2016 Nissan Altima engine problems
This is a safety-related system. If you notice symptoms, stop driving and have it inspected.
What owners report
“Delayed gear change from 1st to 2nd/delayed acceleration 1-5 seconds mid-traffic because the car overheats soon after driving which causes the car to not properly accelerate causing more RPMs than necessary during longer drives with frequent stops (within urban/suburban areas).”
NHTSA complaint · filed 02/26/2026
“The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond while the engine was running. The contact stated that the vehicle responded and returned to normal functionality after depressing the accelerator pedal several times. The contact stated that the failure was more evident while driving in cold weather. No warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer …”
NHTSA complaint · filed 11/24/2025
“I am writing to formally request a recall for my 2016 Nissan Altima due to a known issue with the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Recently, my vehicle has exhibited concerning symptoms, including an inability to exceed 20 mph while hitting 3 RPM, and significant hesitation when accelerating, followed by abrupt lunging. Notably, these issues occurred without any prior warning lamps or indicators until recently with the RPM issue. Despite taking my vehicle to Nissan for diagnostic scans,…”
NHTSA complaint · filed 08/03/2025
“I have a 2016 Nissan Altima 3.5 Sr I brought into the Nissan dealership multiple times since 2022 now in 2025 at 100,000 miles to transmission is not working it's dying at intersections and oil is pouring out of the engine I was told that there was a recall that expired in April of 2023 however I was never notified about the recall despite taking my car to the Nissan dealership prior to that date no one ever said that there was a problem with the CVT I've stored my car multiple years because I'm…”
NHTSA complaint · filed 07/22/2025
“Vehicle starts fine once the entire engine heats up is when problems start the loss of engine power until engine is able to restart resetting errors this would gradually get worse and the finaly the engine completely stalls out at one moment the computer says it’s the evap then is says cam sensor then the O2 sensor then is said it was the throttle body then at one point it said fuel pump and even told me it was the two upp sensors while trying to start it should start but idling. Vary ruff and …”
NHTSA complaint · filed 07/03/2025
“After the car warms up it will not accelerate like it should. I was stopped at a light - when I went to turn left at the light my car would not accelerate. It slowly rolled out into oncoming traffic. Like it was in limp mode or something. Then at the last minute the car jolted forward like I had the gas pedal fully depressed. Very scary and unsafe. I’ve had this happen many times. I’ve taken it in but haven’t found a solution.”
NHTSA complaint · filed 02/06/2025
“After driving the vehicle for about an hour, when coming to a stop, the vehicle will not accelerate. Stepping in the acceleration pedal does nothing. No RPM increase, nothing. After 10 seconds the vehicle suddenly takes off. After angry drivers honk. The RPMS rev up and will not decrease to normal. I am limited to 25 mph with very high RPMs. Same thing repeats after every stop. The problem goes away intermittently after restarting the car. I've almost died trying to make turns in front of oncomi…”
NHTSA complaint · filed 08/02/2024
“2016 Altima 66,700 miles At a light, when push the accelerator my car hesitates for about 4 seconds. Then it slowly gains power. This is an accident waiting to happen. 2016 Altima needs a recall. I see multiple complaints on the internet as well.”
NHTSA complaint · filed 06/30/2024
Unverified owner reports from NHTSA's public complaint database.
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- How common are 2016 Nissan Altima engine problems?
- 86 owners reported engine issues to NHTSA for the 2016 Nissan Altima, 3 involving a crash. Counts scale with how many were sold.
- Is there a recall for 2016 Nissan Altima engine problems?
- No matching recall is on file. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the latest.