2018 Nissan Altima Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2018 Nissan Altima has a complaint index of 25, ranking 16th of 21 model years, and carries a Good verdict relative to other Altima years. NHTSA lists 225 complaints, 2 recalls, and no do-not-drive orders for this year.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 25/100
- #16 of 21 Altima years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 225
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 11
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 6
- Top issue
- Brakes
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 30
- 26 city / 37 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 6 / 0
Top 2018 Nissan Altima problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Other60 (27%)
- Brakes54 (24%)
- Electrical System49 (22%)
- Airbags36 (16%)
- Engine23 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain23 (10%)
- Structure & Body18 (8%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras16 (7%)
- Steering12 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires6 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system fails to detect pedestrians or vehicles and does not apply the brakes, sometimes shortly after purchase.
- Some drivers describe the brake pedal going to the floorboard with reduced stopping power, leading to collisions.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in head-on and rear-end crashes, resulting in occupants being thrown into the steering wheel or dashboard.
- Electrical faults are described in the brake light switch, causing brake lights to stop working and contributing to a rear-end crash.
- A structural issue was reported near the right front strut tower, producing a popping noise during steering and acceleration.
- Front collision sensors reportedly triggered false alarms or failed to register a diagnostic code despite dealer visits.
2018 Nissan Altima recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 20V315000May 28, 2020Structure & Body1,831,818 vehicles
Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.
Risk: Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. If the primary latch is inadvertently released again and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an OwnerÂs Manual addendum card with instructions on how to lubricate and maintain the secondary hood latch mechanism, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: Recall 16V-029 remains open for any unremedied 2013-2015 Altimas and this recall applies to all vehicles covered by 16V-029 even if those repairs have already been performed.
- NHTSA 19V654000Sep 12, 2019Collision Avoidance & Cameras1,228,830 vehicles
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
2018 Nissan Altima fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 26 MPG
- Highway
- 37 MPG
- Combined
- 30 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,150
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2018 compared with other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Nissan Altima reliable?
- Relative to other Altima model years, the 2018 rates Good, with a complaint index of 25 and a rank of 16th out of 21 years tracked.
- What are the most common problems with the 2018 Nissan Altima?
- NHTSA complaint data shows Brakes as the top problem area (54 complaints, 24% share), followed by Electrical System (49 complaints, 22%) and Airbags (36 complaints, 16%).
- Does the 2018 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2018 Altima: one for a hood latch issue and one covering back-up camera software, neither marked do-not-drive.
- At what mileage do 2018 Altima brake problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure across all reported issues for this model year is 36,000 miles, with brake complaints specifically showing a median of 34,455 miles.
- How does the 2018 Altima compare to other years like 2013?
- The 2018 Altima's complaint index of 25 is far lower than the 2013 Altima's index of 100, which is rated Avoid with 2,312 complaints and 12 recalls.