2006 Nissan Altima Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,043 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2006 Nissan Altima, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 40/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 85,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2006 sits among all Altima years
What owners report
“Service engine light came on and we had the vehicle tested to see why? I was informed there was a problem with the crank sensor? This is the 2nd time this vehicle has had this problem. We had the sensor replaced 09/22/2015 due to engine shutting off unexpectedly and we lost power steering and…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Altima
“Floorboards rusted through.04/15/2017. Found this out when car was in for service.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Altima
“Floor panel on driver and passenger have completely rusted through. I'm concerned for my son's safety as well as mine.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Altima
“The crankshaft or camshaft sensor has went out which causes it to stall or immediately die, which is a safety hazard yes the check engine light was on”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Altima
“Vehicle is violently shifting into second gear. Transmission is starting to fail. Vehicle has only 91,000 miles.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Altima
“Takata recall i was in a an accident as a passenger, we struck a tree head on and the passenger side airbag failed to deploy i was partially ejected through the windshield and suffered life threatening injuries as result.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2006 Altima
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 761 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 93,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 60,000 and 122,649 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR CAN OVERHEAT CAUSING A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM THE SENSOR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ECM FREE OF CHARGE. CERTAIN MY 2006 ALTIMAS WHICH HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY REMEDIED UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN 06V223 (NISSAN R0606) ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL SINCE THE…
CERTAIN TYC HALOGEN TYPE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES P/N 20-6644-00 SOLD AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR 2005-2006 NISSAN ALTIMA PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE PHOTOMETRIC WERE MISALIGNED WHICH DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS,…
Fix: GENERA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 25, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT GENERA AT 714-522-6688.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER PERFORMANCE OF THE PISTON RINGS.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM OR ENGINE COMPUTER). YOUR VEHICLE WILL ALSO BE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS BEEN CONSUMING ENGINE OIL AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE. IN…
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE REAR SUBFRAME MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRACK IN A BRACKET WHICH HOLDS PART OF THE REAR SUSPENSION.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR SUBFRAME TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY AND REPLACE IT, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 27, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT…
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2006 Nissan Altima reliable?
The 2006 Nissan Altima drew 1,043 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 40/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2006 Nissan Altima problems?
The top reported problems for the 2006 Nissan Altima are engine (358 complaints), body & structure (224), and other (92).
At what mileage do 2006 Nissan Altima problems show up?
Owners most often report 2006 Nissan Altima problems around 93,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 60,000 and 122,649 miles.
Does the 2006 Nissan Altima have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2006 Nissan Altima. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.