2005 Nissan ALTIMA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,091 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
86,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 906 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Structure:Body is the most frequently named component, appearing in 295 of 1,091 complaints (27.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 178 | 16.3% |
| Braking behavior | 78 | 7.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 66 | 6.0% |
| Steering behavior | 45 | 4.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 40 | 3.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 11 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Structure:Body | 295 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 196 |
| Engine | 141 |
| Electrical System | 77 |
| Power Train | 62 |
| Unknown Or Other | 60 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 43 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 41 |
Structure:Body: 295; Engine And Engine Cooling: 196; Engine: 141; Electrical System: 77; Power Train: 62; Unknown Or Other: 60; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 43; Vehicle Speed Control: 41
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 105 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 93 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 166 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 207 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 239 |
| 150,000 and above | 96 |
Under 25,000: 105; 25,000 to 49,999: 93; 50,000 to 74,999: 166; 75,000 to 99,999: 207; 100,000 to 149,999: 239; 150,000 and above: 96
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (239). 185 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 44 |
| 2006 | 38 |
| 2007 | 36 |
| 2008 | 86 |
| 2009 | 82 |
| 2010 | 97 |
| 2011 | 65 |
| 2012 | 102 |
| 2013 | 79 |
| 2014 | 106 |
| 2015 | 159 |
| 2016 | 63 |
| 2017 | 40 |
| 2018 | 26 |
| 2019 | 23 |
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2004: 13; 2005: 44; 2006: 38; 2007: 36; 2008: 86; 2009: 82; 2010: 97; 2011: 65; 2012: 102; 2013: 79; 2014: 106; 2015: 159; 2016: 63; 2017: 40; 2018: 26; 2019: 23; 2020: 10; 2021: 7; 2022: 5; 2023: 6; 2024: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Structure:Body leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 178 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 78 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 66 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10088675 · 2004-08-27 (August 27, 2004)
I JUST PURCHASED A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA FROM COOPER NISSAN IN EASTON, PA. PROBLEM: THE TRUNK LID IS POORLY DESIGNED AND IT WILL NOT STAY UP ON A SLOPING DRIVEWAY.*AK WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR AND OPENED THE TRUNK ON MY DRIVEWAY. THE TRUNK LID WOULD NOT STAY UP, WHEN PARKED ON MY DRIVEWAY. ABOUT A 15 DEGREE INCLINE. THE TRUNK LID HAS FALLEN ON ME SEVERAL TIMES BUT I WAS NOT CUT. I CONTACTED THE COOPER SERVICE DEPT AND THEY ORDERED NEW TORSION BARS. AFTER THEY WERE INSTALLED IT APPEARED TO WORK. ON 8/14/04 I WASHING VACUUMING OUT MY TRUNK…
Owner-reported narrative. 700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088675 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10106141 · 2005-01-11 (January 11, 2005)
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY I NOTICED MY CAR WAS NOT ACCELERATING WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS. MY "SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT" ALSO WENT ON. THE CAR STALLED, AND HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. THIS HAPPENED ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER SIX TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CAR IS A 2005 ALTIMA 2.5SL. AS I'M WRITING THIS MY CAR IS BACK AT THE DEALER....AGAIN TOWED IN!!!*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10106141 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10081960 · 2004-08-12 (August 12, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH CONSUMER SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN A PANIC SITUATION AND BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID. VEHICLE SKIDDED 15 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT TIRES HAD FLAT SPOTS BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT. ALSO, THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS LOCKED UP. THIS FAILURE WAS LIKELY TO RECUR IF THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED IN A PANIC SITUATION AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH OR FASTER.*AK WHEN APPLYING VEHICLE BRAKES IN A PANIC THE TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081960 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10087554 · 2004-08-04 (August 4, 2004)
WHEN APPLYING VEHICLE BRAKES IN A PANIC THE TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS UNAWARE THAT THIS WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10087554 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10114304 · 2005-03-18 (March 18, 2005)
CAR PULLS TO RIGHT AND LEFT HARD TO CONTROL STEERING...TOOK TO DEALER FOUR TIMES,THEY SAY ITS THE ROAD.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114304 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10117572 · 2005-04-06 (April 6, 2005)
DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES TO REPORT. DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10117572 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10097034 · 2004-10-18 (October 18, 2004)
THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START ONCE THE KEY WAS TURNED. AFTER TRYING ABOUT 15-20 TIMES, IT WILL START AND DARK SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE DEALER STATED THAT ALL CODES WERE NORMAL AND SUGGESTED THE BATTERY BE REPLACED, HOWEVER THEY DID NOT REPLACE IT AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 5,512 miles reported. Look up ODI 10097034 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10134724 · 2005-08-30 (August 30, 2005)
DT: THE CALLER'S VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT GOING 10 MPH WHEN IT STALLED. SHE COULD NOT GET IT STARTED ,AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALER. THE BATTERY LIGHT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, SHE WAS TOLD SHE COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO OTHER INDICATION THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. DEALER HAS VEHICLE NOW AND WILL CALL HER WHEN THEY HAVE CHECK IT. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WILL CALL HER BACK. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 24,189 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134724 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10128271 · 2005-07-11 (July 11, 2005)
I HAD A GAS LEAK FROM MY GAS TANK. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER . THE SERVICE PEOPLE STATED THAT THEY FOUND " SLASH IN FUEL TANK.... APPEARS TO BE CLAW MARK FROM ANIMAL... FOUND HAIR FROM ANIMAL STUCK ON CROSS MEMBER". NO OTHER DAMAGE TO VEHICLE BESIDES THE GAS TANK. VEHICLE IS STILL AT DEALER. HAVE CONTACTED REGIONAL DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER. I AM WAITING FOR HIM TO CALL ME BACK, BECAUSE OF THE STORY FROM THE DEALER THAT THE TANK WAS CLAWED OPEN, BECAUSE COMMON SENCE WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE. . MY CONCERN I…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,710 miles reported. Look up ODI 10128271 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10146636 · 2005-12-31 (December 31, 2005)
THE CAR FAILED TO START AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR 13 MONTHS. THE CAR ACTED AS IF IT WAS FLOODED, CRANKING BUT NOT FIRING. TO START THE CAR I HAD TO HOLD THE GAS PEDAL DOWN UNTIL THE CAR FIRED AND STARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER RECENTLY PURCHASING GASOLINE. WE ONLY USE 2-3 DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS WITH GOOD REPUTATIONS. IT SEEMED TO HAPPEN THE FIRST COLD SPELL OF NOVEMBER 2005. THE DEALER SAID THESE CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULDN'T CAUSE FLOODING AND IF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP US. THE PROBLEM HAS …
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10146636 at NHTSA ↗