Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 2004 Nissan Altima, assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its VIN to decode that exact car, its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment, alongside these records.
Open a VIN recordRecalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Nissan Altima year.
23 mpg average · 16–28 range · EPA says 23
Over 5 years this costs $2,250 more in fuel than an average new vehicle.
NHTSA frontal crash test
Rated configuration: 2004 Nissan Altima 4-DR.
NHTSA lists 5 recalls for this make, model and year. Recalls apply to the model, so some may already be fixed on this specific car. A dealer can confirm from the VIN.
Issue: CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
Campaign 06E023000
Issue: CERTAIN MAXZONE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES, DEPO BRAND, P/NOS. 315-1145L-AS AND 315-1145R-AS, SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION THE LAMP REFLECTOR SHAPE DEFORMED CHANGING THE SHAPE OF THE OPTIC SURFACE. THIS WILL CHANGE THE OPPOSITE POSITION OF LOW BEAM AND HIGH BEAM OPTICSAND CHANGE THE ANGLE OF INCIDENCE AND ILLUMATED LOCATION WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Risk: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: MAXZONE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY NONCOMPLIANT HEADLIGHTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 16, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAXZONE AT 909-822-3288.
Campaign 07E054000
Issue: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE, THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR IS AFFECTED BY TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, THESE VARIATIONS IN TEMPERATURE CAN BE LARGE ENOUGH TO CAUSE A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM THE SENSOR.
Risk: IF THE INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL FROM THE SENSOR IS SO BRIEF THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) LOGIC DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO DIAGNOSE THE CONDITION, THE ENGINE MAY STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT A LOW SPEED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ECM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 21, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 06V242000
Issue: CERTAIN ANZO AFTERMARKET HEADLIGHTS, P/N 02-AZ-NA02-B-A, SOLD FOR USE ON 2002-2004 NISSAN ALTIMA VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION THE LAMP HOUSING SHAPE DEFORMED DISTORTING THE ASSEMBLY ANGLE OF THE REFLECTOR AND INFLUENCED THE AIMING POSITION. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Risk: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT ANZO AT 909-628-1440.
Campaign 07E063000
Issue: CERTAIN EAGLE EYES HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES, P/NOS. DS517-B001L AND DS517-B001R, SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE OPTICEL SURFACE OF THE REFLECTOR IS CORRODED INHIBITING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE UPPER AND LOWER BEAMS WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM TO THE PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Risk: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: EAGLE EYES WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY NONCOMPLIANT HEADLIGHTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 11, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT EAGLE EYES AT 1-800-568-1098.
Campaign 07E074000
The parts named most often across 276 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this make, model and year.
1 fire
1 crash · 1 fire · 3 injured
6 crashes · 1 fire · 4 injured
1 crash
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so read this as where to look rather than as a defect rate.
The car has a fuel problem and crankshaft position sensor issue causing the car to die and also not start up normal idling. When I do get it to start up it idles very groggy.
The crankshaft position sensor (cps) was not responsive when the repair shop was testing the vehicle because of the "service engine soon" light came on. After a short search online they 1.) Had no signal to the cps from the pcm 2.) That there was also a voluntary recall by nissan for this issue covering this make an model. I called nissan and told me that the recall wasn't for that car but the vehicle was in fact built in the years covered and also had the exact issues the recall covered
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR THEN THE AXLE TWICE AND THE BRAKES THEN ETC
THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE IS RUSTING AWAY. THERE IS A HOLE IN THE FLOOR BOARD ON PASSENGER SIDE, FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE FROM RUST. YOU CAN FEEL AROUND THE FRAME OF THE CAR AND CHUNKS OF METAL FALL OFF . THIS WAS NOTICED DURING MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE . CAR WAS STATIONARY , I HAD NOTICED THAT I WAS GETTING AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF DUST INSIDE THE VEHICLE.
MY VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONT COLLISION AT 35MPH. THE DRIVER WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED THERE WAS NO ONE SITTING IN THAT SEAT. THE DRIVER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.
THE SOUND PACKAGING WAS PEELING ; YET TRULY THE FLOOR BOARDS ON DRIVERSIDE AND FRONT PASENGER HAVE COMPLETELY RUSTED OFF!! SO DANGEROUS! AND I HAVE HORRIBLE ALLERGIES AND THE CARPET IS FULL OF DUST AND MILDEW.
CAR WAS STALLING 2 DAYS AGO SHUT IT OFF AND DROVE AWAY JUST FINE NOT EVEN 4 HOURS LATER MY FIANCE WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME HE CAME UP AROUND A HILL /BEND ON A CITY STREET THE CAR LOCKED UP ON HIM ALONG WITH THE OIIL BRAKE AND BATTERY LIGHT THE BREAKS WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING CAR WOULDN'T STOP HE ENDED UP GOING HEAD ON INTO A TREE IN THE NEIGHBORS YARD. CAR IS COMPLETELY TOTALLED. THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION IN THE CAR SOMEWHERE AND I BELIEVE THE SECURITY OF THE CAR OR THE ECM IS WHAT LOCKED IT UP ON HIM THERE WAS NO STEERING IN THE CAR AS WELL. NO RECALLS POP UP WITH MY VIN # BUT I AM SUSPECTED TO BELIEVE THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG INTERNALLY. IT WAS AT 240,700 MILES.HE WAS EXPECTIDLY ONLY GOING 30 MILES AN HOUR BUT WITH THE PICTURES IM ATTACHING IT SEEMS LIKE THE COMPUTER TOOM OVER THE SPEED CONTROL
ENGINE STALLS DURING DRIVING. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERYDAY. CAM SHAFT SENSOR REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE BURNED TOO MUCH FUEL TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO MONTHS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME MECHANIC WHERE THE DIAGNOSTIC WAS THE SAME. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER TWO MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FORT WORTH NISSAN (3451 W LOOP 820 S, FORT WORTH, TX 76116) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION AND EXHAUST FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 214,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE EXTENDED CRANK FAILED TO SPARK THE CRANK SENSOR. WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED MIDDLETOWN NISSAN AT 860-632-6550 (LOCATED AT 1153 NEWFIELD ST, MIDDLETOWN, CT 06457) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V242000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 192,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REPLACED THE MANIFOLD, OXYGEN SENSOR, AND A COMPUTER CHIP; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURERS WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,361.
I RECENTLY HAD MY CAR SERVICED AND WAS TOLD MY FLOOR PANEL HAD ROTTED THROUGH. THE CAR IS A 2004 BUT HAS LESS THAN 44,000 MILES, HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND HAS BEEN GARAGED PART OF THE TIME.ARTICLES ON THE INTERNET SHOW IT IS A MASSIVE PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS DUE TO POOR DRAINAGE DESIGN. THE REPAIR IS OVER $2000. OTHERWISE THE CAR IS IN GOOD SHAPE. THIS IS JUST ONE OF 1000'S OF REPORTS TO THE NHTSA ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.
Showing 12 of 276 complaints.