Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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 cars battery and brake lights came on while driving and then after about 10 mins my gas pedal stopped working and I almost got in a really bad car accident. If i rev the car over 3000 rpms the lights go out. So while i was cruising i had to shift to natural and rev the car and shift back to drive when i needed to go faster. I brought the car to the mechanic got a new alternator and battery. When driving it home after picking it up the same thing happened after about ten mins. When the mechanic got it back he said the alternator was dead it was only putting out 3.5 volts. He figured maybe he got a defective alternator so he replaced it again with another battery. Same thing happened for the 3rd time. He said he couldn't figure it out and recommend me to bring it to the dealership. So I did and just for them to look at your car is 150 walking in the door. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Nissan Altima. While attempting to shift the vehicle from park into drive, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brake pedal was stiff. The contact stated that the vehicle had been purchased and delivered to her residence by an unknown dealer. The dealer was informed of the failure and the mechanic was able to replace the rear passenger side caliper at the contact's residence. Additionally, while driving 25 MPH, smoke emitted from the front driver's side wheel. The contact was informed that the brake rotor and caliper needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. Neither a dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the recent failure. The approximate failure mileage was 154,000. Consumer stated police informed the consumer the vehicle was not inspected.
What is the deal with this engine? This car has less that 120K miles. It seems I get a lot of interference when I'm driving it. The car will randomly force speed causing me to swerve on the highway. When my phone is plugged in it seems to misfire and check engine lights come on. H2o sensors come on, cache files about the fuel system lands on my phone. Samsung has submitted tests on my spen that are affecting my safety. Fcc id a3lejpn970 fcc id a3lsmn970u. I have had several car accidents since buying samsung phones. The cars will increase speed as if I am ready to run into a brick wall. This car doesn't have a lot of mileage but something is going on with the timing and engine. I can be in motion or stationary, it is constantly affecting the fuel system.
I was backing into a space in a garage and the car just speed backwards on its own at high speed. The car was totaled. This is the second time this happened where the car seemed to go on its own. Last year it went forward and I could not stop it right away. This happened in the same garage. Luckily it finally stopped and I did not hit another car.
Car shuddered and RPM dropped and then came back up to current RPM level. Came to stop light and vehicle was then put into limp mode. Would not accelerate and RPM's would not go over 2000. Pulled over and turned car off. Restarted car and began to try and drive it again. Service engine light came on and vehicle would not shift gears. Tried to manually shift the automatic trans and it would hit hard upon gear shifts but was able to make it home the remaining few miles.. Brought vehicle in to a mechanics shop the next morning and the codes indicate cam position sensor failures. I see numerous complaints and a recall for this under r2022 but of course my vehicle is not listed. This appears to be a common problem and all vehicles should be included in this recall as it is completely dangerous issue that comes out of nowhere while driving the vehicle. …
An existing recall on this vehicle should include the 3.5l engine as well as camshaft/crankshaft and TCM. All cause similar life-threatening symptoms while driving the vehicle suddenly powers completely off briefly losing all power to lights etc, decelerate rapidly and you lose steering control and speed control. Vehicles come up on you quickly at night and even if you get the vehicle restarted you have no power in transmission and merely limp on at an idle speed. Very very dangerous. Why it wasn't included in the original 2007 recall is Nissan trying to save a buck. They used the same mfg & same parts as in the 2.5l. They knowingly withheld it from being included. I also contacted them about the TCM. Keep in mind the were biting their nails after being presented with a class action suite regarding the defective TCM. Luckily for them it was dismissed temporarily. …
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 used parts in the timing chain system which prematurely fail and will not cover the repair after warranty. The issue was not able to be discovered until it had already failed and in this case, is not a repair the owner can perform on their own. Certain mechanics have even chose not to perform this repair and the ones which are able to, charge in the $2000+ range. When contacting Nissan about this issue, they were aware of this problem but had said it would have to have been repaired while under warranty. Once the timing is effected, the engine and drive train seem to have dropped in performance in which I have very sluggish acceleration and cannot ready speeds over 30 MPH. There is no way I was able to even check if the timing chain system had signs of going bad, and if there was a recall, this issue could have been avoided for myself and others. …
Takata recall. I bought my car exactly 11 months ago on February 2015. I first noticed when I bought my car that it jerked when putting it in drive and reverse, I talked to the dealership and the salesman convinced me it is nothing. It got worse over time. I finally took the car to a transmission shop who said motor mounts need replacing. I then found a Nissan thread about the defective transmission and automatically was able to see that my car is doing 90% of the issues listed. It now jerks when I put in drive, reverse, when I'm coming to a stop, when I push the break, and when I exceed more then 60 MPH it jerks. After reading tons of threads about this problem it seems to be very common amongst the Nissan Altima 05s. …
Last year, I noticed my service engine light had appeared. I had the code checked and it was the crank shaft sensor. I had this part replaced and it drove fine for a while. About two months ago, this light came back on and the sensor had gone bad again. This causes my car so drive very sluggish and go dead when driving at a low rate of speed. I did some research and saw where Nissan had a recall campaign for this part on the same year/make/model of my car. I contacted them and they said my car wasn't covered under their recall and they refuse to help me. This is the 2nd time this has gone bad. I think my car should be covered as well. They told me to report this issue to NHTSA.
Transmission complaints in other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2005 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA has 115 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2005 Nissan Altima, 11% of the model year's 1,091 complaints. The component named most often is manual transmission (27 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Nissan Altima transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 66,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.