YearToAvoid

2016 Nissan Altima Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 235 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2016 Nissan Altima, 42% of all 553 complaints filed for the year. The median mileage at failure is 64,700, and there is no related recall for this problem area.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
235
42% of 553
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
64,700 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle hesitating or failing to accelerate for several seconds when pressing the gas pedal from a stop or at low speed.
  • Some drivers describe the RPM climbing high, sometimes over 6,000 rpm, while the car does not respond with matching acceleration.
  • Owners describe the transmission getting stuck or refusing to move at stoplights or when merging, creating a stall-like condition in traffic.
  • Several report a rattling sound and a shift delay when accelerating onto a highway from an on-ramp after the engine has warmed up.
  • A few owners had the transmission replaced around 44,000 miles and reported the same failure returning again around 120,000 miles.
  • One owner described unintended forward acceleration while shifting into park, and another described the vehicle losing speed and failing to accelerate on the freeway.

When 2016 Nissan Altima transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 7, 2017, latest Aug 16, 2026.

2016 Nissan Altima transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter182017 Q12018 Q22019 Q32020 Q42022 Q12023 Q22024 Q32025 Q4
235 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2017 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q2 (18).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2016 Nissan Altima

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Altima model year

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

  1. 201073 (19%)
  2. 201168 (28%)
  3. 2012149 (35%)
  4. 2013505 (22%)
  5. 2014209 (19%)
  6. 2015161 (17%)
  7. 2016235 (42%)
  8. 2017133 (34%)
  9. 201823 (10%)
  10. 20199 (4%)
  11. 202017 (11%)
  12. 20213 (4%)
  13. 20224 (13%)
  14. 20231 (3%)
  15. 20244 (10%)
  16. 20251 (14%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are transmission problems in the 2016 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA lists 235 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2016 Altima, which is 42% of all 553 complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2016 Nissan Altima transmission?
No. The data shows no related recalls listed for this problem area.
At what mileage do these transmission problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 64,700 miles.
Did the transmission issues cause any crashes?
NHTSA data tied to this problem area for the 2016 Altima includes 3 crashes and 1 injury, with 0 fires reported.
How does the 2016 Altima compare to other model years for this issue?
The 2016 Altima's 42% share of complaints tied to Transmission & Powertrain is the highest among the listed model years, compared to 34% in 2017 and 17% in 2015.

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.