Most common 2016 Nissan Altima problems
Share of the 554 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Altima complaints by model year
Best Altima years: 2022, 2025, 2023. Years to avoid: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2009, 2002. Compare all years →
2016 Nissan Altima recalls (4)
Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an Owner's Manual addendum card with instructions on how to…
Structure › Emergency › Escape/egress/exit
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles, previously remedied under recall number 17V-040. The door latch-lock cable may not have been routed properly in the rear door when the remedy was applied.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will secure the latch-lock cables in the correct position using the new remedy procedure, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles. The rear door latch/lock cable on the vehicles may have been improperly routed. As a result, lowering a rear window may inadvertently cause that door to unlatch and open.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will correct the rear door latch/lock cable routing, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City…
Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano,…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2016 Nissan Altima:
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
PE18-013 was opened on December 1, 2018, with 4 complaints to ODI alleging incidents of the lower control arm fracturing at a connection point to the vehicle chassis due to corrosion. ODI has received an additional 87 complaints since the PE was opened. During PE18-013, Nissan indicated model years 2013-2018 shared a common rear lower control arm design.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
On July 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened EA19002 to investigate instances of alleged rear lower control arm failures in 2013-2018 Nissan Altima and 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima vehicles. At the time the investigation was opened ODI had 91 consumer complaints alleging rear lower control arm failures in the subject vehicles.ODI was concerned about these complaints because many of them alleged an…
What 2016 Nissan Altima owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 235 →
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where the transmission was replaced. However, the failure reoccurred two years later. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the RPM revved up however, the vehicle lost motive power and started jerking while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that upon depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle remained stuck in first gear. The contact was able to drive to her residence at a slower speed while still experiencing the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the gear shifter failed to shift into the intended gear and often failed to shift into any gear, which is an overt and considerable safety issue. The contact had to insert a pen into the gear shifter to correct the failure; however, this work-around was often not successful and the car was not able to be driven safely. The vehicle was repaired to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the gear shifter needed to be repaired by the independent mechanic at a cost totaling $1,158.75. The contact incurred the entire cost out-of-pocket, with zero reimbursement from insurance or the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was unavailable. The contact has stated that the work-around for the gear shifter often did not work resulting in the vehicle being undriveable. …
Engine & cooling all 86 →
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the hood unlatched, opened, and struck the windshield. The contact stated that the windshield was cracked and was partially broken with shattered pieces falling off. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned the vehicle off. The contact stated upon attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact's friends arrived at the scene and assisted the contact in jumpstarting the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the hood was severely bent and would not properly close. The vehicle was then taken to the contact's residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. A case was opened. …
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and the RPM's revved up and the vehicle started shuddering. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated upon restarting the vehicle, the accelerator pedal was depressed and went all the way to the floorboard; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle two more times. The failure persisted but the contact was able to continue driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the mass airflow sensor and intake manifold were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact referenced Nissan Technical Service Bulletin Number: NTB16-121a. …
Air bags all 71 →
As we were getting the highway the breaks had failed and then we some were able to get off the highway but the steering wheel cruise control decided it was gonna work by itself it was a very accident. And not only that my identity has been affected so bad because of the situation with mission and the dealership that I'm unable to use my name for anything anymore my credits ruined and now they want 18 grand for me to pay off the vehicle that's they purposely made the car look like a rebuild so it was no longer covered I guess because the person set up the insurance with Geico and actually some how have me insurance in my father dl number and later on start changing stuff removing the insurance forging documents My name is [redacted] Email is [redacted]
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag sensor light illuminated and remained illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer who inspected the vehicle but was unable to duplicate the failure. The dealer cleared and reset the air bag sensor however, after several months the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was informed that the air bag sensor needed to be replaced; however, due to the cost for the repair the vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,547.
2016 Nissan Altima engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 27 / 39 / 31 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | CVT | FWD | 22 / 31 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Nissan Altima a good car?
Based on 554 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Altima rates average: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Altima at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Nissan Altima?
The transmission & drivetrain — 235 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (86) and air bags (71).
How many recalls does the 2016 Nissan Altima have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2016 Nissan Altima, the most recent from May 28, 2020 (latch). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Altima?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2022, 2025 and 2023. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2009 and 2002. See the full Nissan Altima years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 Nissan Altima problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 58,000 miles; 40% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.