2017 Nissan Altima Problems, Recalls & Reliability

518 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2017 Nissan Altima, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 21/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 67,500 miles.

518Complaints
21/100Trouble index
3Recalls
60,000Typical trouble mileage

Typical

Where 2017 sits among all Altima years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Transmission & drivetrain 133 complaints (26%) · typically ~67,500 miles
“2017 nissan altima cvt transmission stalls and jerk when driving at 60-65 miles per hour highway and at a red light have to push start to continue driving which can cause injuries or death”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Altima
Airbags 71 complaints (14%) · typically ~65,000 miles
“The vehicle airbag light malfunctions and stays on. It can cause the airbag to deploy or on deploy in a crash. This is an issue with many 2017 Nissan Altimas.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Altima
Other 66 complaints (13%) · typically ~45,500 miles
“The 2017 Nissan Altima has a delay in acceleration when the gas pedal is pressed. I couldn't accelerate pass 35-40 mph when I was driving. Thankfully it was bumper to bumper traffic.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Altima
Electrical 44 complaints (8%) · typically ~44,000 miles
“My vehicle has 55K miles, and you can not see your headlights shining out front of the vehicle at night. It looks like you only have on running lights. Please note the headlights do not have any problem with lens oxidation.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Altima
Speed control 41 complaints (8%) · typically ~64,750 miles
“Delayed acceleration my 2017 altima is experiencing a delay when accelerating from a stop. It won't rev or do anything for a couple of seconds no matter how far down the pedal is. Then all of a sudden it'll go. There is no check engine light and no codes. If i turn the car off, it's like it resets…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Altima
Engine 40 complaints (8%) · typically ~60,000 miles
“The 2017 Nissan Altima has a delay in acceleration when the gas pedal is pressed.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Altima

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 200 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 60,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 35,000 and 80,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (3)

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 20V315000 2020

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an Owner’s Manual addendum card with…

STRUCTURE 18V915000 2018

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles, previously remedied under recall number 17V-040. The door latch-lock cable may not have been routed properly in the rear door when the remedy was applied. As a result, the…

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will secure the latch-lock cables in the correct position using the new remedy procedure, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019. Owners may…

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 17V040000 2017

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles. The rear door latch/lock cable on the vehicles may have been improperly routed. As a result, lowering a rear window may inadvertently cause that door to unlatch and open.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will correct the rear door latch/lock cable routing, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at…

Federal defect investigations

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture EA21002 opened 2021 · still open
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure EA19002 opened 2019, closed 2025
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure PE18013 opened 2018, closed 2019

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2017peak 101 in 20202026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2017 Nissan Altima reliable?

The 2017 Nissan Altima drew 518 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 21/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).

What are the most common 2017 Nissan Altima problems?

The top reported problems for the 2017 Nissan Altima are transmission & drivetrain (133 complaints), airbags (71), and other (66).

At what mileage do 2017 Nissan Altima problems show up?

Owners most often report 2017 Nissan Altima problems around 60,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 35,000 and 80,000 miles.

Does the 2017 Nissan Altima have recalls?

3 recall campaigns apply to the 2017 Nissan Altima. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-12 from NHTSA's public records

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.