Most common 2018 Nissan Altima problems
Share of the 226 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 →
2018 Nissan Altima recalls (2)
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…
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2018 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…
Hertz/Vehicles Rented with Open Recalls
NHTSA is opening this audit query to investigate whether The Hertz Corporation (Hertz) has complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Safety Act). The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a rental company shall not rent a vehicle subject to a safety recall unless the recall remedy has been performed. 49 U.S.C.
What 2018 Nissan Altima owners say
Brakes all 49 →
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to start the vehicle, but the vehicle would not start. The contact pressed the start button and depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to start-up. After multiple attempts the vehicle eventually started however, the failure recurred several times. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the failure as a faulty brake sensor. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 36,000.
The problem of delayed acceleration. The problem occurs when the vehicle does not seem to accelerate for a short period of time. When I'm at a stop. and I depresses the pedal. The vehicle does not rev. It does not do anything for a few seconds. Even with increased force on the pedal, the vehicle does not move. The second concern is that, once it does move, it does so significantly with a jolt. This means that, after a few seconds of not functioning, the vehicle will suddenly accelerate quickly. This can create an increased risk of an accident.
Electrical system all 37 →
Brake light switch went out 3 months after getting car. Car would not start then after it started it would not go in gear nor would the brake lights turn on dealership repaired it. The Brake light switch went out again one year later while driving causing my brake lights not to turn on resulting in me getting rear ended after. After I replaced the switch for the second time. It lasted maybe a year and a half or so and went out again leaving me stranded having to get a tow truck to bring car home and had to replace it a third time. I've had this car less than 5 years and I really believe it needs further review of the switch due to the safety risk it causes
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. The contact stated upon entering the vehicle, the ignition switch failed to operate as designed. The contact was unable to start the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with the brake pedal switch needing to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and informed the contact that they would escalate the claim. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The VIN was not available.
Air bags all 36 →
I was rear-ended in my car while at a red light. The car hit me 35 mph plus., Pushing me into the Tahoe in front of me. My shoulder strap driver side DID NOT restrain me and NONE of the air bags deployed. I flew forward towards the steering wheel and dash. Do to me being very short I didn't get hurt, just stiff neck, shoulders. The collision company who did my work stated that the seatbelt should have restrained me and at least 1 airbag should have deployed. I contacted Nissan and I was told that the air bags and seatbelts are only suppose to work in a roll over to prevent from being thrown from the vehicle and that the airbags and seatbelts are working properly. Nissan never offered to check to make sure that the safety components are working properly. There were no warning lights on before or after the accident. Over $10,000 worth of damage was done.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the passenger's side air bag warning light was turned off, and the contact was informed that the front passenger's side air bag was adjusted; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,000.
2018 Nissan Altima engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 27 / 38 / 31 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | CVT | FWD | 22 / 32 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Nissan Altima a good car?
Based on 226 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Altima rates average: 37% fewer complaints than 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 2018 Nissan Altima?
The brakes — 49 complaints, 22% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock › wheel speed sensor. Next are the electrical system (37) and air bags (36).
How many recalls does the 2018 Nissan Altima have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2018 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 2018 Nissan Altima problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 36,000 miles; 77% 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.