Should I buy a 2020 Nissan Altima with documented engine problems?

Depends on the price and the specific vehicle. Documented engine issues should be priced into the purchase — if the seller is asking full retail, negotiate down by the expected repair cost. A pre-purchase inspection from an independent shop tells you whether THIS specific vehicle has already shown the symptoms or not.

2020 Nissan Altima engine problems

moderate Owners of the 2020 Nissan Altima have filed 20 NHTSA complaints about the engine at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →

Complaints

Recalls

Avg fix

$3,100

engine complaints on the Nissan Altima, by model year
Model year	engine complaints
2016 Altima	19
2017 Altima	18
2018 Altima	5
2019 Altima	29
2020 Altima (this page)	20
2021 Altima	5
2023 Altima	4

Related recalls

severe NHTSA 25V437000 June 27, 2025

Nissan North America, Inc

Engine failure increases the risk of a crash. A bearing failure may cause a breach in the engine block, allowing hot oil to be discharged, increasing the risk of an engine fire.

Fix: Dealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or Infiniti's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R25A8/A9 and R25B1/B2.

Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins

The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine 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.

Service Bulletin NTB22-097 Nov 2022

DTC P0404 STORED IN THE ECM AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 32Â°F IF YOU CONFIRM DTC P0404 (EGR A CONTROL) is stored in the ECM at temperatures below 32Â°F. ACTION 1. Confirm the current ECM part number. 2. Reprogram the ECM, if applicable.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin NTB22-026 Apr 2022

SERVICE INFORMATION FOR FUEL GAUGE INACCURATE WITH DTCS STORED IN ECM SERVICE INFORMATION If a fuel level sensor has been diagnosed as sending an incorrect level signal, and one or more of the following DTCs are stored in the ECM, do not replace the entire âFuel Level Sensor Unit, Fuel Filter and Fuel Pump Assemblyâ (fuel pump assembly). The fuel level sensor can be replaced separately. ï· P0460 (FUEL LEV SEN SLOSH) ï· P0461 (FUEL LEVEL SENSOR) ï· P0462 (FUEL LEVL SEN/CIRC) ï· P0463 (FUEL LEVL SEN/CIRC) NOTE: Warranty claims referring to fuel level issues that result in the replacement of the entire fuel pump assembly will be charged back.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin NTB15-049X Mar 2022

TELEMATICS SERVICE INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin NTB13-027C Feb 2022

CAN COMMUNICATION â NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin NTB13-097J Feb 2022

EVAP LEAK DTC P0442, P0455, P0456 INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

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 2020 Nissan Altima are reporting multiple severe engine problems. The most critical are sudden stalls at highway speeds followed by loud engine knock on restart, some accompanied by smoke—requiring engine replacement. One owner at 32,000 miles had a dealership initiate an engine swap under NHTSA Campaign 25V437000, only for Nissan corporate to deny coverage. Another reports a cracked cylinder head developing without the engine overheating according to the gauge; a dealership noted several other 2020 Altimas had the same recent failure.

In cold weather below 0°F, some cars enter limp mode instantly with all warning lights flashing, dropping to 5–15 mph with no advance notice—a highway safety hazard. Dealerships reset the computer but cannot reproduce the fault during diagnosis.

Owners also describe persistent "Engine Malfunction Power Reduced Service Now" messages that cause power loss, disappear after restart, then return repeatedly with no diagnostic code found. One owner had solenoid valve timing control replaced twice within six months, only for the check engine light to return for the same issue. Some experience unexplained coolant loss and engine noise that dealerships want to address with full engine replacement.

Many complaints mention Nissan denying recall coverage or parts being unavailable, leaving owners stranded with unresolved failures.

Same Nissan Altima engine reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2019

Failure modes owners describe

Engine stall and knockdown

Engine stalls suddenly while driving, often at highway speeds. Upon restart, engine knocks significantly. In one case, dealer noted smoke from the engine. Related to NHTSA Campaign 25V437000.

When: Unknown mileage in one case; another at 32,000 miles at onset

Symptoms owners cite: sudden stall while driving; loud engine knock after restart; smoke from engine; no warning light before stall

Repairs/costs cited: Dealer recommended engine replacement in at least two cases

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 25V437000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) issued; however, one dealer denied coverage citing recall requirements not met at 32,000 miles; parts unavailable for others

Cracked cylinder head

Engine develops overheating issues without temperature gauge climbing into red zone. Dealer diagnosed cracked cylinder head. Owner reports dealer indicated multiple other 2020 Altimas in recent weeks had same issue. Not covered under recall per owner.

When: Unknown mileage

Symptoms owners cite: overheating issues; engine never entered overheated zone on gauge

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner told recall did not apply to their vehicle

Limp mode activation in cold weather

Vehicle enters limp mode (all engine warning lights flash) instantly with no prior warning, dropping speed to 5–15 mph and causing jerking. Occurs specifically in cold weather below 0°F when snowing. Creates hazard on highways. At 18,000 miles.

When: 18,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: all engine warning lights flash simultaneously; sudden speed reduction to 5–15 mph; jerking sensation; limp mode activation

Repairs/costs cited: Dealer resets computer each time but cannot duplicate failure during service visits

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Three complaints filed with Nissan consumer care; issue unresolved

Engine stall while parked and while driving

Engine stalls while vehicle in park, then recurs while driving at undisclosed speed. Owner able to restart and drive to destination. Dealer unable to duplicate failure on multiple visits.

When: 115,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: stall in park; stall while driving; ability to restart

Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to diagnose or repair; no work performed

Engine noise and coolant loss

Strange noises from engine with unexplained coolant loss not visible on ground. Coolant overfills in reservoir and leaks out. Ongoing since August 2024. Dealer recommended full engine replacement but owner declined. Issue persists.

When: August 2024 onward

Symptoms owners cite: strange engine noises; coolant loss without visible leak; coolant overfilling reservoir

Repairs/costs cited: Dealer recommended full engine replacement

Engine malfunction power reduced message

Check engine light and 'Engine Malfunction Power Reduced Service Now' message appears while driving, causing loss of power. Message clears when vehicle shut off and restarted. Recurs multiple times. No diagnostic codes found on scan.

When: Unknown mileage

Symptoms owners cite: engine malfunction power reduced service now message; loss of power; check engine light; rough shifting and rough running

Codes mentioned: P0101

Repairs/costs cited: P0101 code addressed but malfunction message returns intermittently

Solenoid valve timing control repeated failure

Check engine light comes on repeatedly. Solenoid valve timing control replaced twice, but engine light returns for same issue within 6 months of ownership.

When: Within 6 months of ownership

Symptoms owners cite: check engine light constantly on; repeated solenoid valve timing control failure

Repairs/costs cited: Solenoid valve timing control replaced twice

Synthesized from 20 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.

What owners are reporting 3 most recent

engine · filed 12/26/2025

Need a new engine / gasket confirmed by pep boys. Been at the dealership a lot more than usual lately and they kept telling me everything is fine with my vehicle

engine · filed 12/09/2025

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the expressway. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the engine started knocking significantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to slowly pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was…

engine · filed 11/16/2025

Unknown. The engine started have overheating issues but never was ran in the overheated zone. We took the car to the dealer and was told the head was cracked. We questioned how that was possible if we never ran it in the overheated zone. We were told they did not know but that several other Customers in the last few weeks have had the same issue. Then we heard about the recall but was told our…

Had engine trouble with your 2020 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 engine problem on the 2020 Nissan Altima?

It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 20 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.

At what mileage does the engine typically fail?

Based on the 20 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 60,104 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 $3,100 for engine 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 engine?

Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover engine 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.

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/2020/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.