Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
severe Owners of the 2007 Nissan Altima have filed 34 NHTSA complaints about the electrical, typically surfacing around 81,772 miles at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2005 Altima | 67 |
| 2006 Altima | 54 |
| 2007 Altima (this page) | 34 |
| 2008 Altima | 66 |
| 2009 Altima | 208 |
| 2010 Altima | 61 |
| 2011 Altima | 26 |
Driving on under-inflated tires is unsafe and could result in a crash.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
CAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗CAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V battery testing. These recommendations are expected to promote uniformity during the connection process, therefore reducing the number of incorrect âTest with DCAâ and âReplaceâ results. HINT: If 12 volt batteries are allowed to discharge for a prolonged period of time, battery life may be drastically reduced. This condition may lead to premature battery replacement and customer dissatisfaction. IMPORTANT: ï· CPX-900 is now an accepted testing tool to use along with or in place of the DSS-500
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or severe personal injury, do not directly spray Silicone-based lubricant or grease, or inadvertently overspray Silicone-based lubricant or grease onto any interior electrical components. These types of lubricants can be detrimental to the proper operation of electrical components.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
Owners report a systematic pattern of electrical failures in the 2007 Nissan Altima that ranges from inconvenient to life-threatening. The most severe complaints involve complete electrical meltdown: main wiring harnesses melt or short out while driving at highway speeds, causing abrupt stalling, loss of all power, and disabled door locks—one owner had to use a mechanical knob to escape from a moving vehicle. Replacement of wiring harness components runs $3,500 or more.
Battery issues plague the model across the ownership timeline. Owners report sudden, complete electrical system shutdown with no lights, no engine start capability, and no hazard lights—dangerous if the car dies on a freeway. Even after battery replacement, the problem recurs, and dealer diagnosis is often unreliable, initially blaming body modules before identifying wiring harness defects.
Fires and overheating are documented: owners describe smoke and flames from the engine compartment and center console, resulting in total loss. One fire occurred the day after a dealership service visit.
Secondary electrical failures include non-functional smart keys and keyless entry, windows rolling down while parked with subsequent battery drain, instrument panel cracking and melting, cruise control lights blinking until the system fails entirely, and alarm systems triggering constantly without diagnosis possible. The hybrid variants face additional problems: water pump failures and battery pack issues that remain unresolved even after Nissan engineer inspections. Dealer service has been inconsistent—some dealerships refuse to acknowledge recalls or act on manufacturer technical issues.
Same Nissan Altima electrical reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2006 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010
Main wiring harness from engine through vehicle to trunk melts or shorts, causing resistance in the cable, abrupt stalling, and total electrical power loss while driving.
When: Highway speeds (60+ mph); one case occurred at 7 years of ownership after regular maintenance
Symptoms owners cite: Shrieking warning beacon with all dashboard indicators lit; Abrupt vehicle stall and complete power loss; Loss of door unlock (mechanical knob only option); Battery fuse melted
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced main wiring harness. One owner reported $3,500+ cost estimate for wiring harness replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Complaint #1 owner referenced NHTSA complaint ID 10560398 as similar; no recall mentioned in narratives for this failure mode.
Vehicle experiences complete electrical shutdown—no lights, no engine start, no hazard lights, no ability to function. Often preceded by battery replacement that does not resolve the issue. Dealer diagnostics initially misidentify root cause.
When: Can occur suddenly while parked or after multiple warnings; one case at 5,961 miles, another at 75,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Total loss of electrical power (no lights, no engine start, nothing); Vehicle goes completely dead with no warning; Repeated failures even after battery replacement; Dash lights work initially but then full shutdown occurs
Repairs/costs cited: Diagnosis difficult and prolonged; dealers initially blamed body module component, then identified wiring harness. Costs: $3,500+ for wiring harness replacement; $3,100 for ECM, engine wiring harness (EGI), and battery combined.
Instrument panel cracks and melts, likely due to internal electrical heat generation or poor component design.
When: At 82,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Instrument panel visibly cracking; Instrument panel melting
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosis determined instrument panel replacement needed. Owner did not pursue repair.
Dashboard information display flickers intermittently, then completely shuts off and goes blank. Owner notes there is a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) for this issue.
When: Issue progressed from occasional flickering to complete shutdown
Symptoms owners cite: Display flickers at times; Display completely shuts off and goes blank
Repairs/costs cited: Owner found TSB documentation but had not yet pursued dealership repair at time of complaint.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Technical Service Bulletin exists for this issue per owner research.
Engine compartment erupts in flames while driving, causing total vehicle loss. Multiple narratives report fires, some originating from center console electrical components.
When: While driving; one case at low speed (10 mph), another at 65+ mph; one case day after dealership service including brake fluid leak recall repair
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke coming from engine block or center console; Vehicle catches fire and burns completely; Under-carriage erupts in flames
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles totaled by insurance. Fire department confirmed electrical origin in one case.
Vehicle accelerates suddenly and abruptly at full throttle without driver input, with brakes unable to stop the vehicle. Occurs while attempting to park. Air bags do not deploy despite severity.
When: While attempting to park in garage (February 21, 2010 in one hybrid case)
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden acceleration at full throttle, first forward then backward; Brakes failed or ineffective; Air bags did not deploy
Repairs/costs cited: Nissan inspected vehicle but did not take responsibility. Damage exceeded $30,000 (home, car, personal property).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan refused responsibility or accountability.
Push-button start produces clicking noise as if battery is dead (despite new battery), requires multiple presses (7–16 attempts) before car starts. Failure is intermittent ('ghost' problem). Once started, car runs fine.
