Nissan North America, Inc
If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
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severe 17 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,500 · see body across all vehicles →
Of the 17 body complaints filed for the 2017 Nissan Altima, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
No new NHTSA body complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
Buyer takeaway: The 2017 Altima has documented problems with the hood latch (safety risk), overhead console falling into the cabin, and various trim/interior hardware failures. Hood latch issues are tied to a recall, but owners report long wait times and inadequate damage coverage from dealers.
The 2017 Nissan Altima has a track record of interior hardware coming loose or failing. The overhead console clips deteriorate and the console falls into the cabin—one owner reported being struck on the head. The driver's side sun visor has detached independently while driving, impairing visibility. Floor mats come unsecured when eye-hook rings tear, allowing mats to bunch up under the pedals.
The hood latch is a serious problem. Multiple owners report the hood opening without warning during highway driving, completely blocking forward visibility. This is tied to a safety recall, but owners cite appointment backlogs of 8–9 months at Nissan service centers. When the latch fails, it damages the windshield and hood, yet dealers refuse to cover the collateral damage under warranty, telling owners to pursue insurance or personal body shops. Nissan Consumer Affairs has contradicted field service, creating confusion about who pays.
Other failures include the rear passenger door's electric lock switch and child safety lock both failing—leaving the door operable only from outside. The driver's side mirror produces distracting wind noise that only stops when closed, making the mirror unusable. Water has pooled in the rear passenger area with no visible leak source. One owner reported a sunroof spontaneously shattering when the door was closed while parked.
Same Nissan Altima body reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Interior overhead console (roof-mounted between front seats) clips fail, causing console to fall into cabin. One owner reported being struck on the head during occurrence.
When: Approximately 50,000–64,300 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Console falls from ceiling while driving; Striking occupants; Clips securing console to interior roof deteriorate
Repairs/costs cited: Console replacement required; dealer performed repair free of charge on first occurrence in one case
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls or warranties provided per owner notification
Hood latch disengages while vehicle is in motion, allowing hood to open unexpectedly. Multiple owners report this occurred during highway driving. Related safety recall exists but owners report difficulty obtaining service.
When: Various speeds; one documented at highway speed; one occurred after mechanic service
Symptoms owners cite: Hood opens without warning while driving; Complete loss of forward visibility; Windshield cracked/broken; Damage to hood and front fenders/hinges; No warning lights or messages before failure
Repairs/costs cited: Hood latch replaced under recall at dealership; windshield damage and body damage not covered; owners directed to personal body shops or insurance
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Safety recall issued; Nissan Consumer Affairs told owner dealership should process through warranty but passed responsibility; service centers cite 8–9 month wait times
Sun visor assembly on driver's side detaches while vehicle is in motion, impairing driver visibility.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Sun visor detaches independently while driving; Impaired driving visibility
Repairs/costs cited: Sun visor assembly replacement needed
Electric door lock switch fails on rear passenger door; manual locking required. Child safety lock also fails on same door, rendering door openable only from outside.
When: Unknown mileage; failure occurred twice on same door
Symptoms owners cite: Electric lock/unlock inoperative; Child safety lock inoperative; Door cannot be opened from inside; Cabling loosens from door handle
Repairs/costs cited: Locking mechanism replacement; child safety lock replacement
Front floor mat eye-hook ring tears away from mat, allowing floor mat to shift under gas and brake pedals, creating entanglement hazard.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Eye-hook ring tears away from floor mat; Floor mat migrates under pedals; Potential for pedal entanglement
Excessive wind noise originating from driver's side mirror distracts driver. Closing mirror stops noise but renders mirror unusable. History of mirror-related recalls on this model.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Distracting wind noise from driver's side; Noise persists during normal driving; Noise only stops when mirror is closed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Prior recalls issued for driver's side mirror on this model year
Water pooling in rear passenger area with no visible source from roof, doors, or windows, suggesting sealed area drainage failure.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Visible water collection in rear passenger side; No apparent roof, door, or window leaks
Sunroof explodes or shatters while vehicle is parked, with no external impact reported.
When: While parked; triggered by closing door
Symptoms owners cite: Sunroof spontaneously shatters; Triggered by door closure
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
My vehicle was parked in the stalls in front of the casey's general store entrance in evansville, wisconsin. I was parked there from 8am-5pm and when I returned to my vehicle, there was damage to the rear right bumper as if another vehicle had swiped mine backing in or out of the neighboring stall. There was no previous damage to my vehicle-it was in perfect condition as it is brand new.
It's a meaningful issue. 17 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,500.
Based on the 17 complaints filed, body issues most often appear around 51,043 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
Independent shops typically charge around $1,500 for body 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 body 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.