Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2020 Nissan Altima
NHTSA data on file today
The 2020 Nissan Altima has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns and 183 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars, averaged across 2 NHTSA-tested trims.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #25V437000 Engine Failure NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #23V628000 Rearview Camera Image May Not Display/FMVSS 111 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V169000 Tire Failure may Cause Sudden Air Loss NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V138000 Tie Rod Ball Joint Fastener Not Tightened Properly NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V685000 Over Cured Tires Can Fail NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V570000 Rear Window Glass May Separate NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Electrical System 46 complaints
- Engine 38 complaints
- Unknown or Other 36 complaints
- Forward Collision Avoidance 30 complaints
- Steering 20 complaints
- Power Train 18 complaints
Of the 183 complaints on file, 16 report a crash and 7 a fire; across all 183 complaints, owners report 15 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,500–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2020 Nissan Altima has a substantial number of complaints and six recall campaigns, indicating some reliability concerns. The most frequent issues are related to the electrical system and engine, which had multiple recalls. However, there is not enough evidence to assess all potential problems accurately, suggesting that outcomes may vary between vehicles.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | Unknown | $200–$800 | common |
| Engine | Unknown | $1,500–$4,000 | common |
| Tie rod assembly | Unknown | $250–$600 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil changes every 5,000 miles
- Tire rotations each 10,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 2 years
- Coolant check annually
- Cabin air filter yearly
- Transmission service at 60,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Check engine light
- Steering play or noise
- Battery draining quickly
- Engine knocking sounds
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2020 Nissan Altima at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.