ALTIMA AND ROGUE; ENGINE TURNS OFF OR HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP DURING HOT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES (+100°F) This bulletin has been amended. The APPLIED VEHICLES section and Table A on pages 5 and 6 have been revised. No other changes have been made. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2015 Nissan Altima cruise control problems
severe Owners of the 2015 Nissan Altima have filed 14 NHTSA complaints about the cruise control, typically surfacing around 40,000 miles at roughly $600 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
| Model year | cruise control complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 Altima | 4 |
| 2012 Altima | 25 |
| 2013 Altima | 22 |
| 2014 Altima | 17 |
| 2015 Altima (this page) | 14 |
| 2016 Altima | 28 |
| 2017 Altima | 20 |
| 2018 Altima | 10 |
| 2019 Altima | 8 |
2crashes
1injury
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering cruise control 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.
IF YOU CONFIRM All "hands free" functions of the Intelligent Key (I-Key) do not work. For example, the doors will not lock or unlock when pressing either front door request switch. NOTE: - The issue of all I-Key "hands free" functions not working may occur intermittently or all the time. - The message "No Key Detected" or similar may show on the Vehicle Information Display (located in the combination meter). - All I-Key remote button functions (door lock/unlock, etc.) WILL work normally when all I-Key "hands free" functions are NOT working. ACTION 1. Inspect the I-Key?s battery on its negative contact side. 2. If excessive scratching is found, replace the battery. 3. Verify all I-Key functio
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SERVICE INFORMATION The build specification for 2015 Altima vehicles with "S" trim has changed. 2015 Altima vehicles with "S" trim built on or after the APPLIED VINs and DATES come standard with leather door finishers (door panels) and leather center console lid along with cloth seats. DO NOT REPLACE* the leather door panels and leather center console lid with cloth door panels and cloth center console lid on 2015 Altima vehicles with "S" trim built on or after the APPLIED VINs and DATES. * NOTE: Replacing door panels and leather center console lids for this condition is not a warrantable expense. See this bulletin for further detail.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of the 2015 Nissan Altima report a recurring pattern of acceleration failures where the gas pedal does not respond or produces severe delay—engine revs but the car does not move. This happens unpredictably, often when the vehicle is warmed up, and most dangerously in traffic and at intersections. Affected vehicles range from 70,000 to 115,000 miles, with symptoms sometimes starting around 50,000 miles. Turning the engine off and restarting occasionally restores function temporarily. One owner at 102,000 miles paid $5,400 for a CVT transmission replacement after diagnostic code P0776 appeared; another shop confirmed transmission involvement. A second group of complaints describes sudden unintended acceleration—one owner shifted into Reverse while parked with foot on brake and the car accelerated into nearby vehicles. Cruise-control issues also appear: some owners cannot engage it, others report the system surges on downhill slopes or hunts between acceleration and braking. Most troubling is one account where cruise control prevented brakes from working—the owner pumped the pedal repeatedly with no effect and lost control into a ditch. One owner's original plastic gas pedal broke during acceleration. Nissan acknowledged a control-unit update exists but denied one owner's sudden-acceleration case qualified for it.
Same Nissan Altima cruise control reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2016 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Loss of acceleration response / throttle lag
Accelerator pedal depressed but vehicle hesitates, does not respond, or fails to accelerate. Engine revs but car does not move. Issue appears intermittently, often when vehicle is warmed up or in traffic. Can resolve temporarily after shutdown and restart.
When: 80,000–115,000 miles; symptom onset around 50,000 miles on some vehicles
Symptoms owners cite: No or delayed acceleration when pressing gas pedal; Engine revs without motion; Hesitation lasting 2–5 seconds before acceleration begins; Failure to accelerate from stopped position (red lights, intersections); Sporadic occurrence with no warning; Worsens in heavy traffic and stop-and-go driving
Codes mentioned: P0776, C17F1 CVT judder code (mentioned in narrative #1)
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #1 cites $5,400 CVT transmission replacement at 102,000 miles. Narrative #4 identifies transmission problem per independent repair shop.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #2 mentions Nissan informed owner of a control unit update available, but stated the owner's sudden-acceleration incident did not qualify for the update.
Sudden unintended acceleration
Vehicle accelerates without driver input. In one case, sudden acceleration occurred when shifting from Park to Reverse with foot on brake during parallel parking. In another, acceleration occurred at freeway speeds (75 mph).
When: 70,000–102,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Unexpected acceleration when foot on brake and shifting into Reverse; Unintended acceleration at highway speed (75 mph); Wheels skidding when braking against acceleration; Vehicle jerking while unable to accelerate (mixed behavior)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #2: Nissan stated available control unit update does not address the reported sudden-acceleration incident.
Cruise control engagement failure
Cruise control will not engage or set when activated. Owner reports this as a periodic, intermittent issue that worsens over time.
When: 80,000 miles; sporadic occurrence
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control fails to engage or set; Intermittent; no warning before failure
Cruise control surge / hunting behavior
Vehicle surges when cruise control is active, particularly on slight downhill grades. Behavior mimics repeated acceleration and braking cycles.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle surges while cruise control active; Repeated acceleration–braking cycle feel on downhill inclines
Brake system failure with cruise control engaged
When cruise control was activated, brakes did not respond when applied. Continuous brake pedal pump did not stop vehicle. Owner lost control and vehicle went into ditch.
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes non-responsive when cruise control active; Pedal pump does not produce braking force; Loss of vehicle control
Accelerator pedal plastic construction / breakage
Original Nissan-supplied accelerator pedal broke during acceleration attempt. Pedal constructed of plastic rather than reinforced material.
Symptoms owners cite: Gas pedal broke during acceleration; Complete pedal failure
Repairs/costs cited: Owner notes original plastic gas pedal from Nissan failed.
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2015 Nissan Altima?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2015 Nissan Altima?
It's a meaningful issue. 14 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 25,000 and 85,000 miles, with the median around 40,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 25,000; a quarter make it past 85,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control 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.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2015/Nissan/Altima.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.