2010 Nissan Altima Engine Problems
NHTSA lists 70 engine complaints for the 2010 Nissan Altima, 18% of all complaints filed for the year. Owners report engine fires, sudden power loss, surging, and overheating, with a median mileage of 60,782 at failure. No related recalls are listed for this engine issue.
- Engine complaints
- 70
- 18% of 380
- Crashes reported
- 4
- Fires reported
- 5
- Injuries reported
- 7
- Median mileage
- 60,783 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical engine symptoms owners report
- Owners report engine compartment fires that start with a burning smell or smoke and can fully engulf the vehicle, sometimes while driving at highway speed.
- Some drivers describe sudden loss of power or stalling on the highway, leaving the car unable to move out of traffic.
- Others report unexpected surging or jerking at low speed, including while parked or stopped, which owners say occurred more than once before further action was taken.
- A few complaints describe the engine overheating shortly after purchase, with the temperature gauge climbing to the high end.
- Some owners noticed no warning lights or check-engine indicators before the engine sputtered, lost power, or caught fire.
When 2010 Nissan Altima engine complaints were filed
First complaint Apr 27, 2010, latest Jun 21, 2025.
Engine recalls for the 2010 Nissan Altima
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Engine complaints by Altima model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are engine problems in the 2010 Nissan Altima?
- NHTSA lists 70 engine complaints for the 2010 Altima, which is 18% of the 380 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2010 Nissan Altima engine?
- No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this engine problem area.
- At what mileage do engine problems typically appear?
- The median mileage at failure among reported engine complaints is 60,782 miles.
- Did the 2010 Altima engine problems cause fires or crashes?
- NHTSA data tied to this engine problem area shows 5 fires, 4 crashes, and 7 injuries reported.
- Are engine complaints worse in the 2010 Altima than other years?
- The 2010 model's 18% share of complaints tied to engine issues is lower than several later years, such as 2019 at 28% and 2020 at 27%, based on NHTSA data.