traffic, and after the engine has gotten hot and being driven for a couple of hours. The pedal will fall to the floor and you cannot switch gears. The stick shift won't even move into neutral and the car jerks really hard. It will sometimes cut off in the middle of driving if you don't reach down and pull the pedal up with your hand. This has cause me to run off the road because I could not down shift or go into neutral, I recently ended up tapping the rear of someone elses vehicle at which my daughter is still complaining her neck hurts. This is a defective part dealing with the hydraulics and is very dangerous. A lawsuit is sure to be on the way now that I have wen to several dealerships only for them to tell me nothing is wrong with the car because it won't do it for them. …
Nissan has recalled my car under recall campaign # 3213-3192, for rotted rear subframe due to north eastern north American winter climate and use of salt. Nissan replaced the subframe . The recall should and must include the front subframe also. The exact problem with rotted subframe occurred with the front subframe that supports the front wheels, steering & braking. Please investigate into Nissan reason for not extending the recall campaign for the both subframes not one for identical conditions. At the minimum , Nissan should have provided undercoating to protect the rest of the frame & submembers to this vehicle. I have already paid for the passenger side floor replacement & undercoating. It is obvious the car was not prepared for use in new england states at time of purchase.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Nissan Altima. While the vehicle was stationary, the frame became severely rusted and corroded. The contact stated that the rear suspension (crossmember) was filled with holes and the vehicle failed to pass state inspection. Freedom Nissan of south burlington (1095 shelburne road, south burlington, vermont 05403) was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided the contact with case numbers: 28264107 and 3338700. The contact referenced the manufacturer's service bulletin number: p5216 (reference number: ntb05-114c (subframe)) warranty replacement, but the vehicle was not included. The failure mileage was 145,000.
An accident happened after purchase but it has nothing to do with the problems I am having with the car ... I have problems starting car , shocks, struts, heat, shifting and removing keys from ignition .... The car was supposed to be certified pre owned and was not.
Front passenger sub frame rotted from salt used in new england winters. Car is dangerous to drive because possiblity of separation of lower control arm to sub frame mounts. Car frame was not properly coated for new england region.
I took my car for an alignment, only to be told that the rear sub-frame on my car is bent. Thus, the wheel alignment could not be completed. I was told that the cause was either a rear-end collision, damaged during transport of the vehicle to the dealership, or a manufacturers defect. I cannot say which of the latter two is the cause, but I am most certain that it is not due to the first, a rear-end collision (or any type of collision), as this vehicle has not been in any type of accident since purchased. My 2005 Nissan Altima was purchased as new in March 2005. I took the car to the Nissan dealership where I purchased the car. They have refused to look at the car without charge to me. Therefore, Nissan has not inspected my car. To add, my car is still under 36K/36 months and should be covered under the warranty. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic for routine inspection when he was advised that the undercarriage was rusted at the front. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the mechanic would perform repairs to the vehicle. The failure mileage was 166,000.
The quality of the rear suspension on the 2005 Altima is poor. The back end of the car sags a lot with only one passenger in the back seat. When I have more then one passenger in the rear, the exhaust bangs on the pavement when pulling out of my driveway or parking lots. I've noticed this on all 2005 altimas.
Both struts have been replaced the mileage was at 11743 for the right strut and left strut at 16753 miles the car still drives bad. Front of car still make noise the left bounces like a basketball when driven especially on the highway. Car pull on the left and right side. Get stuck on left turn.
New 2005 Altima 3.5 se bought August 2005 1st month I had noticed a vibration in the steering at high speeds, and the vehicle pulling/drifting from left to right. This concern makes the vehicle unsafe to drive because you do not have a sense of control when driving, in addition when driving on a highway for a long period of time the vibration in the wheel makes your hands and arms fall asleep. It is always necessary after an hour or hour and a half to pull over and give your arms/ hands a rest. The dealer addressed this concern by balancing the wheels by road force balance (corrected specs - 21lbs road force down to 7lbs) no alignment issues were noticed. After 3 tips to the dealership for the vibrations I had noticed a clunk in the front end, it ended up being a strut that needed to be replaced. …
Suspension complaints in other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2005 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the suspension of the 2005 Nissan Altima, 2% of the model year's 1,091 complaints. The component named most often is rear (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Nissan Altima suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2005 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 2005 Nissan Altima suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 38,000 miles, and 36% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to suspension 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.