2016 Nissan Altima power train problems

What owners report

• “To recap: •Nissan manufactured defective transmissions. •Nissan granted me a warranty extension with a fleeting expiration date (2023) to shift the cost away from them. •In 2020, Nissan performed work on my car. The work they performed masked the problem, didn’t fix it. And it deferred the problem, “kicking the can down the road.” •In 2026, Nissan denied my claim for goodwill approval. •I paid for a piecemeal fix on the car, leaving all the other transmission components still at risk. •My car, …”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 08/16/2026

• “My 2016 Nissan Altima has approximately 68,900 miles. When I am stopped and press the gas pedal, the vehicle sometimes hesitates before it begins moving. It does not accelerate normally, which is dangerous when I am pulling into traffic, crossing an intersection, or making a turn. At other times while driving, the vehicle will not accelerate properly and appears to become stuck in a low gear. The engine RPM may rise to approximately 4,000, but the vehicle does not shift or increase speed normall…”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 08/03/2026

• “My daughter was driving down the road and came to a 2-wayy stop. Went to pull out and the car stalled and started shuddering. On down the road leaving a red light it did the same thing and not wanting to really go.”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 06/16/2026

• “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

• “While i was driving the transmission felt as if it was slipping and didn't want to switch gears. When i stopped at a red light it didn't want to kick into drive it took like 3 -4 minutes to kick in no warning lights came on it just started messing up when I took it to get it looked at the code p17f0 came up. Im still paying a 429 car note on this vehicle and can not drive it plus the Carmax Care coverage i had on the car, is unusable!! So now im stuck with a broken car that im still paying on.”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 11/23/2025

• “The transmission started slipping at 70,000 miles on the Altima, even after getting a preventative transmission service at 30,000 miles. A mechanic revealed a judder code, which means the transmission will stop working within weeks. A repair would cost more than the car is worth. My wife could have been stranded in traffic. This is unacceptable. No warning lights appeared on the dash.”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 09/30/2025

• “The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that upon depressing the accelerator pedal a second time, the vehicle responded as intended; however, the failure recurred at the next stop. The contact stated that the gas cap warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that upon inspecting the gas cap, no issue was found. The vehicle …”

  NHTSA complaint · filed 09/15/2025

Unverified owner reports from NHTSA's public complaint database.

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