NISSAN ALTIMA · model year

1996 NISSAN ALTIMA

117 NHTSA complaints, 27 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996NISSANALTIMA carries 117 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 27 crashes, 5 fires, 18 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 1996 ALTIMA is air bags:frontal with 21 filings, followed by air bags (11) and power train:automatic transmission (5). 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 1996 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.

117
Complaints
27
Crashes
5
Fires
18
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

117 filings

Crashes Reported

27 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:FRONTAL21
AIR BAGS11
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION5
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS3
STRUCTURE:BODY3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION3
SUSPENSION:FRONT2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY2
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY2

Recent Complaints

20180211FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

CAR WAS DRIVING CRAZY AND TURNED OFF IN STREET.

Mileage: 40

20180211EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CAR WAS DRIVING CRAZY AND TURNED OFF IN STREET.

Mileage: 40

20130621CrashSUSPENSION

MY CAR CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP, BUT MY CAR JUST DIDN'T & MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. EVEN BEFORE THE CRASH, THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF, & I CAN BARELY SEE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS! ALSO, MY CAR MAKES LOUD CRANKING NOISES WHEN I TURN. EVERY CAR I SEE LIKE MINE, HAS A SMASHED UP FRONT END & HAS ALL THE SAME ISSUES. I CAN'T CURRENTLY AFFORD A NEW CAR, BUT I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE MINE, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE. HELP ME PLEASE! WHO CAN I CONTACT? I STRONGLY BELIEVE THESE CARS ARE NOT FIT FOR DRIVING. I NEED MY PROBLEMS SOLVED FAST BEFORE SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS HAPPENS! IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW DANGEROUS THESE CARS TRULY ARE, I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT SOMETHING ELSE TO KEEP MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD SAFE. I DON'T HAVE THE MEANS AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE TO BUY A SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE VEHICLE. I EVEN HAD TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM COLLEGE, BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO GET MYSELF THERE. IT'S VERY DEVASTATING. *TR

20130621CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY CAR CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP, BUT MY CAR JUST DIDN'T & MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. EVEN BEFORE THE CRASH, THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF, & I CAN BARELY SEE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS! ALSO, MY CAR MAKES LOUD CRANKING NOISES WHEN I TURN. EVERY CAR I SEE LIKE MINE, HAS A SMASHED UP FRONT END & HAS ALL THE SAME ISSUES. I CAN'T CURRENTLY AFFORD A NEW CAR, BUT I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE MINE, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE. HELP ME PLEASE! WHO CAN I CONTACT? I STRONGLY BELIEVE THESE CARS ARE NOT FIT FOR DRIVING. I NEED MY PROBLEMS SOLVED FAST BEFORE SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS HAPPENS! IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW DANGEROUS THESE CARS TRULY ARE, I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT SOMETHING ELSE TO KEEP MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD SAFE. I DON'T HAVE THE MEANS AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE TO BUY A SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE VEHICLE. I EVEN HAD TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM COLLEGE, BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO GET MYSELF THERE. IT'S VERY DEVASTATING. *TR

20130621CrashAIR BAGS

MY CAR CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP, BUT MY CAR JUST DIDN'T & MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. EVEN BEFORE THE CRASH, THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF, & I CAN BARELY SEE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS! ALSO, MY CAR MAKES LOUD CRANKING NOISES WHEN I TURN. EVERY CAR I SEE LIKE MINE, HAS A SMASHED UP FRONT END & HAS ALL THE SAME ISSUES. I CAN'T CURRENTLY AFFORD A NEW CAR, BUT I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE MINE, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE. HELP ME PLEASE! WHO CAN I CONTACT? I STRONGLY BELIEVE THESE CARS ARE NOT FIT FOR DRIVING. I NEED MY PROBLEMS SOLVED FAST BEFORE SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS HAPPENS! IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW DANGEROUS THESE CARS TRULY ARE, I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT SOMETHING ELSE TO KEEP MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD SAFE. I DON'T HAVE THE MEANS AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE TO BUY A SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE VEHICLE. I EVEN HAD TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM COLLEGE, BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO GET MYSELF THERE. IT'S VERY DEVASTATING. *TR

20060928TIRES

1996 ALTIMA LEFT FRONT TIRE SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. *TS *JB

20060928WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

1996 ALTIMA LEFT FRONT TIRE SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. *TS *JB

20060102FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

MY DAUGHTER'S 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA DEVELOPED AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT SOMETIMES LEFT HER STRANDED. WHEN I DISCOVERED WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, I WANTED OTHERS TO KNOW. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL CONNECTION INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. IT WAS BURNED AND HAD ACTUALLY MELTED THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK WHERE THE CONNECTORS WERE. IT WAS THE TWO WIRE CONNECTOR THAT CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. THE FUSE WAS A 15 AMP FUSE, BUT THE WIRES AND THE CONNECTORS LOOKED SMALL FOR THAT KIND OF CURRENT DRAW. THIS LOOKS TO ME LIKE A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. ALSO, I FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT THE WIRE "PIGTAIL" WAS NOT AVAILABLE FROM NISSAN AS A REPAIR PART. *NM

Mileage: 90,000

20040716AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

I HAVE A 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE. THE AIR BAG SYSTEM DEVELOPED A PROBLEM, I.E. THE INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OUT - IT CONTINUED TO FLASH. UPON DIAGNOSIS BY THE NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO BE A MALFUNCTIONING CONTROL MODULE. THIS WILL CAUSE THE UNIT TO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. I HAVE LEARNED THROUGH THE NHTSA WEBSITE THAT NISSAN HAS HAD PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THESE AIR BAG SYSTEMS, AND MY PROBLEM MAY BE A CONTINUATION OF THESE.*AK

