2004 NISSAN ALTIMA Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Nissan Altima. This model year has 276 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Engine Problems.
Before you buy — check the actual VIN
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2004 Nissan Altima Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Engine Problems
Structural Problems
Electrical Faults
Considering a 2004 Nissan Altima?
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2004 Nissan Altima. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Problems | 139 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Structural Problems | 42 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 32 | 3 | 1 | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 17 | — | — | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 11 | 7 | 1 | — | |
| Steering Defects | 11 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 10 | 2 | — | — | |
| Brake System | 10 | 1 | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 9 | 2 | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 9 | 1 | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 6 | 1 | — | — | |
| Visibility | 6 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Child Seat | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Door Lock Issues | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2004 Nissan Altima. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 276 most recent complaints
The car has a fuel problem and crankshaft position sensor issue causing the car to die and also not start up normal idling. When I do get it to start up it idles very groggy.
The crankshaft position sensor (cps) was not responsive when the repair shop was testing the vehicle because of the "service engine soon" light came on. After a short search online they 1.) Had no signal to the cps from the pcm 2.) That there was also a voluntary recall by nissa…
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR THEN THE AXLE TWICE AND THE BRAKES THEN ETC
THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE IS RUSTING AWAY. THERE IS A HOLE IN THE FLOOR BOARD ON PASSENGER SIDE, FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE FROM RUST. YOU CAN FEEL AROUND THE FRAME OF THE CAR AND CHUNKS OF METAL FALL OFF . THIS WAS NOTICED DURING MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE . CAR WAS STATIONARY …
MY VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONT COLLISION AT 35MPH. THE DRIVER WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED THERE WAS NO ONE SITTING IN THAT SEAT. THE DRIVER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.
THE SOUND PACKAGING WAS PEELING ; YET TRULY THE FLOOR BOARDS ON DRIVERSIDE AND FRONT PASENGER HAVE COMPLETELY RUSTED OFF!! SO DANGEROUS! AND I HAVE HORRIBLE ALLERGIES AND THE CARPET IS FULL OF DUST AND MILDEW.
CAR WAS STALLING 2 DAYS AGO SHUT IT OFF AND DROVE AWAY JUST FINE NOT EVEN 4 HOURS LATER MY FIANCE WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME HE CAME UP AROUND A HILL /BEND ON A CITY STREET THE CAR LOCKED UP ON HIM ALONG WITH THE OIIL BRAKE AND BATTERY LIGHT THE BREAKS WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING CAR WOUL…
ENGINE STALLS DURING DRIVING. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERYDAY. CAM SHAFT SENSOR REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE BURNED TOO MUCH FUEL TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. …
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE EXTENDED CRANK FAILED TO SPARK THE CRANK SENSOR. WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED.…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REPLACED THE MANIFOLD, OXYGEN SENSOR, AND A COMPUTER CHIP; HOWEVER, …
I RECENTLY HAD MY CAR SERVICED AND WAS TOLD MY FLOOR PANEL HAD ROTTED THROUGH. THE CAR IS A 2004 BUT HAS LESS THAN 44,000 MILES, HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND HAS BEEN GARAGED PART OF THE TIME.ARTICLES ON THE INTERNET SHOW IT IS A MASSIVE PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS DUE TO POOR DRA…
"TAKATA RECALL"TENGO PROBLEMA CON MI CARRO DESDE Q LO AGARRE SIEMPRE FALLABA DE LO MISMO ENGINE Y HASTA AHORA SE DESCOMPUSO Y NO PUEDO ARREGLARLO Q TENGO Q HACER O SOBRE EL PROGRAMA RECALL .GRACIAS
MI CARRO TIENE PROBLEMAS CON LAS CABEZAS .Y AHORITA NO LO PUEDO USAR PORQ ESTA PARADO POR NO ARREGLARLO TODAVIA QUISIERA SABER SOBRE RECALL.GRACIAS
FLOOR BOARDS (DRIVER & PASSENGER SIDES), EXTENSIVE RUST CAUSING PIECES OF FLOOR BOARDS TO FALL OFF, OR EASILY BE REMOVED WITH HAND BY MECHANIC, LEAVING INSULATION EXPOSED ON EXTERIOR, AND HOLE UNDER CARPETING. SMELL OF GAS FUMES IN CABIN. ALSO, SQUEAKING AND CRACKING SOUNDS UNDER…
CAR DOES NOT START. ACTS LIKE IT IS NOT GETTING FUEL...MECHANIC SUGGESTING CPS VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY FOR ONLY TEN MINUTES.. RAN JUST FINE BEFORE HAND.
PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD RUSTING. HOLE IN THE FLOOR!
RUSTED FLOOR BOARDS/PANELS UNDER VEHICLE AT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FLOOR SIDE DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. RUST STARTED AFTER 2 YEARS OF USE .VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW AT THE DEALERSHIP AND RUST STARTED 24 MONTHS AFTERWARDS WITH NO ACTION TAKEN BY THE DEALERSHIP OF NISSA…
THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARD HAS RUSTED OUT LEAVING A 12" X 10" HOLE RIGHT IN THE AREA THAT YOU WOULD STEP INTO THE CAR. SINCE THIS IS THE AREA THAT IS REGULARLY INSPECTED DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE OIL FILTER, HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS WASN'T DETECTED PREVIOUSLY TO JUST FALLING OUT…
FLOOR BOARDS UNDER THE DRIVER & PASSENGER SEATS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. CAN SEE & FEEL THE CARPET FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR. IF YOU STEP TOO HARD ON THE FLOOR FROM THE INSIDE, YOU FOOT WOULD GO THROUGH AND YOU WOULD TOUCH THE GROUND.
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2004 Nissan Altima.
Recalls for 2004 Nissan Altima
5 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2004 Nissan Altima. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2004 Nissan Altima — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2004 Nissan Altima reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2004 Nissan Altima has 276 NHTSA owner complaints, 14 crash-related, and 5 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Engine Problems (139 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Nissan Altima?▾
#1: Engine Problems (139 complaints). #2: Structural Problems (42 complaints). #3: Electrical Faults (32 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2004 Nissan Altima?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2004 Nissan Altima?▾
The 2004 Nissan Altima has 14 crash-related complaints and 3 fire reports out of 276 total NHTSA complaints. 11 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2004 Nissan Altima have any recalls?▾
Yes — 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2004 Nissan Altima. The largest issue: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2004 Nissan Altima?▾
The 2004 Nissan Altima has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Engine Problems issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Nissan Altima reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2004 Nissan Altima
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.