Nissan Altima 2020 recalls, problems, complaints and safety
NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls issued for the Nissan Altima 2020 and 179 complaints filed by owners. It has 2% more complaints than the average Nissan Altima from 2016–2025 (175 per year).
These are recalls issued for this model and year, not for your specific car. A car may already be repaired or may not be included. Confirm with your VIN on NHTSA.
Own or buying a Nissan Altima 2020? Enter its VIN to see its exact trim and engine, and confirm on NHTSA whether its recalls were repaired.
Recalls issued for the Nissan Altima 2020
Engine and cooling
NHTSA campaign 25V437000 · 2025-06-27
What happens
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. Owner letters were mailed April 8, 2026. 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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Backup camera and sensors
NHTSA campaign 23V628000 · 2023-09-08
What happens
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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Tires
NHTSA campaign 21V169000 · 2021-03-11
What happens
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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Steering
NHTSA campaign 21V138000 · 2021-03-04
What happens
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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Tires
NHTSA campaign 20V685000 · 2020-11-05
What happens
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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Visibility (glass and mirrors)
NHTSA campaign 20V570000 · 2020-09-22
What happens
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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Complaints from other owners
179 complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of this model.
16 with a crash · 7 with a fire · 15 injuries · 1 deaths
Most reported problems on the Nissan Altima 2020
- Electrical system: 45 (25% of complaints)
- Engine: 36 (20% of complaints)
- Forward collision avoidance: 29 (16% of complaints)
- Steering: 19 (11% of complaints)
- Brakes: 17 (9% of complaints)
Complaints are written by owners and NHTSA doesn't verify each one. They're useful to spot trends.
What to check before buying a Nissan Altima 2020
- Confirm by VIN on NHTSA that the recalls on this list were repaired.
- Test lights, windows, locks, the screen and dashboard warning lights; have trouble codes scanned.
- Start it cold, listen for noises, look for oil or coolant leaks and exhaust smoke.
- Ask whether the system braked on its own for no reason ("phantom braking") and whether software updates are pending.
- Get an inspection from an independent mechanic before paying.
Safety rating (NCAP)
| Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Nissan Altima 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| 2020 Nissan Altima 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
Nissan Altima recalls by year
- 2016 : 4 recalls · 553 complaints
- 2017 : 3 recalls · 391 complaints
- 2018 : 2 recalls · 226 complaints
- 2019 : 7 recalls · 232 complaints
- 2020 : 6 recalls · 179 complaints
- 2021 : 2 recalls · 70 complaints
- 2022 : 0 recalls · 20 complaints
- 2023 : 0 recalls · 29 complaints
- 2024 : 1 recalls · 41 complaints
- 2025 : 2 recalls · 7 complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Nissan Altima 2020 have?
NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls issued for the Nissan Altima 2020. That doesn't mean every car has them open: confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The repair is free at the dealer.
What is the most common problem with the Nissan Altima 2020?
In complaints filed with NHTSA, the most mentioned component is: electrical system (45 of 179 complaints). Complaints aren't verified one by one, but they show trends.
Model-level information from official NHTSA sources. Confirm by VIN on NHTSA. Not a substitute for a mechanical inspection.
Last updated: October 12, 2026. Sources: NHTSA vPIC (decoding), NHTSA Recalls, NHTSA Complaints and NHTSA NCAP (5-Star Safety Ratings).