2020 NISSAN Altima

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

6RecallsNHTSA Verified100ComplaintsNHTSA Data2InvestigationsNHTSA Data
Expert Verdict
⚠️Elevated Concerns

The 2020 Nissan Altima reflects substantial concerns regarding reliability, as evidenced by its six recalls, particularly around critical components like steering and visibility. With an average failure mileage of over 61,000 miles, ongoing vigilance is essential for current owners.

Key Factor:Multiple critical recalls

📋Why This Matters

Defects in key systems such as steering not only pose a risk to driver safety but can also lead to significant financial burdens for owners if repairs are needed post-warranty. The recalls related to the tie rod assembly highlight a potentially life-threatening issue if not properly addressed. Similarly, problems with side and rear visibility due to glass security compromise both safety and overall vehicle integrity, making these defects particularly alarming in an era where safety ratings play a crucial role in consumer decision-making.

Focus Area:Safety Profile
📊

Expert Analysis

Overall, the safety trend for the 2020 Nissan Altima appears worrisome when compared to segment expectations. The presence of multiple recalls suggests that Nissan may be facing challenges with their quality control processes during this production year.

Critical Component: Warning

Safety & Reliability Score

37/100
Poor

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-48
Complaint Impact-5
Investigation Impact-10

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2020 NISSAN Altima

Model Year2020
MakeNISSAN
ModelAltima
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Scroll for more →
Jan20
NEWProduction
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
May20
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr21
RECALLRecall Issued
Nov21
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan23
ISSUEFirst Report
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Aug23
RECALLRecall Issued

Consumer Complaint Analysis

⚠️

Most Reported Issue

31 complaints (31% of total)
➡️

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
✅

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 100 consumer complaints by severity level.

🟠High
7(7%)
🟡Medium
36(36%)
🟢Low
57(57%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

⚙️Engineering Insight

With the peak failure range occurring between 40k-60k miles, owners should be particularly attentive as they approach or surpass this mileage threshold. This period often signals that maintenance issues may arise, especially related to the vehicle's handling and visibility features.

📊 Mileage data extracted from 28 of 100 complaints (28% coverage)
0-20k
5 reports (18%)
20k-40k
2 reports (7%)
40k-60k
9 reports (32%)
60k-80k
4 reports (14%)
80k-100k
3 reports (11%)
100k+
5 reports (18%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

🛠️ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

STEERINGTIRESVISIBILITYBACK OVER PREVENTIONENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Steering System

Issue: Potential detachment of tie rod ball joint from steering knuckle.

✅

Schedule an inspection of the steering system immediately.

🔍

Verify recall status and service records regarding any steering component repairs.

Campaigns:21V-00221V-00321V-004
2

Tires

Issue: Tires may have been improperly cured during manufacturing which could affect performance and safety.

✅

Check tire condition regularly; consider replacement if signs of wear are evident.

🔍

Assess tire brands on the vehicle to ensure they are not from the affected batch before purchase.

Campaign:20V-710
3

Rear Window Glass

Issue: 'Rear window glass may not remain properly secured.' This can pose visibility risks while driving.

✅

'Inspect rear window integrity frequently.' Replace if it shows signs of detachment or looseness.

🔍

'Check for visible wear or unsecured glass during test drives.' Ensure all windows function properly.

Campaign:20V-523
💡Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your NISSAN dealer to verify recall completion status.

Official Safety Recalls (6)

Campaign: 21V138000

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

Summary

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.

Consequence

A detached tie rod ball joint can cause a loss of steering control, and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the left and right-side tie rod ball joint fasteners, or install new fasteners as necessary, free of charge. The began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PC795.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.

Campaign: 21V169000

TIRES

Summary

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.

Consequence

Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC798.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.

Campaign: 20V570000

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

Summary

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.

Consequence

Rear window glass that separates from the vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the back window glass, free of charge. The recall began November 4, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC752.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.

Campaign: 20V685000

TIRES

Summary

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.

Consequence

Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 10, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-8677669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC765.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.

Campaign: 23V628000

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Summary

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."

Consequence

A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23C3.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.

Campaign: 25V437000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

Summary

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.

Consequence

Engine failure increases the risk of a crash. A bearing failure may cause a breach in the engine block, allowing hot oil to be discharged, increasing the risk of an engine fire.

Remedy

Dealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed August 25, 2025. A second letter is expected to be mailed December 4, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or Infiniti's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R25A8/A9 and R25B1/B2.

Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.

NHTSA Investigations

2 investigations

Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2020 Altima.

INV-2020-1000🟢 Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Altima performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 39,292
INV-2020-1001🟢 Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Altima performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 20,581

Consumer Complaints

100 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2020 Altima.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning31%
Acceleration Issues11%
Accident10%
Stall7%
Check Engine Light6%
Crash/Accident5%
Fire5%
Safety Systems🔶 Medium
AIR BAGS

On October 31, 2025, I noticed the Check engine light was on, after inspecting the car at the closest car shop the technician noticed white powder on the driver side knee airbag cover. Next morning I brought my vehicle to Temecula Nissan telling about airbag powder leakage. But this issue was completely ignored by the Advisor, who for some reason decided to fix another issue but ignoring my airbag issue concern. When I tried insisting to inspect the airbag saying:" I worry it may unexpectedly deploy or not deploy in case of a car accident. And my nose and throat are very irritated possibly because of inhaling the powder", the advisor looked at the airbag cover finally noticing the powder and said:" It's not a problem, we will wipe the powder off", despite my concerns. When I came to pick up my vehicle, I asked if my airbag issue was taken care of and documentations have been provided, I was told "Yes, we sent you a link". But it was no information about airbag inspection request or what work was done on it. I immediately went to speak with General manager of Temecula Nissan, who promised to inspect and fix the airbag issue next workday but nobody contact me since then and message I left for the manager on the phone was completely ignored. After filing a complaint to Nissan Consumer Affairs, I was told that nothing they can do about it and advised to get a second opinion from another Nissan dealership. So I did. Pedder Nissan Advisors took my concerns seriously, they said that it is dangerous to drive my vehicle in that condition, they did an inspection and took my car to replace the defective airbag.

