YearToAvoid

2018 Nissan Altima Transmission & Powertrain Problems

Owners filed 23 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Nissan Altima, about 10% of its 225 total complaints for the year. The median mileage at failure was 12,104.5 miles, and NHTSA lists no related recalls for this issue on this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
23
10% of 225
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
12,105 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • CVT judders, shudders, clunks, or jerks during acceleration, sometimes at highway speeds around 75 mph.
  • Transmission suddenly loses power or drops speed on the highway, with RPMs surging up and down before the car struggles to move.
  • CVT fails outright and throws code P17F0, leaving the vehicle unable to shift into drive or reverse or causing it to stall in traffic.
  • Transmission slips into neutral unexpectedly at higher speeds, cutting power to the drive train while in traffic.
  • Vehicle hesitates or refuses to accelerate past a low speed even with the pedal fully pressed, with RPMs climbing without matching acceleration.
  • Owners report CVT replacement costs after warranty expiration, with some noting an extended CVT warranty that lapsed before repairs were made.

When 2018 Nissan Altima transmission complaints were filed

First complaint May 9, 2019, latest Jul 7, 2026.

2018 Nissan Altima transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month1May 2019Apr 2020Aug 2021Feb 2022Dec 2022Sep 2023Dec 2024May 2026
23 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2019 to Jul 2026; peak May 2019 (1).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2018 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 many 2018 Nissan Altima owners reported transmission problems?
NHTSA lists 23 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2018 Altima, which is about 10% of the 225 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2018 Nissan Altima CVT transmission?
NHTSA's data shows no related recalls listed for this transmission issue on the 2018 Altima.
At what mileage do 2018 Altima transmission problems usually happen?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 12,104.5 miles.
Did the 2018 Altima transmission problems cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA's complaint data for this component and year lists 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries.
How does the 2018 Altima compare to other model years for this issue?
The 2018 Altima's transmission complaint share of 10% is lower than several other years, such as 2016 at 42% and 2017 at 34%, based on NHTSA complaint data.

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.