Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 1,113 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Nissan Altima, and it carries 8 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 269 | 24% |
| Air bags | 158 | 14% |
| Power train | 153 | 14% |
| Suspension | 99 | 9% |
| Unknown or other | 42 | 4% |
| Steering | 29 | 3% |
| Structure | 28 | 3% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 24 | 2% |
| Engine | 23 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 16 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
My 2014 Nissan Altima has experienced loss of visibility from the headlights significantly to the point of feeling unsafe driving at night. I believe the cause of these issue is due to degradation of the reflective coati
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
Rear lower control arm broke while driving on interstate car darted to the left but control was maintained
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
Right rear lower control arm fully broke while traveling 35 mph and going around a curve. The car immediately pulled hard right into the adjacent lane. Fortunately, there were no vehicles in that lane at the moment. I
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
As far as I am aware there are no causes to the failure but the sensor of the left panel on the driver side airbag is alerting. Nissan checked it and advised it would be @ $2000 to repair because it required the replacem
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while his son was driving 50 MPH, the ABS warning illuminated, and the vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH. The vehicle was driven to the residence and parked. T
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
At159,000 main console air bag light came on and won't turn off.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
-Upon research, it appears my Nissan has an issue with the headlight lamps that have caused the low beams to diminish over time. This is a recorded defect (class action lawsuit [XXX], et al. v. Nissan North America, Inc.
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
Airbag light for driver turned on and took it to the dealership to get it fixed. They fixed it but it came back on and they reset it. A few months later it turned back on and they said they couldn't fix it because that p
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2014 Nissan Altima. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014, to August 12, 2016, and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured June 4, 2015, to August 19, 2015. An incorr
Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECU and update the OCS software free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-72
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may
Risk: If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted)
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified the agency on July 31, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2016 Nissan Maxima vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to August 18, 2015. On October 14, 2015, Nissan expanded the recall to cover an additional 41,388 vehicles, including cert
Risk: If fuel leaks from between the fuel sending unit and the tank, it may increase the risk of a fire in the event of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer ring between the fuel tank and the fuel sending unit. The recall began on September 28, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant
Risk: If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
| Reliability | 51 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 64 | average |
| Maintenance | 82 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 75 | good |
| Performance | 50 | average |
| Efficiency | 54 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 1,113 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and exterior lighting is the most reported area with 269 of them (24%). There are 8 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 51/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density, adjusted for how many were sold so a popular model is not penalised for having more owners.
AVOIR scores its longevity 64/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2014 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 66/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.