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 2011 Nissan Altima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact's granddaughter owns a 2011 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while a granddaughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction, followed by an abnormal sound while turning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where diagnosis revealed rack and pinion, power steering pressure sensor, and steering gearbox failures, requiring replacement. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated, the horn failed to function as intended, and power steering fluid was leaking. The vehicle was taken to an alternate independent mechanic, where diagnosis confirmed a broken air bag clock spring damaged during the initial repair. The vehicle was returned to the initial independent mechanic, who stated the replacement rack and pinion was defective. …
No incident, but I am prevent one from happening. My C.V.T. Transmission is winning in 1st gear, CVT stands for {continuously variable transmission}. I need to let up on the gas pedal each time it's supposed to shift.. Even if you don't know much about how a transmission works, you have probably heard of the manual and the automatic. The CVT is the newest type of a transmission. It is sometimes referred to as the shiftless transmission and is a type of automatic, a steady RPM constant even if the vehicle is accelerating rapidly in a passing scenario, for example, the CVT knows the optimal engine speed is pretty high (typically around 5,000 RPM or less on the tachometer), so it shifts you up there as soon as you put the gas petal down...In a passing scenario, for example, the CVT knows the optimal engine speed is pretty high (typically around 5,000 or less RPM's on the tachometer), so it …
I was driving in early n all of a sudden car started slowing down n there's other cars n I have my kids in car was very scary I started praying n calling on Jesus N car slowly started taking off again I just bought used car I'm very worried I hope someone reads this and calls me I never experienced this .
I am sending this email concerning a recall that is affecting my vehicle. I dropped the car off as scheduled on 10-10-22. The initial adviser I spoke with in scheduling the appointment at the Darcars Nissan dealership on Indianola drive in Rockville confirmed the recall repair would be done in a day. However, after dropping the vehicle off, I was informed the repairs would be done in more than a day. Even though they intend to provide the loaner vehicle for a day. Since the repairs will be more than a day, I, as the victim/customer, will be responsible for paying for any extra day of rental for the vehicle while the vehicle is being on recall repaired. I then rejected the assumptive proposal of being responsible for paying for rentals if the repairs take more than a day, which was different from what I was initially told. …
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Engine Control Module (ECM) is malfunctioning, triggering persistent P0101 codes related to the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor. This specific issue is addressed in Nissan Technical Service Bulletin DE97AA, which recommends an ECM reprogramming. The component is still installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? When the vehicle is at a complete stop and I attempt to accelerate, it becomes jumpy and unresponsive, refusing to accelerate properly. This creates a serious safety hazard, especially when trying to merge into traffic or cross intersections, as I am unable to match the speed of other vehicles. This increases the risk of being rear-ended or causing an accident due to unexpectedly slow acceleration. …
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Engine Control Module (ECM) is malfunctioning, triggering persistent P0101 codes related to the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor. This specific issue is addressed in Nissan Technical Service Bulletin DE97AA, which recommends an ECM reprogramming. The component is still installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? When the vehicle is at a complete stop and I attempt to accelerate, it becomes jumpy and unresponsive, refusing to accelerate properly. This creates a serious safety hazard, especially when trying to merge into traffic or cross intersections, as I am unable to match the speed of other vehicles. This increases the risk of being rear-ended or causing an accident due to unexpectedly slow acceleration. …
This is an incident that has occurred multiple times, most recently on 2/23/15. Car would not start in colder weather. Replaced battery in January of 2014 fine for awhile. Happened again in December 2014. Got jump start and took to repair shop. Could not find anything wrong with it. Started fine for shop. January 2015, incident occurred again where car would not start. Brought back to repair shop, said I had a faulty battery. Battery replaced. February 2015, less than 3 weeks after new battery put in, car starts fine. Stopped for gas not even 2 minutes later. Trying to start car after filling up, car will not start. Steering wheel is in locked position, brakes are locked up, red light flashing as on dash as if there is no key in the car. Locks were not responsive to either manual button on door nor with key fob. Ignition would not even come close to turning over. …
I have a Nissan Altima (2011) and my sister has a Nissan murano (2013?). Both cars remain running when the "Smart key" is removed. My car beeps 3 times if I get out with the key when it is running, but not much notification. I have not had a problem yet, but my sister, in her 80's, has left her car running for hours frequently since she bought the murano (at least 5 times). We both keep our cars in a closed in basement and if left running could be deadly. Our bedrooms are directly over the garage. It seems like a simple timer could be used to turn the car off if the key is removed for more than 5 minutes. An over ride could be put on the option if the owner wants it to run longer for winter warm-ups or whatever. The sooner the auto complex fixes this the fewer recalls in the future. I really worry about my sister and others not as tech savvy or maybe with memory/attention issues. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Nissan Altima. After the brake pedal was depressed and the push start was pressed, the brakes seized and there was no engine power. All the warning indicators illuminated when the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that a software update was needed. The software was updated, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was brought back to the dealer on two separate occasions when the failure recurred; however, the technicians could not duplicate the issue. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was approximately 35,998. Updated 10/06/16
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the headlights shut off independently. The contact crashed into a pole because he was unable to see while trying to pull over and park the vehicle. There were no injuries. The vehicle later could not be shut off using the push-to-start button. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, who t reprogrammed the body control module. The failure mileage was 23,000.
Electrical complaints in other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2011 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA has 32 complaints about the electrical system of the 2011 Nissan Altima, 13% of the model year's 242 complaints. The component named most often is horn (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Nissan Altima electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2011 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 2011 Nissan Altima electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 35,000 miles, and 40% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 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.