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The 2017 Nissan Altima has 387 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2017 Nissan Altima has 387 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is powertrain at 129 complaints, typically surfacing around 70,461 miles (~$2,500 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 Altima | 1,110 | 1 |
| 2015 Altima | 942 | 3 |
| 2016 Altima | 548 | 0 |
| 2017 Altima (this page) | 387 | 2 |
| 2018 Altima | 223 | 1 |
| 2019 Altima | 224 | 3 |
| 2020 Altima | 175 | 2 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the powertrain was repaired or replaced.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: No
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2017 Nissan Altima 4 DR FWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: powertrain is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 70,461 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 2 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.8/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
The issue happened multiple times but seems to happen more, the longer the vehicle is running. The first time I was waiting in a parking lot with the air condition running. I was leaving the parking lot and the vehicle paused and lost accelertion power for a few seconds and…
Transmission started to slip in early 2019. Went to dealership immediately to be informed that the CVT transmission needed to be replaced. Dealership quoted us $5600 for the repair of a rebuilt. We looked at the error code and saw that all other years and models had already…
I have made a complaint to attorney general office also.. I bought my Nissan brand new august 2017, not even a year old it started having issues , with the push button start and the brakes. I was driving home from work and my car stop. I could not move it this was 2018 where you…
Since the start of 2018 I have had my car shut off while driving. I have taken it multiple dealerships to help solve this issue. Every time they came back and said that they could not duplicate the problem and nothing could do for me. I have reached out to the manufacture they…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA21002 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 387 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Nissan Altima has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
On the NHTSA data, the 2017 Nissan Altima is one to avoid unless a specific vehicle proves otherwise. The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the powertrain was repaired or replaced. The record behind that call: Powertrain: 129 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 50,000–88,000 mi; Reliability score 6.8/10 — around the segment average; 2 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the powertrain first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 129 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 70,461 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.8 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 387 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is powertrain. Typical failure occurs around 70,461 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 129 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 70,461 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.
The powertrain is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 70,461 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 387 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $2,500, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.