Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
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).
Inspection is available, but note that car is in very poor shape and melted. All persons in the vehicle at the time of the incident were in extreme danger as the car showed no warning signed in the engine heat or check lights in the dashboard before the engine sputtered and slowed, the electrical sparked, and the whole front of the car caught on fire. The fire spread on a matter of 10 minutes and burst the windshield and front tires from the flames. Police inspected the remains of the vehicle and were unable to discover the source outside of the leaking oil still on fire by the electrical unit. Claim has been reported to insurance provider for their review.
Yes, while driving down Atlanta Highway I was going around 55 mph then all of a sudden saw smoke was coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle. When I pulled over Flames was coming from the front right side and spread it to the center of the front hood, then spread it to the front seat and passenger side seat of the vehicle. I didn't call 911 and fire services responded and put the fire out. According to the Montgomery Police Department, Delano police support Center vehicle was not involved in any type of car accident.
I have three issues with this car. The dash has melted, so much so I could not see out the windshield if the sun was out. The glare on the dash was blinding. I called Nissan and spoke to agent 'shelly', ID #7312915, case # 32725497 in September 2018. I took it to one Nissan dealership and they said not a manufacturing defect, but gave me a quote of $3500 to repair. Took to another Nissan dealership and they gave me another quote for a repair using a dash from the junk yard for 1/2 the price. I gave up and finally purchased a dash cover in August 2019 for around $300 from carparts.com and installed it myself. Very much a driving/safety concern! The sunroof leaks if more than a sprinkle. The back floor board stand in 3" of water. I have to take it to the dealership to have the headliner ripped out to clean the waterline from sunroof to outside (rear wheel well). …
This vehicle has a major electrical issue. A long time ago, I used to use my keyfob to open doors remotely and used the push start button to get the car running. I can no longer do this. when I couldn't do this any longer, went through several mechanics. They could not fix this problem. Finally, they had to use a bypass method where now I have to use a different way to start the car. The mechanic had to install a push bypass button. This is how I can only start the car now. 1. I depress the brake paddle 2. Insert the keyfob in a hole (located at the bottom the left side of the steering wheel) 3. Press the start button 4. Then hit this bypass button I don't know if anybody is having this issue but this has become a nuisance for me.
Batteries continue to go dead, have had at least 8 batteries since 2012. Nissan started charging me for batteries got too be expensive & told them this is a huge concern because I travel alone & if I get stranded this is unsafe for me. Gave me all kinds of excuses as to why batteries are going dead. Again, my car is in the driveway with a dead battery. Thank goodness I wasn't travelling, stopped at a rest area & came out to a dead battery. I have to pull my backup for the mileage reference first time I had a dead battery. I can't upload any information because of not enough memory, but I do have all backup.
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.
I am having problems with my ECU malfunctioning which is causing my catalytic converter my exhaust manifold and my O2 sensors to malfunction. I'm having all the same issues as the recall campaign reference number NTB 12-040 d
THERE ARE two ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. FIRST, THE COST TO REPLACE A HEADLIGHT BULB IF ONE GOES OUT IS VERY HIGH (I PAID WELL OVER A HUNDRED DOLLARS), AND THUS MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT BEABLE TO REPLACE THE LIGHT, WHICH I BELIEVE IS A SAFETY ISSUE. Second, this vehicle does NOT have the means to start it with a real key. It ONLY starts with the key fob. Thus, in the event that something happens to the key fob, like if it breaks or if the battery goes dead, the vehicle cannot be started. I believe this would cause a safety issue, in the event that a driver should be stuck on the side of the road, especially in bad weather, and cannot start the vehicle to move out of the way of any traffic or other dangers. I did question the manufacturer about this issue which is the most important to me, and they were VERY uncooperative. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Nissan Altima. While stationary, the vehicle failed to switch out of park without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to be moved after being restarted several times. In addition, the door locks failed to engage until the vehicle reached 15 MPH. The contact also stated that the key fob activated by itself on numerous occasions and caused the doors to unlock and the power windows to roll down without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.
On 9/10/17 about noon while driving on the highway, the brake light on the dash board came on, pulled to the side of the road. While looking for service phone number, smelled something burning, exited the car, and almost immediately the engine compartment and then the car was engulfed in flames.
Electrical complaints in other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2010 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA has 74 complaints about the electrical system of the 2010 Nissan Altima, 19% of the model year's 381 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Nissan Altima electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system 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 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 47,000 miles, and 27% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 4 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system 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.