2018 Nissan ALTIMA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Nissan ALTIMA has 320 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is other problems (19% of all complaints), specifically: while driving during rain conditions, the forward radar repeatedly disables itself with an "obstruction" warning, which also disables the automatic emergency braking function. this issue does not present during dry weather conditions, and does not happen while transiting through a car wash. this pr.

11 crash reports 5 injuries

320

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

4.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

OTHER

60 complaints

19%

• WHILE DRIVING DURING RAIN CONDITIONS, THE FORWARD RADAR REPEATEDLY DISABLES ITSELF WITH AN "OBSTRUCTION" WARNING, WHICH ALSO DISABLES THE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING FUNCTION. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT PRESENT DURING DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND DOES NOT HAPPEN WHILE TRANSITING THROUGH A CAR WASH. THIS PR
• SOME UNAUTHORIZED PERSON OPENED THE TRUNK BY A REMOTE DEVIC E. CAR WAS PARKED, ENGINE OFF.
• THE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING LIGHT ARBITRARILY COMES ON AND STAYS ON. I CAN BE AT A FULL STOP AND THE LIGHT COMES. SEE THE ATTACHED PICTURE. I CAN BE DRIVING AND THE LIGHT COMES AND STAYS ON. FOR THE MOST PART THIS HAPPENS IN JUST ABOUT ANY DRIVING CONDITIONS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING DURING RAIN CONDITIONS, THE FORWARD RADAR REPEATEDLY DISABLES ITSELF WITH AN "OBSTRUCTION" WARNING, WHICH ALSO DISABLES THE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING FUNCTION. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT PRESENT DURING DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND DOES NOT HAPPEN WHILE TRANSITING THROUGH A CAR WASH. THIS PR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

49 complaints

15%

• CAR WOULD NOT BRAKE AND HIT A POLE. THE VEHICLE IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE EMERGENCY BRAKES, BUT DID NOT WORK. OFTEN WOULD GET A MESSAGE ACROSS MY DASHBOARD SAYING IT WAS UNAVAILABLE.
• THE FRONT RADAR AEB KEEPS GOING OUT, ALMOST THE REASON FOR MY VEHICLE TO NOT STOP IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. THIS FEATURE WAS THE COMPLETE REASON I BOUGHT IT NOW I FEEL LIKE IT IS DANGEROUS. I AM CONSIDERING ASKING FOR COMPLETE BUY OUT OF MY LOAN. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK 3 TIMES IN 3, NISSAN
• WHILE DRIVING DURING RAIN CONDITIONS, THE FORWARD RADAR REPEATEDLY DISABLES ITSELF WITH AN "OBSTRUCTION" WARNING, WHICH ALSO DISABLES THE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING FUNCTION. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT PRESENT DURING DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND DOES NOT HAPPEN WHILE TRANSITING THROUGH A CAR WASH. THIS PR

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

“CAR WOULD NOT BRAKE AND HIT A POLE. THE VEHICLE IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE EMERGENCY BRAKES, BUT DID NOT WORK. OFTEN WOULD GET A MESSAGE ACROSS MY DASHBOARD SAYING IT WAS UNAVAILABLE.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

37 complaints

12%

• I PURCHASED A NEW 2018 NISSAN, THE FRONT END COLLISION SENSOR IS ALARMING AND HAS EVER SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS AND THEY HAVE REFERRED ME TO NISSAN AND SAY THAT I SHOULD WAIT FOR THE RECALL. I THINK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS MY CAR IS NOT SAFE WITH THE FRONT END
• WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PROCEED AFTER A STOP SIGN WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON DASH INCLUDING THE BATTERY LIGHT. I PUT ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS. WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS THE CAR MADE NO ACCELERATION NOISE AND DID NOT MOVE. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE. I MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT THE LIGHTS REMAINED AND THE
• DURING RANDOM DRIVING THE FORWARD COLLISION SENSOR COMES ON STATING THAT FORWARD COLLISION IS UNAVAILABLE. SOMETIMES THE SENSOR WILL GO OFF 1-2 TIMES OR UP TO 6 TIMES IN ONE DAY. THIS SENSOR CONTROLS THE (AEB) AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING. NISSAN HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ISSUE IN SEVERAL CARS BUT NO REC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“I PURCHASED A NEW 2018 NISSAN, THE FRONT END COLLISION SENSOR IS ALARMING AND HAS EVER SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS AND THEY HAVE REFERRED ME TO NISSAN AND SAY THAT I SHOULD WAIT FOR THE RECALL. I THINK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS MY CAR IS NOT SAFE WITH THE FRONT END”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

