2021 Nissan Altima: What to check before buying

Door lock actuators fail, often on two or three doors in a row. Affected doors stop locking or unlocking by fob or button, and some will not open even by hand. Several owners say the doors no longer lock automatically while driving, and dealers sometimes cannot reproduce the fault. Other reports describe false rear crash and washer fluid warnings and a backup camera that darkens, freezes, or goes black. Some describe an A/V control unit failure that blasts the radio at full volume with no way to turn it down. A few report unwanted automatic braking.

Most of these reports describe the car braking on its own. It brakes hard under overpasses, near railway crossings, in rain, and while backing up with nothing behind it, and sometimes the rear fishtails. AEB and stability warning lights or a "malfunction: see owner's manual" message often come first. Both reported crashes describe the opposite problem: the car did not stop when the driver pressed the brake, and one showed a "Chassis Control System Error" message. Dealers often cannot reproduce the fault. One separate report blames a failing rear caliper.

The main concerns are lost steering control and a loose front end. The one crash, which caused an injury, came right after a malfunction warning. The wheel then stopped responding and the car went over a curb. Other reports describe a detached tie rod ball joint, popping noises from the front end, and steering that feels too loose in sharp turns. Several owners link these symptoms to a ball joint recall but say their VIN shows no open recall. The one fire-flagged report is about wildfire heat and ash damage, not a vehicle fault.

The automatic emergency braking system brakes hard with nothing ahead. Owners report it at 60 to 70 mph, in steady traffic, leaving parking garages, and in reverse. One owner traces the false alarms to the forward radar behind the grille, which road dirt or weather can block, and turns AEB off on every drive. Another says a replaced front radar failed again within two months, on a car just past 10,000 miles. Owners say the problem started soon after purchase and kept coming back after dealer visits, and they fear being rear-ended.

Only three engine complaints are on file, and each describes a different problem. One owner reports abnormal engine noises and a metal fragment found in an oil sample at about 51,000 miles. Another reports a car that loses all power while parked and will not start, even after a new battery. A parts store later found a faulty alternator. The third complaint is filed here but describes the transmission jerking since purchase, with no fix so far.

Both complaints involve windshields cracked by road debris, and neither describes a defect in the glass itself. The real problem is the repair. One shop could not remove the windshield, and a dealer said the bolts could not come out without breaking the wiper motor. One crack happened at about 41,000 miles after a rock strike.

The car loses power while driving, once at 50 mph on a busy road. The owner blames the CVT, even though the fluid level is correct. A separate report describes a leaking transmission front seal at under 51,000 miles. Only two complaints are filed here, but a report in the engine category of the transmission jerking since purchase points the same way.