2016 Nissan Altima recalls and problems

4 recalls and 555 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Nissan Altima.

4
recalls
555
owner complaints
28
complaints mentioning a crash
3
mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2016 Nissan Altima recalls

Latches/locks/linkages: hood, latch

NHTSA campaign 20V315000 · reported May 28, 2020 · Nissan North America, Inc. · 1,831,818 vehicles potentially affected

The problem
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.
The 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.
The fix
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 Owner’s 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.

Structure: emergency, escape/egress/exit · Latches/locks/linkages: doors, latch

NHTSA campaign 18V915000 · reported December 19, 2018 · Nissan North America, Inc. · 341,003 vehicles potentially affected

The problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles, previously remedied under recall number 17V-040. The door latch-lock cable may not have been routed properly in the rear door when the remedy was applied. As a result, the cable may interfere with the window regulator causing the rear passenger door to unlatch and inadvertently open without warning when the window is lowered.
The risk
If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
The fix
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will secure the latch-lock cables in the correct position using the new remedy procedure, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7669.

Latches/locks/linkages: doors, latch

NHTSA campaign 17V040000 · reported January 18, 2017 · Nissan North America, Inc. · 341,005 vehicles potentially affected

The problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles. The rear door latch/lock cable on the vehicles may have been improperly routed. As a result, lowering a rear window may inadvertently cause that door to unlatch and open.
The risk
If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.
The fix
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will correct the rear door latch/lock cable routing, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Air bags: sensor, occupant classification

NHTSA campaign 16V244000 · reported April 26, 2016 · Nissan North America, Inc. · 3,296,947 vehicles potentially affected

The problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
The risk
If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
The fix
Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Oct 23, 2026 · Air bags

The airbag light on my 2016 Nissan Altima model came on, showing code B0020-13. This airbag code indicates a problem with the driver side airbag system, typically caused by damaged wiring, a malfunctioning seat sensor, or a loose connector beneath the driver's seat. The repair quote from my local Nissan dealership…

Oct 13, 2026 · Air bags

I have a 2016 Nissan Altima, Its airbag light is on. diagnose say the driver side airbag has problem. Nissan has recall, but not include my VIN: […]. How?? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Sep 8, 2026 · Unknown or other

The HVAC system in my 2016 Nissan Altima produces cold air, but the airflow is not properly directed through the dashboard vents toward the occupants. Instead, the airflow is primarily directed toward the floor and windshield. This problem has continued throughout the summer of 2026. I have two children, ages […] and…

Aug 16, 2026 · Power train

To recap: •Nissan manufactured defective transmissions. •Nissan granted me a warranty extension with a fleeting expiration date (2023) to shift the cost away from them. •In 2020, Nissan performed work on my car. The work they performed masked the problem, didn’t fix it. And it deferred the problem, “kicking the can…

Aug 10, 2026 · Exterior lighting · 165,000 miles

The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the driver's side headlight had become inoperable. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with an internal headlight failure, and it was determined that the headlight assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The…

Altima model years compared

YearRecallsComplaintsCrashesFires
2013 122,313639
2014 81,114528
2015 10955465
2016 4555283
2017 3393247
2018 2226110
2019 7234225

Across all years, the 2013 Altima has the most complaints (2,313). All Nissan Altima years →

Questions

Does the 2016 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2016 Nissan Altima, the most recent reported on May 28, 2020 (Latches/locks/linkages: hood, latch). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Nissan Altima?
Owners have filed 555 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is power train (235 complaints), followed by engine (86).
How many 2016 Nissan Altima complaints mention a crash or fire?
28 of 555 complaints report a crash and 3 a fire; 32 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received October 23, 2026.