Traction Control complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5 | 2% | 14,000 miles |
| 2018 | 11 | 5% | 46,000 miles |
| 2017 | 3 | 1% | 43,000 miles |
| 2016 | 6 | 1% | 78,000 miles |
| 2015 | 7 | 1% | 33,000 miles |
| 2014 | 12 | 1% | 40,000 miles |
| 2013 | 32 | 1% | 77,000 miles |
| 2012 | 7 | 2% | 128,000 miles |
| 2011 | 7 | 3% | 128,000 miles |
| 2010 | 7 | 2% | 42,000 miles |
| 2009 | 26 | 2% | 80,000 miles |
| 2008 | 8 | 1% | 184,000 miles |
| 2007 | 5 | 1% | 103,000 miles |
| 2006 | 21 | 3% | 98,000 miles |
| 2005 | 18 | 2% | 114,000 miles |
| 2004 | 4 | 1% | 85,000 miles |
| 2003 | 5 | 1% | 81,000 miles |
| 2002 | 9 | 1% | 90,000 miles |
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My vehicle was in motion on a city street. I went to make a turn because of a curve and my steering wheel and brake would not work. My emergency brake system (which is suppose to stop my vehicle before impact, did not deploy. I ran straight into a stone wall and fence. I received a recall letter in the mail about the back sensor, but my sensors were working up until my accident. My vehicle was deemed totalled. It was not raining, I was not speeding, and when the police came out to do an investigation, they could only determine that it was a mechanical problem. Why did the sensor not work? Why didn't my cars emergency brake system not work? Now I'm having to get a new vehicle without even knowing why the safety systems put in place did not deploy. Thank god my son was not in the car and no one else was injured.
Adaptive cruise control and automatic braking are disabled due to "front radar blocked". This is a brand new vehicle I have had for about two weeks (less than 1,000 miles). After doing some internet research, this appears to be a known issue with Nissan vehicles since 2018. I believe my vehicle was manufactured in late 2018. The issue was first noticed while driving with the cruise control engaged and I kept getting closer to the vehicle ahead of me without my vehicle automatically slowing down (I.e., the car maintained the cruise control set speed.) after manually braking and resetting the cruise control, the cruise control would eventually shut off and the attached message would be displayed. Prior to the issue being observed (approx. First 500 miles driven), the adaptive cruise control and automatic braking worked fine.
While driving a sensor light appears and reads obstruction unavailable and stays for several minutes before turning off this happens at least 5 to 6 times a week. Another problem im having is a knocking sound under driver feet while driving and turning I took it in to have it checked and the technician drove it heard the sound kept the car a whole day but said he couldn't find anything wrong but clearly there is a problem if he and I hear can hear the noise. When I picked the car up it still makes the same sound and I'm afraid while driving something May happen to the wheels. It sounds to me like this is a rotor problem. I've taken the car in twice regarding this same problem and it has not been fixed. …
2018 Nissan Altima sl while driving in rain the message 'front radar unavailable due to obstruction,' appears. Vehicle begins to shake and the back brakes engage without touching them. Vehicle tries to hydroplane. Vehicle slows to approx 35 or 40 miles per hour. It feels like the back passengers wheel is locked up. I have owned this vehicle for 7 months. The AEB sensor has been replaced. This problem has happened 3 times since the replacement. Always while driving in the rain.
My 2017 Nissan Altima that currently has 35,000 simply lost all power. I couldn't use the fob key to open the door, there were no lights, no radio, nothing. Because it is still under manufacturer warranty, I had it towed to the dealership and left it with them for two days for them to figure out what's wrong. They weren't able to specifically identify what was wrong. The car eventually started once they hooked it up to the diagnostic computer. The lights came on and the car alarm was activated. The mechanics were totally dumbfounded by the events. They couldn't tell me what was the reason for the car losing all power. Two days leading up to the car losing all power, I noticed that while driving at a speed that is with the flow of traffic, if for whatever reason I have to slow or come to a complete stop, the car shutters. It felt as if the car was about lose power and shutdown. …
The front emergency braking (feb) warning light comes on and off randomly while driving. The warning states, " front radar unavailable due to obstruction". This has occurred while driving on city streets, short and long distance driving, as well as on the highway and while turning. This was especially concerning when it happened while making a turn. The warning went off in the middle of making a turn and it was disorienting as it was completely unexpected.. This warning now goes off randomly on a daily basis and I just bought the car 2 weeks ago.
Within I month prior to my accident I had tire problems. I replaced the 4 tires.approx. 3 prior to the accident I had fuel and electrical problems. The parts were replaced. Approx. 1 week prior to the accident I had front brakes replaced .esurance has my vehicle policy # [redacted]claim#[redacted]
Nov 2017, Altima had 18,173 miles, not one year old and the check engine light came on while drive it. Took it to dealer in san diego, diagnosis was a p0101 code (mass air flow sensor/orange pcv valve). Then at 20,598 miles, I saw my life flash before my eyes. I was driving on interstate 5 in southern california doing 72 MPH with a truck behind me and all of a sudden the Altima will not accelerate! Meanwhile the RPM's are jumping up and down. Again the dealer said it was code p0101, replaced the pcv valve again. Next at 20,833 miles the check engine light came back on. Dealer informed me there was carbon build up in the throttle body and found code p0101 as well. At that point the dealer replaced the throttle body with a new one. At 24,095, the dealer stated both shocks were leaking. Both shocks were removed and replaced. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Altima years have traction control problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2013 (32), 2009 (26), 2006 (21), 2005 (18) and 2014 (12) model years. Traction Control complaints make up 1% of all complaints for the 2013.
Is there a recall for Nissan Altima traction control problems?
No. NHTSA lists no stability & traction control recall for any Nissan Altima model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Nissan Altima traction control problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles; 37% happened 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.