Mileage: 82,150

20040713AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

AIR BAG MODULE. LIGHT ON DASH STARTED TO FLASH . TOOK CAR TO DEALER SHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE AIRBAG MODULAR AFTER THEY CHECK OUT THE COMPUTER. I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER IF THEIR WAS A RECALL ON THIS AND HE SAID NO. I ASKED IF THIS WAS COMMON AND HE SAID HE HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE IN THIS MODEL AND YEAR. THE PART COST OVER $550.00 NOT INSTALLED. HE TOLD ME TO TRY TO FIND ONE IN A JUNK YARD, TOLD ME HOW TO REMOVE AND INSTALL SAME AND EVEN OFFERED TO LET ME BORROW THE SPECIAL TOOL NEEDED TO REMOVE AND INSTALL SAME. THEN I WAS TO BRING BACK CAR TO HAVE THE LIGHT RESET, AS THIS WOULD DETERRMINE IF THE MODULAR THAT I GOT WAS ANY GOOD. IF LIGHT DIDN'T RESET THEN THAT MODULAR WAS NOT GOOD. IT WAS LAST YEAR WHEN THE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND I HAVE NOT AS YET FOUND A MODULAR IN A JUNK YARD. *LA

Mileage: 70,000

20040426EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

I BOUGHT MY PRE-OWNED 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA IN NOVEMBER OF 2000. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY WITH MY TRUNK WHEN IT RAINS. THE RAIN WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE TRUNK THROUGH THE REAR LIGHTS. I HAD THE SEAL CHECKED AND THAT WAS OKAY. I WENT TO TRADE IN THE CAR, FOR AN UPGRADE, AND THEY HAD ASKED ME ABOUT THE REAR LIGHTS. THEY HAD SAID THAT THERE WAS A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE LEAKS. I WAS WONDERING IF THIS IS TRUE AND IF NOT, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT IN A COMPLAINT ABOUT THEM. *AK

20040102ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

RE: NISSAN ALTIMA 1996: THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS TOO NEW TO GO BAD AND THERE ARE TOO MANY BAD ONES SHOWING UP. I HAD TO REPLACE IT AT A VERY HIGH COST TO ME, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. *AK

Mileage: 84,000

20030922FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

THIS COMPLAINT IS ON 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE. ON 9/21/03, THE CAR FAILED TO START IN THE MORNING EVEN THOUGH IT HAD NO ISSUES THE NIGHT BEFORETHE ENGINE TURNED BUT WOULD NOT CATCH ON AND IGNITE. ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, A LOCAL MECHANIC FOUND THE ROOT CAUSE TO BE THE FAILED FUEL PUMP, THEREBY EXPLAINING THE SYMPTOMNO FUEL TO THE ENGINE, NO IGNITION. ADDITIONALLY AND MORE CRITICALLY, HE FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC HOUSING OF THE POWER CONNECTOR (POWER TO DRIVE THE PUMP) WAS SEVERELY DAMAGEDIT HAD MELTED WITH INDICATIONS FOR ARCS. THE CRITICAL ASPECT IS THAT THE BURNED/ARC-ED SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR (ELECTRICAL FEED-THROUGH) SITS INSIDE THE FUEL TANK AND WOULD SIT IN THE FUEL VAPOR WHEN THE FUEL IS LOW IN THE TANK. THIS COMBINATION OF ARCING AND FUEL VAPOR, I BELIEVE, CONSTITUTES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE WITH POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE CONSEQUENCES. IT IS VERY FORTUNATE THAT THIS POTENTIAL FOR EXPLOSION DID NOT MATERIALIZE. HOWEVER, THE SITUATION, I BELIEVE, DEFINITELY WARRANTS FURTH

Mileage: 96,000

20030625CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A RIGHT-ANGLED FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. NEITHER THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK *CB

Mileage: 74,000

20030604SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

COIL SPRINGS BROKE. *AK

Mileage: 85,000

20030403AIR BAGS

AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT

20030320POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHEN CHANGING THE VEHICLES GEARS THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY GO FORWARD AND NOT REVERSE DUE TO A BURNED OUT CLUTCH. *NLM

20021101EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

FROM THE MOMENT I'VE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT ONCE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT ANY SPEED, THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FLICKER AND DO NOT LIGHT PROPERLY. ONE SIDE DOESN'T LIGHT WHILE THE OTHER SIDE DOES. THIS EVENT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. THERE IS NO PROBLEM WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS OR RUNNING LIGHTS ON. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AS I DRIVE FOR A LIVING AND NOTICE REPEATEDLY THAT THIS INCIDENT OCCURS WITH VIRTUALLY EVERY NISSAN ALTIMA THAT I OBSERVE ON THE ROADS. I AM CONCERNED THAT BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE LIGHT ISSUE THIS MIGHT CAUSE A FOLLOWING VEHICLE TO NOT SEE THE BRAKE LIGHTS PROPERLY AND STRIKE ME OR I MIGHT RECIEVE A SUMMONS OR POSSIBLY FAIL VEHICLE INSPECTION. DT

20021024AIR BAGS

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND THE AIR BAG COULD BE INOPERATIVE IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED.*JB

Mileage: 116,000

20020924ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN SLOWING DOWN THE ENGINE REV'S REALLY HIGH. CONSUMER STATES WHEN PULLING OFF VEHICLE WILL JERK LIKE ITS A MANUAL SHIFT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM

Compare 1996NISSANALTIMA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA have?
The 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA has 117 NHTSA complaints, 27 crashes, 5 fires, 18 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA?
The most-complained component for the 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 21 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1996 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.