The Nissan Altima debuted in 1992, and it and has gone on to serve as Nissan’s middle ground between the smaller Sentra and the larger Maxima.
A good mix of comfort and efficiency, the midsize Altima is rooted in the Nissan Bluebird line that debuted in 1955.
2015 was a banner year for the nameplate, setting Nissan’s all-time U.S. sales record at 333,398, plus another 7,293 sold in Canada. The 2015 Nissan Altima has since had 10 recalls since its release date.
2015
Altima had four recalls in its 2015 model year.
15V116000
The first recall listed with the NHTSA for the 2015 Altima affected an estimated 625,400 2013–2015 models. This was an expansion of an earlier recall, and it had to do with the secondary hood latch getting stuck in the unlatched position, which could result in the hood flying open while someone is driving.
Nissan issued a recall on March 31, 2015, and they began making the appropriate repairs at their own expense. Owners were instructed to contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-327-4236.
15V486000
Potentially affecting 46,846 potential Nissans equipped with V6 engines built between March 30, 2012 and August 18, 2015, this recall involved the fuel system leaking gas, resulting in a fire hazard.
Owners were notified on September 28, 2015 to get in touch with Nissan or the NHTSA for repairs.
15V681000
Potentially affecting 919 Nissans from the model years 2013 to 2015, this recall had to do with the Occupant Classification System, or OCS, failing to identify adult passengers in the front seats, resulting in the airbags failing to deploy.
Nissan issued notifications and began making repairs on November 30, 2015.
15V733000
In an estimated 119 Altimas and Maximas dated 2015 and 2016, the caliper mounting bolts on the front brakes may not have been tightened properly, which could result in their detaching altogether.
Nissan issued notifications and began repairs on December 14, 2015.
2016
The 2015 Nissan Altima was recalled three times in 2016.
16V029000
A follow-up to the previous hood-latch recall, this one affected a potential 846,000 Altimas made between March 6, 2012 and December 31, 2014. Once again, the latch had a tendency to get stuck in the unlatched position.
Nissan sent notifications and began making the necessary repairs on February 17, 2016. This recall superceded the previous hood latch recalls.
16V244000
Affecting a potential 3,296,947 Nissans with the model years 2013 to 2017, including 2013–2016 Altimas, this defect had to do with the OCS registering a front seat as empty despite adult-sized passengers seated in it, meaning that the air bags would not deploy in an accident.
Nissan sent out notifications on May 31, 2016 to have the airbag control systems reprogrammed.
16V911000
Another airbag defect, but this time, thankfully, it affected only 757 potential units made between January 3, 2013 and August 12, 2016. This was a software issue that misclassified the weight of the passenger in the front seat.
Nissan sent out the notifications and began correcting the software on February 13, 2017.
2017
The 2015 Altima had just one recall in 2017.
17V040000
Affecting 341,005 potential Altimas with the model years 2015 to 2017, this recall had to do with the rear windows and doors. The latch cables were misrouted, meaning that lowering the window could unlatch the door, causing it to fly open while driving.
Nissan issued the notifications for repairs on February 16, 2017.
2018
There was just one recall for the 2015 Altima in 2018.
18V915000
This recall was for another rear window problem, this time affecting 341,003 2015–2017 Altimas recalled the previous year. The cables that had been rerouted the previous year might not have been rerouted properly, which means that the door would again fly open without warning.
Nissan began sending notifications and making repairs on February 5, 2019.
2020
As of summer 2020, the final recall for the 2015 Nissan Altima took place in 2020.
20V315000
The third and, hopefully, final recall involved the hood latch, potentially affecting 1,831,818 Altimas produced from 2013 to 2018. In this instance, the latches had a tendency to corrode over time due to inadvertent release.
This recall is still in the works, and it should be available in the third quarter of 2021. Previous latch recalls are still open in the meantime.
Recalls on Recalls
Generally speaking, when there are multiple recalls issued for a single defect, you only need to worry about the most recent recall.
There are exceptions, but by and large, the most recent recall will address whatever the initial recall was intended to address, as well as any complications that have occurred since then. If you’re ever unsure, you can simply call your automaker’s customer service line or the NHTSA, and they’ll let you know which recalls are still open.
