2009 Nissan Altima problems
NHTSA has received 2,150 complaints about the 2009 Nissan Altima, and 40% of them involve steering. After that come electrical system (22%) and engine (5%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 2,150 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Steering 40% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 55 and 15
- Injuries and deaths
- 29 and 2
- Typical mileage
- 78,000 miles 1,706 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 99 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 129 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 262 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 383 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 327 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 181 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 150 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 99 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 43 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 16 |
| 200k+ miles | 17 |
What the data shows
Among the 1,706 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 78,000 miles. For steering specifically, the median reported mileage is about 80,000 miles (705 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 55 complaints mention a crash; 15 complaints mention a fire; 29 injuries reported; 2 deaths reported. Its complaints are less severe on average than those of 86% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2009 ranks 4th most-complained-about out of 32 model years of the Nissan Altima with enough data (761 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Son was hit on the right side and front end and the air bag did not deploy on the steering column he was killed.. Updated 11/03/14 updated 7/9/2015 ...updated08/20/15 updated 08/23/2017 updated 09/30/15 updated 12/30/15
Tl* the contacts son owned a 2009 nissan altima. The contact stated that the vehicle independently accelerated up to 100 MPH, jumped the curb, ran into a schoolyard, and ultimately crashed into a planter wall. The driver sustained fatal injuries. A police report was filed. The dealer was not contacted or made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was unknown.
A traffic officer and investigated an incident where a vehicle owner was rum over by his vehicle. The vehicle does not have a physical key to operate the vehicle. There is an electronic "key" and a push button start/shut off switch. The driver parked the vehicle in a driveway with a steep grade. The vehicle was left in "drive" with the engine off. The driver exited and started to walk away from the vehicle. The vehicle started to roll backwards, down the driveway.
Takata recall... I was hit from behind by a commercial trk doing 50 MPH I was going 5 MPH getting ready to make a left hand turn, when hit. No airbags deployed & the shoulder harness on the seat belt failed to lock. Resulting in concussion, serious back, neck & hip injuries.. Two complete safety failiers when hit at 50+ MPH. This is completely unacceptable. ## VIN failed ## nissan altima 2009 ##
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was an abnormal clanking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was driving rough. The contact stated that the ABS, brake, check engine, and TPMS warning lights were illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that there were no recalls for the failure on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.