When: Can occur several days in a row, several times in one day, or not for several weeks; issue present since vehicle purchase in August 2007
Symptoms owners cite: Push button produces click like dead battery; Requires repeated pressing (7–16 times) to start; Intermittent failure with no pattern; Vehicle runs normally once started
Repairs/costs cited: Mechanic's diagnostic test showed nothing wrong. Mechanic suspected starter but found no confirming evidence. Owner suspects ignition switch defect.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner believes issue related to a Nissan recall but vehicle not part of recall group.
Brake light switch becomes faulty, preventing starter from engaging. Failure occurs multiple times over vehicle lifetime at different service intervals.
When: First failure in 2012, second failure in March 2015 (approximately 3 years apart)
Symptoms owners cite: Starter switch fails to work; Vehicle will not start
Repairs/costs cited: Both failures required brake light switch replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner suspects recall should be extended to other models to test for brake light/starter switch issue.
Smart key/keyless remote fails to unlock doors. Door actuators stop responding to keyless fob commands. Rear driver side door lock failed in one case and required dealership repair; front door locks later fail similarly.
When: Door lock failures occur with vehicle parked or in motion. Rear driver failure occurred a couple of years before front door failure in same vehicle.
Symptoms owners cite: Keyless fob does not unlock doors; Door locks will not operate with remote; Failure happens all the time, both parked and in motion
Repairs/costs cited: Rear door actuator required dealership repair. Owner suspects either door actuator or broader electrical problem.
Passenger air bag warning indicator illuminates continuously or blinks on dashboard. Dealer resets sensor, but failure recurs after repair. Eventually requires seat cushion and air bag sensor replacement.
When: At 71,300 miles in one case
Symptoms owners cite: Front passenger air bag warning light illuminates continuously; Warning light blinks on dashboard
Repairs/costs cited: First reset by dealer failed; second visit required replacement of passenger seat cushion and air bag sensor ($1,693.55 in one case).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA recall 08V521000 (air bags, electrical system) issued November 8, 2008, but some owners with matching year/make/model were not notified and VINs fell outside recall range.
Cruise control indicator lights blink, disabling cruise function. Initially can be reset by turning vehicle off, but becomes increasingly frequent until blinking becomes constant and reset no longer works. Cruise control eventually ceases to function entirely.
When: Starting in 2011; became more frequent over time; by 2013 blinking was constant 99.99% of the time
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control lights blink; Cruise control disabled when lights blink; Blinking becomes more frequent over time; Blinking becomes constant and cannot be reset; Cruise control stops working entirely
While driving, all warning lights on dashboard light up simultaneously and speedometer drops to zero. Vehicle continues to operate but instruments are inaccurate. Failure recurs multiple times. Later, speedometer resumes working but transmission does not shift properly and vehicle jerks.
When: While driving on expressway in one case; another case at 65+ mph
Symptoms owners cite: All dashboard warning lights illuminate at once; Speedometer drops to zero or becomes inaccurate; Vehicle jerks and transmission does not shift properly; Failure recurs multiple times
Repairs/costs cited: Mechanics having difficulty troubleshooting problem.
While vehicle is parked, all windows suddenly roll down on six separate occasions. Following day, battery is drained completely.
When: Multiple occurrences while parked at low mileage (5,961 miles failure mileage)
Symptoms owners cite: All windows roll down without command; Battery drained the following day; Pattern repeats on six occasions
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated nothing was wrong with vehicle. Owner went through Better Business Bureau arbitration but did not win case. Owner informed that because arbitration was pursued, vehicle became owner's responsibility.
Vehicle's alarm system activates continuously and without warning at all hours of the day and night. Issue cannot be diagnosed despite four dealership visits (two U.S., two Canada).
When: At 73,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Alarm activates constantly without warning; Alarm goes off at all times of day and night
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle could not be repaired; four dealer visits unable to diagnose.
Automatic ignition starter fails to engage, causing steering wheel to seize. Failure recurs on multiple occasions.
When: At approximately 55,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Automatic ignition starter fails; Steering wheel seizes
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired.
Transmission speed sensors (primary and secondary) fail due to burning or rubbing caused by improper spacing from manufacturer. Requires replacement of both sensors and addition of new spacers.
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission speed sensor malfunction
Codes mentioned: P1715, P1574, P720
Repairs/costs cited: Both primary and secondary speed sensors replaced, new spacers added. Parts cost $445.13; total invoice with labor and sensor washer $762.83. Owner identified this as manufacturer fault.
Hybrid battery requires replacement, then inverter requires replacement, but vehicle still does not work. Multiple Nissan engineer inspections have not resolved the issue.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stopped starting; Hybrid battery failure; Inverter failure
Repairs/costs cited: Hybrid battery replaced, inverter replaced, vehicle still not working. Nissan engineer inspected vehicle twice (as of October 26) with no resolution.
Hybrid water pump fails, causing loss of power while driving. Toyota has recalled hybrid water pumps for this model year due to known failures, but Nissan dealer refused to acknowledge recall information provided by owner.
When: While driving on highway; failure detected by hybrid warning light
Symptoms owners cite: Hybrid warning light illuminates; Car starts to lose power while driving on highway
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer identified hybrid water pump failure. Owner provided dealer with information about Toyota recall for same part, but dealer refused to contact Nissan or acknowledge recall. Dealer discarded the failed part before owner could retrieve it.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota has recall for hybrid water pumps on this model year. Nissan dealer refused to act on or inform Nissan of Toyota recall information. Nissan corporate did not return owner's calls (as of November 20, 2012).
Synthesized from 34 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
It's a meaningful issue. 34 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
Across the 27 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 58,523 and 110,000 miles, with the median around 81,772. A quarter of owners report trouble before 58,523; a quarter make it past 110,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover electrical issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.