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 ↗2017 Nissan Altima cruise control problems
severe Owners of the 2017 Nissan Altima have filed 20 NHTSA complaints about the cruise control, typically surfacing around 59,000 miles at roughly $600 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
20
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
| Model year | cruise control complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 Altima | 22 |
| 2014 Altima | 17 |
| 2015 Altima | 14 |
| 2016 Altima | 28 |
| 2017 Altima (this page) | 20 |
| 2018 Altima | 10 |
| 2019 Altima | 8 |
| 2020 Altima | 5 |
1crash
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.
CAMPAIGN BULLETIN - Accelerator Pedal ***** Detailed Information ***** Nissan is conducting a dealer inventory inspection on approximately 5,797 MY2016-17 Nissan Altima and 1,646 MY2017 Maxima vehicles to tighten the accelerator pedal mounting bolts to specification. ***** What Dealers Should Do ***** 1. Verify if vehicles currently in dealer inventory are affected by this inventory inspection using Service Comm I.D. PC495. 2. Use the attached repair procedure to tighten the accelerator pedal mounting bolts to specification. - If bolts are missing, please send the requested information to nnafqasupport@nissan-usa.com and await further instruction. 3. Submit the warranty claim, and release th
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2017 Nissan Altimas describe a pattern of severe acceleration faults that strike without warning. The most common issue is sudden power loss—the engine responds to flooring the pedal with nothing, leaving the vehicle crawling at 20–40 mph in traffic, sometimes lasting minutes. Other owners report the opposite: delayed acceleration response from a dead stop (2–5 seconds of RPM rise but no movement) followed by sudden, violent acceleration surges that fishtail the car. One owner crashed at 8,000 miles when the vehicle accelerated through a stop sign despite hard braking, resulting in serious injury and total loss.
At traffic lights and merges, the hesitation creates hazards; owners report nearly being rear-ended and nearly causing wrecks when trying to merge with oncoming traffic. Restarting the engine sometimes temporarily improves symptoms. A few owners got diagnostic codes (P0776, transmission pressure control solenoid faults), but many report no warning lights at all, frustrating dealer attempts to reproduce the problem. Transmission replacement has been performed in multiple cases, with one owner requiring two transmissions in 22,000 miles. Nissan's response has been denial of coverage after 100,000 miles and inability to replicate faults during diagnosis. A prior recall covered 2016 models for similar issues, but 2017 and later models remain excluded.
Same Nissan Altima cruise control reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Acceleration loss / limp mode
Engine power dramatically reduced, vehicle unable to exceed 20-40 mph despite flooring accelerator pedal. Occurs unpredictably while driving, sometimes triggered by highway merging or traffic light acceleration. Can reoccur after restart or during the same trip. No check engine light present in many cases.
When: Occurs at various mileages: reported at 8,000 mi, 46,700 mi, 85,000+ mi. Frequency varies from sporadic to every few weeks to consistently on every stop.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not accelerate past 20-40 mph even with pedal to floor; Humming or engine noise while power loss occurs; Loss of speed while driving with foot on gas and RPMs up; Engine stalling or refusing to move from stops; Sudden uncontrolled surging/wild acceleration after delay; Jerking into gear after multiple shift lever manipulations; RPM gauge surging up and down erratically; Vehicle coasts slowly or loses power on highway
Codes mentioned: P0776 (Pressure Control Solenoid B Performance or Stuck Off), Check engine light (inconsistent—present in some cases, absent in others)
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report transmission fluid replacement, air filter replacement, fuel system cleaning, torque converter replacement, and full transmission rebuild/replacement. One owner had transmission replaced twice in 22,000 miles. Costs and specific repair outcomes not detailed in narratives. Dealer diagnostics often cannot reproduce the fault.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner reports prior Nissan recall on 2016 models for this issue, but 2017 and later excluded. Warranty denial reported at 100,000+ miles. Nissan dealership unable to diagnose or repair in multiple cases. Software update attempted without resolution.
Delayed acceleration response / hesitation at stops
Vehicle hesitates for 2–5 seconds or longer when depressing accelerator from a complete stop (traffic lights, stop signs). RPMs increase but vehicle does not move. Resets partially after turning engine off and back on.
When: Occurs at stops; reported at various mileages including 46,700 mi and 85,000+ mi.
Symptoms owners cite: 4–5 second delay from accelerator input to vehicle response at traffic lights and stop signs; RPMs increase without corresponding acceleration; No dashboard warning lights; No check engine codes generated; Hazardous in merge and cross-traffic situations; Temporary improvement after engine restart
Repairs/costs cited: No successful repairs documented in narratives. Multiple independent mechanics and dealership unable to diagnose.
Unintended acceleration
Vehicle accelerates without driver input despite depressing brake pedal. One reported crash resulting in serious injury and vehicle total loss at 8,000 miles.
When: 8,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerated while braking to stop at stop sign; Brake pedal depressed with force but did not stop vehicle; Vehicle went through stop sign and four lanes before crashing into tree
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle totaled; no repair attempted.
Transmission malfunction with stalling and RPM surge
Transmission loses response or stalls unexpectedly during normal driving, followed by high RPM surge and jerking motion. Occurs at traffic lights and during acceleration. One owner had two transmissions fail within 22,000 miles.
When: Reported across mileage range; one case at ~100,000 mi, another case involving second transmission at 22,000 miles on second unit.
Symptoms owners cite: Car stalls at traffic light or stop sign; Sudden high RPM surge without smooth acceleration; Vehicle jerks uncontrollably out of gear; RPM gauge fluctuates rapidly; Loss of power in traffic; Temporary fix: restart engine or let sit 5 minutes
Codes mentioned: Check engine light (one case)
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission rebuilt with torque converter replacement (not successful long-term). Second transmission replacement recommended. Nissan warranty expired at 100,000 miles, denying coverage.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty denial after 100,000 miles. CVT transmission identified by owners as defective.
Front radar obstruction / collision warning system unavailable
Forward Emergency Braking (FEB) front radar sensor repeatedly reads 'unavailable' regardless of weather or visibility conditions. Occurs consistently and defeats purpose of safety system.
When: Fault first occurred Oct 27, 2018 at 4:19 PM; consistent occurrence through May 27, 2019 reported.
Symptoms owners cite: FEB system shows unavailable message; Occurs in clear weather, wind, rain, fog—all conditions; System failure ongoing for months
ABS warning light intermittent
ABS light illuminates and extinguishes intermittently. Owner reported to Nissan but told vehicle not included in any recall campaign.
When: <UNKNOWN>
Symptoms owners cite: ABS warning light comes on and off
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan stated vehicle not listed in applicable campaign; no service offered.
Synthesized from 20 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 2017 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 2017 Nissan Altima?
It's a meaningful issue. 20 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 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 46,700 and 90,000 miles, with the median around 59,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 46,700; a quarter make it past 90,000. 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/2017/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.