Dec 17, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the expressway. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the engine started knocking significantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to slowly pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was later driven to the dealer, where it was test-driven. The dealer informed the contact that there was smoke coming from the vehicle, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V437000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was unknown.

✨ AI Insight

This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:

Recall #25V437000

*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.

Dec 9, 2025Open
Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Locks no longer work with key fob or button within car and sometimes even takes multiple attempts to manually unlock. This poses a danger if needed to enter or exit the car in a hurry.

Dec 7, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

I am writing to request immediate assistance regarding the recall inspection for my 2020 Nissan Altima Platinum. Last week I received a letter notifying me of an open recall and instructing me to have my vehicle inspected. I brought my car to my local Nissan dealership on Saturday. During the inspection, I was told that metal debris was found in the engine and that the vehicle would need a full engine replacement. I was asked to leave the car at the dealership and was told I would receive a loaner vehicle on Monday. After waiting all day today for an update, I was informed that Nissan declined the engine replacement because the debris found did not “qualify” under the recall. I was told the dealership would clear the debris out of the engine and that I could pick up the car tomorrow. I am very concerned about this decision. Metal debris inside an engine—especially during an active recall related to engine failure—raises serious safety and reliability issues. Simply clearing out the debris does not address the root cause or provide confidence that the vehicle is safe to drive. This matter is urgent, as I must drive more than 1,000 miles soon to take my medically complex daughter to a children’s hospital. I need to trust that my vehicle is safe for long-distance travel. I am requesting a prompt review of my case and a second evaluation to determine whether an engine replacement or another appropriate remedy is necessary to ensure my vehicle’s safety.

✨ AI Insight

This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:

Recall #25V437000

*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.

Nov 24, 2025Open
Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

3 out of 4 of my doors have to be locked and unlocked by hand instead of using my Nissan key button to unlock my car. 3 of the motors are bad or it's some kind of electrical issue that goggle says is common in 2019 to 2020 Nissan Altimas. I feel like I shouldn't have to pay out of pocket myself to get this fixed if it's a noted common issue on goggle.

Nov 21, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE

Unknown. The engine started have overheating issues but never was ran in the overheated zone. We took the car to the dealer and was told the head was cracked. We questioned how that was possible if we never ran it in the overheated zone. We were told they did not know but that several other Customers in the last few weeks have had the same issue. Then we heard about the recall but was told our car was not affected. It needs to be reevaluated. We never ran the car hot.

✨ AI Insight

This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:

Recall #25V437000

*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.

Nov 16, 2025Open
Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

All 4 door lock actuators have failed, no warning lamps indicating this issue, first appeared in 2024. Car has been broken into as a result

Nov 11, 2025Open
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,BACK OVER PREVENTION

See attached document for complaint.

✨ AI Insight

This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:

Recall #25V437000

*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.

Oct 27, 2025Open
Safety Systems🔶 Medium
AIR BAGS

2020 Nissan Altima involved in a 3 car collision. Altima was rear ended by a vehicle travelling approximately 50 MPH and forced Altima to rear end the vehicle in front of it. Vehicle is a total loss. No air bags deployed.

Oct 23, 2025Open
Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My driver door does not lock and unlock automatically. This poses a risk because my door remains unlocked when I think that it is locked. Also, I have to go in through the backseat of the passenger seat in order to get in my car posing risk of someone coming up behind me. I had the back actuators replaced a couple of years ago, I asked about the front since the car was still under warranty and I was told they would not replace them since they were not acting up at the time. I was told at one point it would be around $800 to have the front ones repaired. The lock has been working intermittently probably for the last year and a half, but have now completely quit working.

Sep 30, 2025Under Review

Frequently Asked Questions

'What common issues should I look out for with a used 2020 Nissan Altima?'

'Prospective buyers should pay attention to recall notices related to the steering and visibility systems. Given that there have been multiple recalls, it’s imperative to check that all necessary repairs have been completed before finalizing any purchase.'

'How reliable is the 2020 Nissan Altima compared to its competitors?'

'While many mid-size sedans hold strong reliability records, the 2020 Altima’s history of recalls raises some red flags. It’s advisable for potential buyers to consider competitor models with fewer reported issues in similar categories.'

🧭What This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

🔑

If You Own This Vehicle

  • Safety Check: Cross-reference your VIN with official NISSAN records to ensure no 6 recalls remain open.
  • Unaddressed recalls pose real-world risks. Prioritize scheduling any pending repairs to maintain vehicle integrity.
  • Proactive tip: Enroll in NISSAN's owner notification program for real-time safety updates.
🛒

If You're Buying Used

  • Critical: Demand official documentation showing every NISSAN recall has been satisfied.
  • Investigate whether later Altima iterations (2021+) rectified these persistent issues.
  • A pre-purchase inspection by a NISSAN specialist is mandatory given the recorded failure patterns.
⚖️

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Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: February 23, 2026.