2020 Nissan Altima Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2020 Nissan Altima. Part of Generation 6 — 2019–present.

20192021
Complaints
266
per 10K Sold
19.3
US Sales
137,988
Crashes
27
Fires
10
Injuries
21
Fatalities
1
Recalls
6

Worst 2020 Nissan Altima Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#135 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:31,009 mi
Fires:5
#232 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:65,264 mi
Fires:2
#319 complaints

Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings

Avg mileage:2,500 mi
Crash-related:3
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2020 Nissan Altima.

Electrical Faults
35
complaints
Crashes
Fires
5
Avg Miles
31,009
Engine Problems
32
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
65,264
Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings
19
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
2,500
Steering Defects
19
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
60,047
Transmission / Drivetrain
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
28,159
Brakes
15
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
5,751
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking
10
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
18,250
Wipers & Visibility
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
7,153
Airbags
8
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
51,000
Fuel System
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Body Structure
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
25,000
Unintended Acceleration
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
22,500
Wheel Issues
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
18,000
Suspension Failures
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine & Cooling
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Back Over Prevention: Warnings
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
3
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Back Over Prevention: Camera System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Immobilizer/Proximity:Key/Sender
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Forward-Collision Avoidance Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Lane Departure: Assist
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches / Locks
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat-Related Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Tire Defects
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Backup Camera
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Seat Heater:Wiring Harness
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Equipment:Electrical:Infotainment
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2020 Nissan Altima. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2020 Nissan Altima

6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~638,187 vehicles.

25V437000Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/mechanical
~443,899 affected

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. The engine bearings may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine failure.

23V628000Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
~153,376 affected

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 Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

21V169000Tires:sidewall · Tires
~36,141 affected

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Altima and 2018-2021 Titan vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

21V138000Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly
~2,407 affected

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Nissan Altima vehicles. The tie rod ball joint fastener was not tightened properly, which could result in the tie rod ball joint detaching from the steering knuckle.

20V685000Tires
~2,214 affected

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Altima S grade vehicles equipped with Continental ProContact TX tires, size 215/60 R16 H, with TIN date code 3320 and Mold ID S-419149. The tires may have been over cured.

20V570000Side/Rear Glass
~150 affected

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Altima, Maxima and Leaf vehicles. The rear window glass may not remain properly secured to the vehicle.

Other Nissan Altima Years

2020 Nissan Altima — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2020 Nissan Altima reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2020 Nissan Altima has 266 NHTSA complaints, 27 crash-related, and 6 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Electrical Faults with 35 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2020 Nissan Altima?
Top reported problems: Electrical Faults (35 complaints, avg 31,009 mi); Engine Problems (32 complaints, avg 65,264 mi); Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings (19 complaints, avg 2,500 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2020 Nissan Altima?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 32,739 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2020 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA complaints for the 2020 Nissan Altima include 27 crash-related reports, 10 fire reports, 21 injuries, and 1 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2020 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
Yes — 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 638,187 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2020 Nissan Altima?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Nissan Altima reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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