Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Nissan Altima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Was driving home on a rather busy highway, had my cruise control set at 65 mph, then the cruise control just shut off, no warning indications, no alerts, just poof off. It caused my car to lose speed instantly and caused a great deal of concern for both myself and everyone around me, this is now the second time this has happened within a month. Have not had time to take it to a dealership yet going to do so next week and see if they cant figure it out.
At some point on the highway the car throttles down to less than 60 mph. Mashing the gas pedal to the floor results in nothing happening. This causes a dangerous road situation with the slower speed, but the worst part is when it suddenly begins to accelerate again, potentially hitting the car in front of you unexpectedly. No mechanic can reproduce the effect as it only takes place after driving on the highway for an hour or so.
When parked letting the car warm up constant shaking kinda a rough ideal at times. From park to reverse it shifts hard the to drive its ok I guess then on the go it's like driving a boat on land loud knocking sounds seems like the tires are flat or about to explode off the car really nerve-wracking
The CVT transmission started shifting hard a few months ago. Then about a month ago the transmission started slipping. I exited the freeway and came to a light. Turned left and was in the middle of the intersection when the car would not go. I was nervious and pushed then pumped the gas and the car would not go. Then out of the blue it took off with out my foot on the gas. I had the transmission fluid changed. Then a few weeks latter I was driving 75 (speed limit) with cruise control on then the car started loosing power, 65,60 55. I accelerated the car and it just would not go faster. I was able to stop it with the cruise at 55. With flashers on could have been killed. Started my research and found that Nissan has extended the warranty by doubling it from 5 years/60,000 to 10 years/120,000 miles. …
After buying the car in late 2019, it came to my attention that the CVT transmission was faulty. I later found that the year, model, and make of my vehicle was included in a recall of the CVT transmissions, among other saftey issues. After having the vehicle inspected by three different shops, the conclusion was made that it was indeed the CVT transmission and stepper motor causing the problems. Upon further examination, it was found that my vehicle has not had a recall replacement of the faulty parts as of yet. The car has only 96K miles on it. When the issue arises, the transmission goes into a "safe" mode. This mode creates a throttle problem as the vehicle cannot travel faster than 40 MPH without a high pitch wind up sound and a cut in power of almost 50%.
After approximately 2 hours of continuous driving the vehicle refuses to accelerate. Whatever speed you are driving at the time the issue kicks in is the maximum speed the vehicle will drive. Stopping and turning off the vehicle seems to reset the process and you can drive normally for the next 15 - 30 minutes until the problem resurfaces. Looking online indicates this a common issue for Nissan vehicles manufactured from 2007 - 2010. The issues seems to surface once the vehicles hit 80,000 miles. This is a safety hazard as in my case it prevented me from diving at the posted speed limit while on a major highway.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Nissan Altima. The contact stated the vehicle abnormally accelerated while pulling into an uphill parking spot at speeds of 5 MPH. The vehicle crashed into a large cement pillar and came to a stop. There were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to the bodyshop and repaired. The failure and current mileage were 850. Updated 06/25/10 updated 07/27/10 the consumer stated there was abnormal acceleration, due to electronic throttle control, or drive by wire. There were no codes. Updated 09/15/10
In oct 2011 car surged at stopped sign called dealer he said if happen again bring it in nov 2011 car surged again took it to dealer he could not find anything wrong in jan 2012 car surged again but this time there was a vehicle in front of me. The Nissan was completely damage in the front. The air bags did not open up. I traded the car in on a new and different company car. I was afraid to drive this any more. Gas pedal ## VIN failed ## 2010 Nissan Altima ##
When accelerating from 20mph to 40mph the rpms increase to 3rpm and the transmission hesitates to change the gear. It seems to be an issue with the TCM (transmission control module). I bought my car brand new in 2010. It has 220,000 miles on it. I did some research online and saw this us a known issue with the car. Nissan also sent out a bulletin ntb10-121b. They should recall these cars and fix the issue at their cost. Attached is the pdf of the bulletin.
After driving for extended periods in warm weather or uphill, car begins to loose power and begins to slow down on the highway. Pressing on the gas pedal does not give more power and I need to pull over and wait anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour for the car to reset itself.
Acceleration complaints in other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2010 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2010 Nissan Altima, 5% of the model year's 381 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2010 Nissan Altima acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2010 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 2010 Nissan Altima acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 97,000 miles, and 29% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to speed control & acceleration 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.