2011 Nissan Altima Problems, Recalls & Reliability
320 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Nissan Altima, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 12/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 100,529 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2011 Nissan Altima has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2011 sits among all Altima years
What owners report
“The transmission just went out at 100,000 miles. I'm told the transmission is a cvt transmission and this is pretty much normal. I'm looking at a $4000 cost just to put another cvt transmission into it”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Altima
“My car is having sticky dash board and its melting. It is not safe to drive because of glare on the windshield and prone to accidents in a day time.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Altima
“While driving it's difficult for the car to shift gears, also a burning smell comes from the engine after driving long distance.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Altima
“Went to start my car.in the dashboard was a key light.car wouldn't start look up things that could be the problem saying something about steering lock.the car was sitting at my house .”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Altima
“The dashboard is melting, causing a glare. Also, paint is peeling on the hood and roof.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Altima
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 206 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 74,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 33,527 and 110,700 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN ALTIMA SEDAN VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 25, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 10, 2011 AT THE CANTON, MISSISSIPPI PLANT. THE TRANSVERSE LINK BOLT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TORQUED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. THIS…
Fix: NISSAN WILL REPLACE THE TRANSVERSE LINK BOLTS AND NUTS AND TIGHTEN THEM TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 8, 2011. 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 2011 Nissan Altima reliable?
The 2011 Nissan Altima drew 320 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 12/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2011 Nissan Altima problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 Nissan Altima are transmission & drivetrain (69 complaints), other (49), and engine (42).
At what mileage do 2011 Nissan Altima problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 Nissan Altima problems around 74,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 33,527 and 110,700 miles.
Does the 2011 Nissan Altima have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2011 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.