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 also said the same thing they could not do anything. This is a huge safety that I stated. This is still under manufacture…
2017 Nissan Altima electrical problems
severe 17 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
17
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
1crash
2fires
2injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 17 electrical complaints filed for the 2017 Nissan Altima, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
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.
What stands out
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: This 2017 Altima cluster shows serious unresolved electrical issues, including engine stalls while driving, transmission surges, brake failure, fires from cooling fan wiring, and keyless entry problems. Buy this year with extreme caution—several owners report dealers cannot duplicate issues despite safety risks including crashes and fires.
Owners report 16 distinct electrical and related control problems in 2017 Nissan Altimas, most of which dealers cannot replicate or resolve.
Engine stalling while driving is the most frequent complaint—the vehicle shuts off on highways and city streets, sometimes displaying "key missing" warnings, and takes minutes to restart. Multiple owners took their cars to dealerships, but technicians couldn't reproduce the fault. One owner notes the manufacturer refused warranty coverage despite the vehicle still being under warranty.
Transmission issues appear as delayed acceleration from a stop—owners press the gas and the car hesitates, then surges forward with a dangerous jerk, revving to 5000 RPM while stuck in gear. A key-off restart fixes it temporarily.
Brake failure is reported: one owner's brakes went unresponsive at 35,000 miles, causing the vehicle to drift off a cliff and crash, injuring the driver.
Cooling fan wiring fires have occurred in parked, off vehicles, with fire department investigation confirming the cause. Center console wiring has also sparked fires.
Other electrical gremlins include backup camera screens going dark in reverse (requiring repeated park-and-reverse cycles to restore image), keyless entry rejecting valid key fobs with "Key ID Incorrect" errors even after battery replacement, power windows and door locks failing, and audio system dropouts. The fuel economy gauge reads consistently 10% high, and the manufacturer claims this is by design.
Many issues remain undiagnosed despite dealer visits and NHTSA inspector involvement.
Same Nissan Altima electrical reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Engine stalls while driving
Engine cuts off unexpectedly during operation on highway or city streets. Vehicle may display 'key missing' warning and requires restart. Can occur during idle or motion.
When: Various speeds and conditions; narratives do not specify consistent mileage pattern
Symptoms owners cite: Engine shut-off while driving; Vehicle displays 'key is missing' warning; Takes several minutes to restart; Occurs during idle and motion
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Multiple dealership visits reported; dealers unable to duplicate issue. Manufacturer warranty does not cover issue per owner report.
Transmission delay and surge on acceleration
Transmission hesitates or refuses to engage when accelerating from a stopped position, then surges forward abruptly. Vehicle revs to 5000 RPM in gear without responding to throttle. Issue resolves with key-off restart.
When: During acceleration from stop; one report at 35,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Delayed acceleration from stopped position; Gas pedal unresponsive for seconds then slingshots forward; Transmission does not change gears, revs to 5000 RPM; Will not accelerate when gas pedal pressed while stopped
Brake system failure
Brake pedal depressed but fails to stop vehicle. One report describes vehicle drifting off cliff after brake failure at 35,000 miles, resulting in crash and owner injuries.
When: 35,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal depressed but does not operate; Vehicle unresponsive to braking; Emergency brake reported as only functional stopping method in one case
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle destroyed in crash; towed to lot
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified; no repair information provided
Fuel economy gauge inaccuracy
Instrument panel fuel economy display reads 10% higher than actual mpg consumption. No diagnostic codes present. Dealer and independent inspector confirmed inaccuracy but stated vehicle designed that way.
When: 3,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Electronic display shows inaccurate fuel mileage per gallon; Reading consistently 10% higher than actual consumption
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired; issue unable to be duplicated by dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer stated vehicle was designed in that manner and nothing could be done
Electrical system fire hazard
Vehicle fire caused by cooling fan wiring failure while parked and off. One report describes fire in center console from apparent wiring issue. Both incidents resulted in fire damage to vehicle interior.
When: Vehicle parked off for 4+ hours; not specified when center console fire occurred
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle fire while parked; Smoke damage inside vehicle; Cooling fan wiring failure; Center console wiring fire
Repairs/costs cited: Fire department investigation confirmed cooling fan wiring cause
Backup camera display malfunction
Backup camera display becomes very dark when vehicle placed in reverse, requiring shift to park and back to reverse again to see image. One report notes backup camera lens has become blurry at 38,000 miles.
When: 38,000 miles reported for blur; timing not specified for dark display
Symptoms owners cite: Backup camera screen very dark when in reverse; Backup camera lens blurry; Difficult to recognize objects through camera; Requires repeated shift to park and reverse to restore image
Keyless entry and push-button start failure
Vehicle will not start or power on. Key fob reports 'Key ID Incorrect' error despite new battery in fob. Manual key required to open door. New car battery does not resolve issue.
When: 10 months of ownership on near-new vehicle with 4 miles at purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Car will not turn on; Key ID Incorrect error message on remote start; No power to vehicle, cannot open with key fob; Must use manual key to open door
Codes mentioned: Key ID Incorrect
Repairs/costs cited: Owner replaced key fob battery and vehicle battery; issue persists. Requires dealer tow.
Infotainment and audio system dropouts
Speakers randomly stop working and do not resume during drive. Stereo does not consistently show connected device or current song. Intermittent connectivity issues with audio system.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Speakers randomly stop working during drive; Speakers do not resume operation; Stereo does not show connected device current song; Constant stereo connectivity issues
Power window and door lock malfunction
Driver side rear window does not lower fully. Driver side rear door will not lock. One report notes door button on driver side does not work to unlock vehicle.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Driver side rear door will not lock; Driver side rear window does not go down all the way; Door handle unlock button does not work
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
The right rear window closes very slowly all the time
Had electrical 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 electrical problem on the 2017 Nissan Altima?
It's a meaningful issue. 17 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 17 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 48,261 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.
What does it cost to fix?
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.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical 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.