Is the 2014 Nissan ALTIMA reliable?

The 2014 Nissan ALTIMA has 1390 complaints filed with NHTSA (4.0x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: avoid. Most common issue: LIGHTING problems.

What are common problems with the 2014 Nissan ALTIMA?

Top problems: LIGHTING (298 complaints, avg repair $500); TRANSMISSION (210 complaints, avg repair $500); AIR BAGS (206 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2014 Nissan ALTIMA?

Yes, there are 8 recall(s): AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH. Contact any Nissan dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2014 Nissan ALTIMA?

The 2014 Nissan ALTIMA gets 28 MPG combined. At current US average gas prices, driving 12,000 miles per year costs roughly $1714. See the interactive fuel cost calculator on this page for state-specific pricing.

How much does it cost to insure a 2014 Nissan ALTIMA?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2014 Nissan ALTIMA is approximately $1,598/year (sedan-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2014 Nissan ALTIMA

Q: Is the 2014 Nissan ALTIMA often stolen?

The Nissan ALTIMA was the #4 most-stolen vehicle in the United States in 2025 with approximately 15,200 thefts (NICB Hot Wheels data). Theft risk tier: high.

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2014 Nissan ALTIMA has 1390 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.0x the segment average of 344. The most common issue is lighting problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: rear taillight housings fog up badly, some dealerships didn't recognize problem then one did when i did not go back to dealership right away they sent the parts back! finally another dealership recognized the problem but when they changed them one had a mark inside of the fixture, part missing insid. There are 8 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 9 fire reports filed.

9 fire reports 50 crash reports 63 injuries

1390

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

5/5

Safety Stars

4.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

LIGHTING

298 complaints

21%

• REAR TAILLIGHT HOUSINGS FOG UP BADLY, SOME DEALERSHIPS DIDN'T RECOGNIZE PROBLEM THEN ONE DID WHEN I DID NOT GO BACK TO DEALERSHIP RIGHT AWAY THEY SENT THE PARTS BACK! FINALLY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM BUT WHEN THEY CHANGED THEM ONE HAD A MARK INSIDE OF THE FIXTURE, PART MISSING INSID
• SINCE THE FIRST WEEK WE OWNED THE CAR, OCCASIONALLY THE SCREEN(BACK UP CAM, RADIO...) DOESN'T START, OR FAILS WITHIN FIRST MILE OF DRIVING- MAYBE 10 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE DATE. ON JULY 29, 2015- MORNING- CAR UPON START, NO SCREEN AND NO DASHBOARD. RESTARTED TWICE AND THEN FINE. AT 9:30 P.M. SAME DAY-
• MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS HAVE JUST GOTTEN SUPER DIM THAT I FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING AT NIGHT. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AND OVER TIME THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT PROJECTION DIMMED OVER TIME THAT I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING AT NIGHT. I REPLACED THE BULB AND THAT DIDN'T WORK. I THEN UPGRADED TO LED LIGHTIN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“REAR TAILLIGHT HOUSINGS FOG UP BADLY, SOME DEALERSHIPS DIDN'T RECOGNIZE PROBLEM THEN ONE DID WHEN I DID NOT GO BACK TO DEALERSHIP RIGHT AWAY THEY SENT THE PARTS BACK! FINALLY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM BUT WHEN THEY CHANGED THEM ONE HAD A MARK INSIDE OF THE FIXTURE, PART MISSING INSID”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2014 Nissan ALTIMA

Based on 892 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 63K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 60-100K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

265

30-60K

156

60-100K

291

100-150K

147

150-200K

200K+

AIR BAGS

Earlier than typicalmedian 22K mi · 139 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

STEERING

Earlier than typicalmedian 13K mi · 45 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRICAL

Earlier than typicalmedian 32K mi · 43 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BODY/STRUCTURE

Earlier than typicalmedian 54K mi · 40 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BRAKES

Earlier than typicalmedian 45K mi · 22 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

SPEED CONTROL

Earlier than typicalmedian 33K mi · 18 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (8)

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION19/12/2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014, to August 12, 2016, and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured June 4, 2015, to August 19, 2015. An incorrect Occupant Classification System (OCS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have been installed in the front passenger seat. The incorrect ECU and seat combination may misclassify the front passenger seat occupant.

Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECU and update the OCS software free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

High theft risk

#4 most stolen in 2025

The Nissan ALTIMA was the #4 most-stolen vehicle in the United States in 2025, with approximately 15,200 thefts reported to law enforcement.

Notes: Widely available, high resale demand

Recommended protection: engine immobilizer verification, steering wheel lock, GPS tracker, and comprehensive insurance coverage. Higher theft risk usually translates to higher comprehensive-coverage insurance premiums.

Source: NICB Hot Wheels 2025 report + HLDI theft loss studies. Model-year ranking; not all years of this model have identical risk.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2014 Nissan ALTIMA

Live EIA prices

Annual miles driven: 12,000

Your state (affects local gasoline price)

Per year

$1,715

Per month

$143

Per mile

14.3¢

MPG

City driving (worst-case MPG)

$2,182/yr

Highway driving (best-case MPG)

$1,298/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today

Show:

Current

$4.00

5-year low

$2.78

5-year high

$5.01

Since 2021

+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2014 Nissan ALTIMA

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,598

Full coverage / month

$133

Liability only / year

$574

vs US avg

-5%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x

× theft risk1.15x

× safety rating0.94x

× vehicle age0.92x

= Full coverage estimate$1598

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Nissan ALTIMA Service Intervals

Oil change

5K mi / 6 mo

Tire rotation

5K mi

Brake fluid

24 months

Transmission fluid

60K mi

Engine coolant

105K mi

Spark plugs

105K mi

Cabin air filter

15K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

60K mi

CVT-equipped models (Altima, Sentra, Rogue, Pathfinder) MUST use Nissan NS-3 CVT fluid, not conventional ATF. Frequent CVT service extends life significantly.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Nissan New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

3 yr / 36K mi

These are the terms for a new Nissan. If you're buying a used 2014 ALTIMA, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Nissan dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1390 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
LIGHTING: REAR TAILLIGHT HOUSINGS FOG UP BADLY, SOME DEALERSHIPS DIDN'T RECOGNIZE PROBLEM THEN ONE DID WHEN I DID NOT GO BACK TO DEALERSHIP RIGHT AWAY THEY SENT THE PARTS BACK! FINALLY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM BUT WHEN THEY CHANGED THEM ONE HAD A MARK INSIDE OF THE FIXTURE, PART MISSING INSID
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN AT A STOP LIGHT, VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND SLOW DOWN. IT FELT AS IF IT WAS GOING TO LOSE POWER. I HAD TO PUSH THE ACCELERATOR HARDER THAN EXPECTED AS THERE WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE BEARING DOWN ON ME IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASH INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A SEPARATED HIP. THE TWO REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK, SPINE AND WHIPLASH INJURIE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SUSPENSION: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON FIVE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE ALIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS RE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 8 recalls have been completed — free at any Nissan dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)