Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Nissan Altima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and after turning on the air conditioner, the vehicle intermittently stalled with no warning lights illuminated. The contact then stated that while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the check engine light was illuminated as the vehicle was stalling. The contact stated that despite depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate and then lost motive power. The contact managed to pull over and after successfully restarting the vehicle, the check engine light remained illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or a local dealer for diagnosis or repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
I was driving on the freeway with my 6yr & 11yr daughters when my car stop accelerating and started to slow down I'll hit the gas pedal and the RPMS will go up but the car wouldn't advance ! I had to get off the freeway before the car completely stopped in the middle of the freeway as the velocity of the vehicle was getting slower and slower ! Take in mind I try to do this as safe as possible but my car was in the far end of the emergency lane I almost got rear ended my kids were crying scare ! I turn off the car once to the side of the freeway check the hood and nothing out of the ordinary. Turn the car back on and it was driving normal ! On the next day that's when the check engine light turn on ! Took it to the dealer and they told me I need a complete new transmission!
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine and traction control warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the battery terminal connector was too small for the battery. A connector was added. The contact called another dealer, King Windward Nissan (45-568 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96544) and was informed that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the failure was due to the transmission. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond while the engine was running. The contact stated that the vehicle responded and returned to normal functionality after depressing the accelerator pedal several times. The contact stated that the failure was more evident while driving in cold weather. No warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 73 MPH, the RPM began to raise and lower quickly. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park on the right side of the road and turned off the ignition. The contact stated he waited around 10 minutes before restarting the vehicle but continued to experience the failure while driving to his residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
The transmission has went out twice on this car within 2 1/2 years. I don't drive it excessively. It is dangerous and a major safety issue for me to drive my car especially with children in it. I can be at a red light and on the highway etc. it's very slow to accelerate that can cause an accident and other things, at the red light it takes a long time to start moving, it's very sluggish. It drives very slowly on highways like 20 mph and on the road. It will start off slow and then accelerate and go super fast, that really scares me. It jerks really bad and everything that causes me to have anxiety attacks, IBS etc. Its getting worst everyday. It's a major safety hazard on the road especially for my children. My son is scared, panics and cry's as well in the car because how it's driving. I have a baby and an 8 year old. I'm disabled as well as my son. …
After some driving specially in hot temperature or after long distances, the engine becomes nonresponsive. Particularly when it comes to a complete stop, there is a delay between pushing the gas pedal and when the car starts to move. The delay can be as long as few seconds. This problem does not happen all the time but happens quite often in hot weather and long driving. It is very dangerous. In one occasion I was trying to make a left turn against the coming traffic, I had to make a short break for a pedestrian and then my car did not move and a fast coming traffic almost hit my car as I could not move fast enough due to the transmission delay. I took it to Nissan dealership last year. They did some minor work and it was fixed for a while but the issue is back again. …
I believe The failure that i'm experiencing is with the vehicle's transmission. The car stalls or refuses to shift gears, has trouble accelerating, and when the car is trying to accelerating the car makes an unfamiliar noise which is quiet loud and noticeable and sometimes shake or full on just pushes forward randomly. I believe the safety for mine and others can be at risk at times because they would be times where the car will not accelerate, even when your foot is pushed all the way on the pedal and as a result the car begins to slow down. This is can be risk depending on where you're driving for an example if you're on the highway or a congested area going at a specified speed. …
Engine complaints in other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2016 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA has 86 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2016 Nissan Altima, 16% of the model year's 554 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2016 Nissan Altima engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2016 Nissan Altima, though it has 4 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 2016 Nissan Altima engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 53,000 miles, and 16% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to engine & cooling 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.