YearToAvoid

2005 Nissan Altima Engine Problems

NHTSA has 417 owner complaints about engine problems in the 2005 Nissan Altima, 38% of all 1,091 complaints for this model year. That is the highest engine complaint count among 21 Altima model years. These complaints report 13 crashes, 10 fires, and 14 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 78,000 miles.

Engine complaints
417
38% of 1,091
Crashes reported
13
Fires reported
10
Injuries reported
14
Median mileage
78,000 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2005 Nissan Altima engine complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 7, 2004, latest Apr 28, 2026.

2005 Nissan Altima engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter232004 Q42007 Q32009 Q42012 Q12014 Q22016 Q32018 Q42022 Q2
417 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2004 Q4 to 2026 Q2; peak 2009 Q1 (23).

Engine recalls for the 2005 Nissan Altima

  1. NHTSA 07V527000Nov 14, 2007Engine653,910 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling

    On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crankshaft position sensor can overheat causing a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.

    Risk: If the interruption in the signal from the crankshaft position sensor is so brief that the electronic control module (ECM) logic does not have time to diagnose the condition, the engine may stop running without warning while the vehicle is driven at a low speed increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the ECM free of charge. Certain my 2006 altimas which have been previously remedied under recall campaign 06v223 (nissan r0606) are not included in this recall since the reprogramming for 06v223 also included this reprogramming. The recall began on december 31, 2007. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Engine complaints by Altima model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005417 (38%)
  2. 2006375 (46%)
  3. 200789 (19%)
  4. 2008104 (10%)
  5. 2009158 (10%)
  6. 201070 (18%)
  7. 201147 (20%)
  8. 2012105 (25%)
  9. 2013206 (9%)
  10. 2014100 (9%)
  11. 201595 (10%)
  12. 2016127 (23%)
  13. 201773 (19%)
  14. 201823 (10%)
  15. 201964 (28%)
  16. 202043 (27%)
  17. 20217 (10%)
  18. 20227 (23%)
  19. 20237 (24%)
  20. 20245 (12%)
  21. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Nissan Altima have engine problems?
NHTSA has 417 owner complaints about the engine in the 2005 Nissan Altima, 38% of all complaints for this model year, including 13 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 78,000 miles.
Which Nissan Altima year has the most engine complaints?
The 2005 Nissan Altima has the most engine complaints (417), compared with 417 for the 2005.
Is there a engine recall for the 2005 Nissan Altima?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 Nissan Altima concerns the engine: 07V527000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.