36 complaints

11%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CROSSROADS NISSAN WAKE FOREST (11120 CAPITAL BLVD, WAKE FOREST, NC 27587, (877) 331-9055) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT EITHER THE SPIRAL CORD INSIDE THE STEERING WHEE
• WE WERE DRIVING AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WE WERE NOT IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT. PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF, HAD PASSENGER GET OUT OF CAR AND BACK IN THEN RESTARTED THE CAR. LIGHT WENT OFF LIKE NORMAL. SHORTLY AFTER DRIVING IT CAME BACK ON AND NOW NO LONGER TURNS OFF, DISABLING MY AIR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PREMIER NISSAN OF METAIRIE LOCATED AT 6636 VETERANS MEMORIAL BLVD, METAIRIE, LA 70003, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN UNKNOWN OBJECT UNDERNEATH T

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CROSSROADS NISSAN WAKE FOREST (11120 CAPITAL BLVD, WAKE FOREST, NC 27587, (877) 331-9055) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT EITHER THE SPIRAL CORD INSIDE THE STEERING WHEE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

22 complaints

• PURCHASED NISSAN ALTIMA S 2018 , THE AEB "AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BREAKING " DOES NOT FUNCTION AT ANY TIME, THE COMPUTER WILL NOT ESTABLISH A CODE FOR IT NOT WORKING EITHER. IT'S EITHER A FAULTY COMPUTER NOT ESTABLISHING A CODE OR THE THE AEB IS FAULTY. WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO STOP FOR A PEDESTRIAN CROSSIN
• AEB WILL NOT APPLY BRAKE WHEN NARROWLY MISSING A CAR THAT RAN A STOP SIGN.THE AEB "AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING" DOES NOT WORK AT ANY TIME, OR ANY SITUATION. DEALERSHIP IN SHELBY,NC. NISSAN ,REFUSES TO FIX NOT EVEN JAD IT A MONTH YET. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SENSOR ACTIVATED AT RANDOM. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT AT THE TIME. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOR THE PAST FIVE MONTHS ON A DAILY BASIS. THE VEHICL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“PURCHASED NISSAN ALTIMA S 2018 , THE AEB "AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BREAKING " DOES NOT FUNCTION AT ANY TIME, THE COMPUTER WILL NOT ESTABLISH A CODE FOR IT NOT WORKING EITHER. IT'S EITHER A FAULTY COMPUTER NOT ESTABLISHING A CODE OR THE THE AEB IS FAULTY. WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO STOP FOR A PEDESTRIAN CROSSIN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 320 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
OTHER: WHILE DRIVING DURING RAIN CONDITIONS, THE FORWARD RADAR REPEATEDLY DISABLES ITSELF WITH AN "OBSTRUCTION" WARNING, WHICH ALSO DISABLES THE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING FUNCTION. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT PRESENT DURING DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND DOES NOT HAPPEN WHILE TRANSITING THROUGH A CAR WASH. THIS PR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: CAR WOULD NOT BRAKE AND HIT A POLE. THE VEHICLE IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE EMERGENCY BRAKES, BUT DID NOT WORK. OFTEN WOULD GET A MESSAGE ACROSS MY DASHBOARD SAYING IT WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I PURCHASED A NEW 2018 NISSAN, THE FRONT END COLLISION SENSOR IS ALARMING AND HAS EVER SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS AND THEY HAVE REFERRED ME TO NISSAN AND SAY THAT I SHOULD WAIT FOR THE RECALL. I THINK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS MY CAR IS NOT SAFE WITH THE FRONT END
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CROSSROADS NISSAN WAKE FOREST (11120 CAPITAL BLVD, WAKE FOREST, NC 27587, (877) 331-9055) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT EITHER THE SPIRAL CORD INSIDE THE STEERING WHEE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)