YearToAvoid

2011 Nissan Altima Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 47 engine complaints for the 2011 Nissan Altima, 20% of all complaints filed for that year. Median mileage at failure is 75,000. No related recalls are listed for this problem area.

Engine complaints
47
20% of 241
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
75,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden loss of power or stalling while driving at highway speeds, sometimes with all warning lights coming on and the steering becoming disabled.
  • Some describe the vehicle shaking or vibrating at moderate speeds before stalling and failing to restart.
  • Several complaints describe the engine or CVT overheating, triggering a warning light, with one owner noting a proposed cooling-fan fix.
  • Owners report the engine stalling shortly after refueling and needing to be restarted.
  • One complaint describes white smoke turning black under the hood followed by the vehicle catching fire while driving on the interstate.
  • A few owners report the vehicle unexpectedly decelerating or locking at a fixed speed on the highway, unrelated to accelerator input.

When 2011 Nissan Altima engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 25, 2012, latest Jun 3, 2026.

2011 Nissan Altima engine complaints: complaints filed per month3Jan 2012Dec 2013Oct 2016Oct 2017Aug 2018Sep 2019Dec 2021Mar 2024
47 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2012 to Jun 2026; peak Aug 2018 (3).

Engine recalls for the 2011 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.

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

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2011 Nissan Altima have?
NHTSA lists 47 engine complaints for the 2011 Altima, which is 20% of the 241 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2011 Nissan Altima engine?
No related recalls are listed for this problem area in the available data.
At what mileage do 2011 Altima engine problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for reported engine problems is 75,000 miles.
What kind of engine failures do owners describe?
Owners describe sudden loss of power at highway speed, stalling after refueling, overheating with warning lights, and in one case a fire after white smoke appeared under the hood.

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.