Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Nissan Altima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the message "Engine Malfunction" was displayed, and the check engine, traction control, and Forward Collision Avoidance warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the mass air flow sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred days later. The vehicle was then taken to an independent machinic where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The contact stated that the battery was replaced three additional times by several independent mechanics; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
Vehicle caught on fire while inside home @ 4:00am cst. Fire department and police department were at the scene as well. Fire department was forced to pry open the trunk to stop fire from spreading. Police gave police report at the scene due to the incident. State Farm is involved as well as the investigation team currently. State Farm insurance informed me to provide this information.
The CVT issue remains with this car even though I have complained. The car will randomly de accelerate and randomly accelerate which has cause minor fender bender. The car continue to studer and jerk and continues to show since of transmission issues. These cars need to be recalled before someone is seriously injured from the known CVT issues.
Driving on the freeway car started losing power, pulled over and then caught fire in matter of minutes the whole car was engulfed in flames. Fire department said it was an electrical fire near the battery and the fire wall on the driver side.
I am writing to request immediate assistance regarding the recall inspection for my 2020 Nissan Altima Platinum. Last week I received a letter notifying me of an open recall and instructing me to have my vehicle inspected. I brought my car to my local Nissan dealership on Saturday. During the inspection, I was told that metal debris was found in the engine and that the vehicle would need a full engine replacement. I was asked to leave the car at the dealership and was told I would receive a loaner vehicle on Monday. After waiting all day today for an update, I was informed that Nissan declined the engine replacement because the debris found did not "qualify" under the recall. I was told the dealership would clear the debris out of the engine and that I could pick up the car tomorrow. I am very concerned about this decision. …
I received a Recall # R25B1 for my Nissan Altima 2020. I visited my local Nissan Dealer in Chelmsford, MA, on December 30, 2025. They explained that they saw an issue and that I would need a new engine. There are 32,000 miles on this vehicle. They began the process but were then told by Nissan Corporate that it did not meet the requirements of the recall, and they would not be replacing it. I am in the process of heading on a long driving trip and am very concerned with how this was handled. Nissan Customer Relations explained it wasn't covered under warranty, which has nothing to do with a recall. I am very frustrated and disappointed in Nissan. The mechanics at Nissan in Chelmsford took photos and sent them to Nissan, and they still denied it. With the car only having 32000 miles on it, it was probably if anything at the beginning of the failure. Please advise on going forward.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the expressway. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the engine started knocking significantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to slowly pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was later driven to the dealer, where it was test-driven. The dealer informed the contact that there was smoke coming from the vehicle, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V437000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Engine Malfunction" was displayed. Additionally, the vehicle experienced excessive coolant consumption and the engine overheated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the thermostat was replaced; however, the failure recurred and worsened. The vehicle was returned to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a cooling system and head gasket failure. The dealer was contacted and provided with the diagnostic trouble codes, and the dealer recommended an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired and remained parked at the residence for two months. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Vehicle goes into limp mode (shows all engine warring signs flashing ) and my speed goes down to 5-15 miles. This happens instantly and my car will jerk and basically stop where it is at. This is happening when the temp. is below 0 and it is snowing. There is no warring or time to get out of the way of traffic and on the hwy cars are coming up on you. Someone can hit you from behind instantly when this happens. My vehicle has been towed twice to the dealer and i have filed 3 complaints with NIssan consumer care but this is not resolved. All they can do is reset the computer each time. The dealer tells me this is happening all the time but they can not get it do duplicate when they have it . I have 18K miles and this has happened 3 times in total.
I was driving the car at about 70 mph on the expressway and it just randomly de-accelerated dripping from 70-34 mph and would not allow me to accelerate and then proceeded to shut down stating engine stall I almost got hit from the back when the car de-accelerated and couldn't do anything about it after about 10-15 seconds I pressed the gas again and it took off abruptly. I'm scared to drive my car anywhere that I'll get hit if my car de-accelerates again. Nissan can't replicate the issue to come up with a conclusion.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Hard parts internal/mechanical
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. The engine bearings may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine failure.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or Infiniti's customer service at…
NHTSA investigations
Complete loss of motive power due to engine failure
On December 13, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-023 to investigate allegations of engine failures leading to loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue; MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; and MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50 vehicles.
Engine complaints in other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2020 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2020 Nissan Altima, 24% of the model year's 160 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2020 Nissan Altima engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 25V-437 (hard parts internal/mechanical, Jun 27, 2025). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2020 Nissan Altima engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 15,000 miles, and 75% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 0 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.