1994 Nissan ALTIMA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
83 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
120,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1994 model year. Data snapshot: . 16 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 17 of 83 complaints (20.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 7 | 8.4% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 6.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 3.6% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 3.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 2.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 2.4% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | 17 |
| Air Bags | 8 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 6 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 5 |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 4 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 3 |
Air Bags:Frontal: 17; Air Bags: 8; Electrical System:Ignition: 6; Vehicle Speed Control: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 5; Air Bags:Side/Window: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 4; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 7 |
| 150,000 and above | 5 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 5
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 67 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 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 20 |
| 1996 | 1 |
| 2000 | 9 |
| 2001 | 17 |
| 2002 | 8 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 7 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
1995: 20; 1996: 1; 2000: 9; 2001: 17; 2002: 8; 2003: 5; 2004: 7; 2005: 2; 2006: 4; 2008: 2; 2009: 1; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2015: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10003017 · 2003-01-20 (January 20, 2003)
FOR THE PAST 15 MONTHS MY CAR HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE, IT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF SHOPS AND NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. CAR DIES ON ME WHEN IT COME TO A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN, VIHICLE LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON AFTER 60 MPH, WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF, IT WILL NOT TURN BACK ON. I HAVE TO WAIT ABOUT AN HOUR FOR IT TO TURN BACK ON. IT WILL ALSO NOT TURN ON IF THE CAR IS UP ON A LITTLE HILL. CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. AND IT IS ALWAYS JURKING ON ME AS IF IT IS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003017 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010404 · 2003-03-13 (March 13, 2003)
PASSENGER SIDE DOOR STUCK! IT CAN'T BE OPENED ANYMORE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010404 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10024526 · 2003-06-20 (June 20, 2003)
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024526 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10042891 · 2003-12-10 (December 10, 2003)
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 03V150000 CONCERNING THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BY APPOINTMENT AND THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIRS.*AK THE CONSUMER WAS VERY UNSATISFIED WITH NISSAN QUALITY OF SERVICE AFTER HAVING TRAVELED 2 HOURS. *CB *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10042891 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045037 · 2003-10-29 (October 29, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045037 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10054057 · 2004-01-14 (January 14, 2004)
THE DEALER WILL NOT DO RECALL REPAIRS FOR AIR BAGS UNLESS THE CONSUMER PAYS CASH. DEALER WAS INFORMED OF THE RECALL, MADE AN APPOINTMENT, AND SPOKE TO THE CONSUMER ABOUT THE RECALL BEFORE HAND. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054057 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10059167 · 2004-02-17 (February 17, 2004)
ON 2/12/2004 CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON, AND DROVE TO WORK. WITHIN TWO MINUTES, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 114,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059167 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10071892 · 2004-04-29 (April 29, 2004)
FOIA REQUEST CYS OF ALL DOCUMENTATION, RECALL LTRS PERTAINING TO THE DEFECTIVE NATURE OF THE AIRBAGS IN THE 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA (SEARCH ATTACHED), ATT REPRESENT FERNANDO RAMOS SANTOS. (NAR) *PH *CB *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10071892 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
03V150000 · Air Bags:Frontal
Reported: 2003-04-25 (April 25, 2003)
NISSAN IS RECALLING MY 1994 AND EARLY 1995 ALTIMA VEHICLES FOLLOWING REPORTS THAT PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS IN THESE VEHICLES HAD CAUSED A NUMBER OF MODERATE-TO-SEVERE EYE INJURIES. NISSAN HAS DEVELOPED A NEW PASSENGER AIR BAG THAT IS LESS POWERFUL WHEN IT INFLATES IN A CRASH TO REDUCE THE RISK OF AIR BAG INFLATION-RELATED INJURIES.
Consequence: NISSAN EXPECTS THAT THIS NEW AIR BAG CAN HELP REDUCE THE RISK OF AIR BAG INFLATION-RELATED INJURIES.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL REPLACE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AT NO CHARGE TO THE CONSUMER. THE MANUFACTURER HAS REPORTED THAT OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 28, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA campaign record ↗94V035000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Reported: 1994-02-28 (February 28, 1994)
ENGINE MOVEMENT CAN BE TRANSMITTED TO THE AIRFLOW METER/FILTER HOUSING AND SUPPORT BRACKET, WHICH IS MOUNTED IN THE ENGINE AIR DUCT, CAUSING THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING TO PULL OUT OF THE CABLE GUIDE. THIS MAY PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS RELEASED.
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL REPOSITION THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING IN THE SUPPORT BRACKET TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SLACK FOR ENGINE MOVEMENT. A RUBBER STOPPER WILL BE CLAMPED TO THE CABLE TO MAINTAIN THE CORRECT POSITION FOR THE CABLE AT THE SUPPORT BRACKET. IN ADDITION, THE THROTTLE CABLE WILL BE TESTED FOR PULL OUT RESISTANCE FROM THE GUIDE IN THE EVENT THE CABLE WAS DAMAGED. THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY WILL BE REPLACED, IF NECESSARY.
NHTSA campaign record ↗