2021 Nissan Altima: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2021 Nissan Altima
On the 2021 Nissan Altima, the failure owners report most often is other driver assistance problem, with 24 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 40,000 miles. Overall it scores 70 out of 100, high risk for a 2021.
High risk for a 2021 — 171st riskiest of the 231 2021 vehicles we can rate. 120 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 34 named failure modes on the 2021 Nissan Altima, and the three most-reported carry 38% of everything filed.
Other driver assistance problem leads with 24 reports and about 0.8 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other brake problem follows with 13 reports, median 45,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.
Other electrical problem follows with 9 reports. 1 of those report mention a fire.
By system, the reports fall mostly into adas (27), brakes (17) and electrical (17).
When these failures get reported
22 of the reports on the 2021 Nissan Altima came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 40,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 73% by 50,000 miles and 95% by 100,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 27% of the dated reports.
45% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 34. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
What happens when these parts fail
Across the named modes, 17 mention a crash, 3 a fire and 11 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 5.10, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other driver assistance problem at $250–$1,800, other brake problem at $300–$1,800, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000 and other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
13% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 24 | 2 | — | 33k | — | 0.8 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 13 | 1 | — | 45k | — | 0.4 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 6 | 3 | — | 70k | — | 0.2 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other steering problem | steering | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 4 | 1 | — | 75k | — | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 3 | 3 | — | 4k | — | 0.1 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 3 | 2 | — | 2k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Automatic braking for no reason | adas | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $0–$1,500 | Critical |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 3 | 3 | — | 51k | — | 0.1 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 2 | 2 | — | 17k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Software fault or failed update | software | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $0–$600 | Moderate |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 2 | 1 | — | 35k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Oil leak | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Turbocharger or supercharger failure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$4,500 | High |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| CVT failure | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $3,000–$8,500 | Critical |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 41k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Brake line, hose or caliper failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Critical |
| Tire pressure monitor failure | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 6k | — | 0.0 | $80–$600 | Low |
| Blower motor or climate control failure | hvac | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 43k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 1 | — | 41k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2021 Nissan Altima draws about 3.9 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 83rd percentile of complaint rates among 2021 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 30,675 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2021 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
Recalls on the 2021 model year
NHTSA has issued 2 recall campaigns covering the 2021 Nissan Altima, affecting an estimated 31,878 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover back over prevention: sensing system: camera and steering:linkages:tie rod assembly. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
153,376 vehicles 2023-09-08- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Consequence
- A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23C3.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
2,407 vehicles 2021-03-04- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Nissan Altima vehicles. The tie rod ball joint fastener was not tightened properly, which could result in the tie rod ball joint detaching from the steering knuckle.
- Consequence
- A detached tie rod ball joint can cause a loss of steering control, and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the left and right-side tie rod ball joint fasteners, or install new fasteners as necessary, free of charge. The began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PC795.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2021 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 2021 sits in the model line
High risk for a 2021 — 171st riskiest of the 231 2021 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.
Across the 29 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2018 comes out best at 63 and 2024 worst at 83, with 2021 itself at 70.
If the model year is negotiable, 2018, 1997, 2004, 2007, 2023, 2022 and 2005 score lower than 2021 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2019–2025 generation specifically, 2023 is the strongest year at 66 and 2024 the weakest at 83.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2019-2025 generation, 2023 Nissan Altima scores best at 66 and 2024 Nissan Altima worst at 83.
The limits of complaint data
120 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 120 reports, 22 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 18% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Nissan Altima?
The most-reported failures are other driver assistance problem (24 reports, median 35,000 miles), other brake problem (13 reports, median 45,000 miles) and other electrical problem (9 reports). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2021 Nissan Altima reliable?
It scores 70 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 171st riskiest of the 231 2021 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2021 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Nissan Altima is best?
Within the 2019–2025 generation, 2023 scores best at 66 out of 100 and 2024 worst at 83. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed