NISSAN ALTIMA · model year

1994 NISSAN ALTIMA

120 NHTSA complaints, 37 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1994NISSANALTIMA carries 120 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 37 crashes, 2 fires, 33 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1994 ALTIMA is air bags:frontal with 28 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (9) and air bags (9). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 1994 ALTIMA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

120
Complaints
37
Crashes
2
Fires
33
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

120 filings

Crashes Reported

37 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL28
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL9
AIR BAGS9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE4
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW4
TIRES3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION3
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS3
SUSPENSION:FRONT2
WHEELS:HUB2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2

Recent Complaints

20240501CrashFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Vehicles throttle was stuck open which caused a vehicle to collide into homeowners trailer.

20191009CrashAIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, RELEASED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS FROM THE DRIVEWAY, CROSSED THE STREET, AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A SORE BACK, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND TOWED OUT OF THE DITCH TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DUPLICATED THE FAILURE AND KEPT THE VEHICLE AT THE SHOP, ATTEMPTING TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V150000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED BAYTOWN NISSAN AT 844-498-4477 (LOCATED AT 5445 I-10 EAST, BAYTOWN, TX 77521) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS LATER CALLED BACK FR

20191009CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, RELEASED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS FROM THE DRIVEWAY, CROSSED THE STREET, AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A SORE BACK, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND TOWED OUT OF THE DITCH TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DUPLICATED THE FAILURE AND KEPT THE VEHICLE AT THE SHOP, ATTEMPTING TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V150000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED BAYTOWN NISSAN AT 844-498-4477 (LOCATED AT 5445 I-10 EAST, BAYTOWN, TX 77521) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS LATER CALLED BACK FR

20180604ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND WAS RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE DISTRIBUTOR WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, AND THEN LATER TOWED BACK TO THE SAME INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 192,000.

Mileage: 192,000

20180604ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND WAS RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE DISTRIBUTOR WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, AND THEN LATER TOWED BACK TO THE SAME INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 192,000.

Mileage: 192,000

20150902ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000.

Mileage: 230,000

20110117AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WON,T GO OFF! *TR

Mileage: 160,000

20100426ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

MY CAR IS A 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA 4 DOOR WITH 107,000, AND NO PREVIOUS MECHANICAL ISSUES EVER. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF NISSAN OWNERS OUT THERE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME ISSUE, WHY HAS NISSAN DONE NOTHING TO HELP? I FEEL THIS PROBLEM COULD BECOME A SAFETY HAZARD AS THE CAR RANDOMLY STALLS IN TRAFFIC. 1) THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE. THE PROBLEM BEGAN ABOUT 7 DAYS AGO ON APRIL 19, 2010. 2) THE FAILURE IS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE CAR SHAKES VIOLENTLY AT IDLING (BETWEEN 0-1RPM) AND UPON APPLYING GAS, TREMBLES TO GET GOING. WHEN EVER CAR GETS BELOW 1RPM, IT WILL BEGIN TO TREMBLE AGAIN. THE CAR IS HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME STARTING AS WELL AS GETTING POWER TO DRIVE. THE CAR STALLS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT WILL START. THIS IS THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. 3) TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM, I WILL REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WHICH IS IN THE AREA OF $600-1000. I KNOW THAT THIS ISSUE IS DEEP ROOTED BECAUSE MY CAR IS UP TO DATE ON TUNE-UPS, OIL CHANGES, NEW SPARK

Mileage: 107,000

20100120FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

1994 NISSAN ALTIMA FUEL INJECTOR CONTAMINATION, REPLACE FUEL INJECTOR THREE TIMES BEFORE IT FINALLY PUSHED THE FUEL INTO THE EXHAUST PIPE AND EXPLODED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. SOMETHING IS CAUSING THE INJECTORS TO SHOOT START FUEL INTO #3 HEADS WITH OUT PULSATING THE FUEL PROPERLY. *TR

Mileage: 145,000

20090910TIRES

AT BOTH SPEEDS OF 65 AND 35MPH, ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WE EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC TIRE BELTING AND TREAD SEPARATION. *TR

Mileage: 159,000

20081018VISIBILITY

I OWN A 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA. IN DECEMBER 2006, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUNVISOR MALFUNCTIONED AND DROPPED DOWN BLOCKING THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, THIS DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ON DEC 21, 2006, THE MALFUNCTIONING SUNVISOR WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE ($113.65). AROUND AUGUST 2008, THE REPLACEMENT SUNVISOR FELL OUT OF IT'S HOLDER AND BRACKET INTO THE DRIVER'S LAP WHILE DRIVING. THE OWNER FIXED IT SO IT WOULD NOT FALL OUT AGAIN. HOWEVER, IN OCT 2008, THE REPLACEMENT SUNVISOR WOULD NO LONGER STAY UP. AGAIN IT SWUNG DOWN INTO THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER WHILE DRIVING. AGAIN, IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT THIS DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND BASED ON ON-LINE POSTS IT IS A COMMON THEME AMONG NISSAN VEHICLES. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR A REPLACEMENT AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT OR GIVE ME A DISCOUNT SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED OVER 12 MONTHS AGO. NEXT WEEK, I WILL FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NISSAN CORPORATE OFFICES. HOWEVER, BA

Mileage: 126,000

20081018EQUIPMENT

I OWN A 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA. IN DECEMBER 2006, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUNVISOR MALFUNCTIONED AND DROPPED DOWN BLOCKING THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, THIS DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ON DEC 21, 2006, THE MALFUNCTIONING SUNVISOR WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE ($113.65). AROUND AUGUST 2008, THE REPLACEMENT SUNVISOR FELL OUT OF IT'S HOLDER AND BRACKET INTO THE DRIVER'S LAP WHILE DRIVING. THE OWNER FIXED IT SO IT WOULD NOT FALL OUT AGAIN. HOWEVER, IN OCT 2008, THE REPLACEMENT SUNVISOR WOULD NO LONGER STAY UP. AGAIN IT SWUNG DOWN INTO THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER WHILE DRIVING. AGAIN, IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT THIS DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND BASED ON ON-LINE POSTS IT IS A COMMON THEME AMONG NISSAN VEHICLES. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR A REPLACEMENT AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT OR GIVE ME A DISCOUNT SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED OVER 12 MONTHS AGO. NEXT WEEK, I WILL FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NISSAN CORPORATE OFFICES. HOWEVER, BA

Mileage: 126,000

20080521TIRES

LOUD NOISE FROM DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE, FOUND APPROX. FOUR INCH OVAL BUBBLE APPROX. ONE AND ONE HALF INCH PROTRUSION FROM OUTSIDE SIDEWALL NEAR RIM. *TR

20060619ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

1. MY AND EVERY OTHER MID 90'S ALTIMA HAS GOT FOGGED HEADLIGHTS THAT BARELY ILLUMINATE ANY LIGHT THROUGH. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM? 2. I HAVE HAD THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDE REPLACED TWICE, BOTH TIMES COSTING AROUND $1,500.00 AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. I CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP REPLACING THIS PART OR THE HEADLIGHTS. WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS? *NM

20060619EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

1. MY AND EVERY OTHER MID 90'S ALTIMA HAS GOT FOGGED HEADLIGHTS THAT BARELY ILLUMINATE ANY LIGHT THROUGH. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM? 2. I HAVE HAD THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDE REPLACED TWICE, BOTH TIMES COSTING AROUND $1,500.00 AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. I CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP REPLACING THIS PART OR THE HEADLIGHTS. WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS? *NM

20060326ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

OIL LEAK FRONT RUBBER O-RING AT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. HAD THIS REPAIRED ONCE AT THE NISSAN DEALER 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO. PAID $1200 TO FIX THE FIRST TIME, HOWEVER I'M ALMOST CERTAIN I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING ALL OVER AGAIN. VEHICLE ISN'T WORTH THE COST OF THE REPAIR AT THIS POINT. *JB

20060116VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND APPROACHING US HIGH WAY 1 AND 9. MY WIFE REPORTED TO ME THAT OUR 94 NISSAN ALT. ALL OF SUDDEN STARTED TO INCREASE IN SPEED. IN FULL FEAR OF HER LIFE. SHE STEP DOWN ON THE BRAKES AND PULL UP THE EMERGENCY BRAKES AND THE CAR KEPT TAKING MOTOR POWER AND WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN. AS SHE APPROACHED THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT STOP. SHE HAD TO TURN LEFT TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT AND SHIFT THE CAR INTO THE PARKING GEAR TO STOP. SO AFTER I HEARD THIS I HAD MY MECH. PUT NEW BRAKES ON THE CAR AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE MOTOR AND I CHECK FOR RECALL ON LINE. THIS MORNING I TOOK THE CARTO THE NISSAN DEALER AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPEN ALSO TELLING THEM ABOUT THE RECALL I HAD RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND THEY REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL WANTING TO BILL ME FOR A DIAGNO. TEST BECAUSE MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL NIS 1994. THIS IS A TRUE STORY. *JB

20060104SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

VEHICLE: 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE. PROBLEM: SEAT BELT RETRACTOR DOES NOT OPERATE, RETRACT, OR EVEN LOCK UP. IN ORDER TO AVOID AN 18 WHEELER FROM RUNNING OVER ME ON THE FREEWAY, I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT, LOST CONTROL, AND ENDED UP IN A DITCH. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, NOR, DID THE SEAT BELT LOCK UP AS DESIGNED. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD REPLACE BOTH ITEMS, BUT, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM. I EXPLAINED THAT WITH BOTH SAFETY ITEMS NOT WORKING, THIS COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. THEY STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SAFETY ITEM, IT IS ONLY COVERED FOR THE NEW CAR WARRANTY PERIOD. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 105,490 MILES ON IT, AND HAS HAD ONLY ONE OWNER SINCE NEW. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE MANY 1994 - 1997 ALTIMA'S WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND ALTHOUGH WE CURRENTLY HAVE SEAT BELT LAWS IN TEXAS, I AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING TAKING THE RISK OF NOT UT

Mileage: 104,990

20050623ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

MY 94 NISSAN ALTIMA SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WAS SOMETIME IN APRIL OF 2004. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN THE CAR STARTED JURKING AND THE ENGINE DIED. I STARTED THE CAR UP AGAIN AND KEPT ON DRIVING FOR ABOUT 1/2 A MILE (I DROVE FOR ABOUT 10 MILES PRIOR TO THIS CAR FAILURE AND THAN AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED IDLE FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS I DROVE BACK HOME FOR 12 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS). WHILE DRIVING TO SCHOOL A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER FOR ABOUT 8 MILES I SLOWED DOWN TO TAKE AN EXIT OF A HIGHWAY AND THE CAR STARTED JURKING AND THE ENGINE STALLED OUT AND DIED I RESTARTED THE CAR AND DROVE FOR ANOTHER 3 MILES WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS THEN PARKED FOR 7 HOURS WHILE I WAS IN SCHOOL AND I DROVE BACK HOME 12 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS. MY BROTHER IN LAW DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO WORK AND HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM TWICE ON TWO SEPERATE DAYS IN ABOUT THE SAME DISTANCE(8-10 MILES). I DROVE THE CAR TO A MECHANIC BUT HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE T

Mileage: 107,000

20050318ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

DURING COLD WEATHER INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE DISTRIBUTOR FIVE TIMES, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

Mileage: 19,100

Compare 1994NISSANALTIMA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA have?
The 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA has 120 NHTSA complaints, 37 crashes, 2 fires, 33 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA?
The most-complained component for the 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 28 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and AIR BAGS.
Is the 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.