Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Altima vs Nissan Frontier
How the Nissan Altima and Nissan Frontier compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Nissan Altima vs Nissan Frontier: The Altima has 1178 complaints over 10 years (117.8/yr) vs Frontier's 473 (47.3/yr). Both have 22 recalls, but Altima shows more electrical and powertrain issues, while Frontier has fatal power loss and brake problems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan Altima or Nissan Frontier more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan Altima
The Nissan Altima, a midsize sedan, shows a high volume of owner complaints over the past decade, averaging nearly 118 per year. The issues span multiple systems, with electrical gremlins, powertrain glitches, and engine problems being the most frequent. Owners report sudden power loss, stalling, and even a case where the car veered into a barrier, suggesting that reliability can be a serious concern for daily driving.
Nissan Frontier
The Nissan Frontier, a midsize pickup, has fewer complaints per year (about 47), but its issues are still significant. Electrical failures, including complete power loss while driving, and powertrain problems like stalling and hesitation are common. Brake issues, where the pedal goes low and the accelerator is too close, also appear, along with some unusual problems like a roof rack detaching and a foul odor from the ventilation system.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan Altima | Nissan Frontier |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,178 | 473 Better |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 22 | 22 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 96 | 32 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 117.8 | 47.3 Better |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 73 | 12 Better |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Nissan Altima
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER237
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM206
- 03POWER TRAIN193
- 04ENGINE157
- 05SERVICE BRAKES148
Owners report sudden stalling, complete power loss, and alternator failures without warning. One incident involved the car dying in a parking lot, and another had the alternator fail at 33,000 miles, leaving the driver stranded.
The gear shifter can detach from its housing, locking the car in Drive, and the engine may shut off and restart while driving. These issues can make the car undriveable and pose safety risks.
The high-pressure fuel pump can loosen and unseat due to failed mounting threads, causing oil leaks and sudden loss of power. This is a critical failure that can happen without warning.
“I was driving to work. As I was doing so multiple lights came on my dashboard and it started dinging. At the same time my car immediately shot left so hard into the concrete median barrier at 70 mph. It all happened so fast I was not able to see what lights c…”
“I took my car into the dealer to ask a question. Upon arriving I tried to open the drivers door after I turned the ignition off to exit the car and the drivers door would not open. The service man tried to open it from the outside with the same results. Final…”
Nissan Frontier
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM120
- 02POWER TRAIN113
- 03SERVICE BRAKES81
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER72
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE63
Complete power/ignition failure can occur while driving, leading to stalling and even a fatal accident in one case. Owners also report intermittent stalling that requires restarting the vehicle.
The vehicle may fail to increase speed and run on idle for several seconds, or stall and drastically lose power. These issues can happen sporadically, making them hard to diagnose.
The brake pedal can go almost to the floor when depressed, and the accelerator pedal sits too close, creating a potential for pedal misapplication. This is a serious safety concern.
“Complete power/ignition failure resulting in death of driver on [XXX] while driving at night in the rain in a 2017 Nissan Frontier Pickup 4 door. The TDPS in McKinney, TX is pulling the black box for testing. 2 weeks before the accident the same vehicle (2017…”
“As I was driving my truck this morning it stalled on me, two times. The first time I was able to turn the key off and back on again and it started right up. I then drove it about 20 yards (luckily I was in a parking lot) and it stalled again but this time the…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Nissan Altima — 22 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Altima, Sentra, 2025-2026 Frontier, and 2026 Kicks vehicles. The door strikers may have been improperly welded and break, allowing the door to open while moving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Mot…
The risk: A door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury or a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the door strikers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD185 and PMA61. Vehicle Iden…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Altima vehicles. The bolts connecting the electronic power steering unit to the steering rack may loosen, resulting in a loss of steering control or steering lock-up.
The risk: A loss of steering control or steering lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 9, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC997.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand…
The risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge.…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand…
The risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge.…
Nissan Frontier — 22 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over t…
The risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7…
The defect: 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. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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-…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over t…
The risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7…
The defect: 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. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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-…
Buyer analysis
Nissan Altima or Nissan Frontier: which should you buy?
The Nissan Frontier has fewer complaints per year (47.3 vs 117.8), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, both vehicles have serious safety-related failures, so the difference in frequency may not fully reflect the severity. In practice, the Frontier may offer slightly better odds of fewer problems, but both require careful inspection.
Key differences
- The Altima has more than double the complaints per year, with electrical and powertrain issues being most common.
- The Frontier has fewer complaints but includes a fatal electrical failure and brake pedal issues that are particularly concerning.
- The Altima has a specific engine fuel pump failure that can cause sudden power loss, while the Frontier has a roof rack that can detach.
- Both have recalls for backup cameras, but the Frontier also has ignition and transmission recalls.
- Check for any signs of electrical issues, such as warning lights, stalling, or alternator problems. Ask for service records related to the electrical system.
- Inspect the gear shifter for looseness or damage, and test all gears to ensure it shifts properly.
- Test the brakes thoroughly, noting if the pedal feels spongy or goes too low. Also check the accelerator pedal clearance.
- Look for any signs of power loss or stalling, and ask if the ignition system has been replaced or serviced.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on electrical and powertrain systems.
- Test drive at various speeds, including highway, to check for stalling or hesitation.
- Check the brake pedal feel and ensure there is adequate clearance between brake and accelerator pedals.
- Ask for maintenance records, especially for alternator, fuel pump, and ignition components.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Nissan Altima | Nissan Frontier |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 12 |
| 2025 | 6 | 14 |
| 2024 | 40 | 38 |
| 2023 | 29 | 128 |
| 2022 | 20 | 110 |
| 2021 | 69 | 34 |
| 2020 | 177 | 46 |
| 2019 | 226 | 28 |
| 2018 | 223 | 25 |
| 2017 | 388 | 38 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Nissan Altima or Nissan Frontier in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Altima vs Nissan Frontier
- Nissan Altima total complaints
- 1,178
- Nissan Frontier total complaints
- 473
- Nissan Altima total recalls
- 22
- Nissan Frontier total recalls
- 22
- Nissan Altima avg complaints/year
- 117.8
- Nissan Frontier avg complaints/year
- 47.3
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Frontier
- Nissan Altima top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Nissan Frontier top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM