1996 Nissan Altima Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the airbag system: a persistently flashing airbag warning light, control module failures found on dealer diagnosis, and airbags that deployed in low-speed or no-impact situations — or failed to deploy in collisions. Other recurring themes are odd automatic-transmission behavior, engine misfire or stalling traced to ignition and fuel-system parts, and the engine revving on its own at low speed. Many complaints come from vehicles well past 70,000 miles, and several describe symptoms that appeared intermittently before a dealer could reproduce them.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Airbags deploy without a crash or fail to deploy in one

   • 25 complaints (27%)
   • median 74,000 mi at 7.7 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 19 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2013

   Complaints describe both directions of the same concern: airbags firing while driving over a driveway hump, during hard braking, at a stop, or with a parked car nearby, and airbags staying put in frontal impacts owners felt should have triggered them. Some report the deployment filled the cabin with smoke or powder, and others describe the seat moving during the event. Dealers in several cases told owners the deployment was normal for the impact. Described across a wide mileage range and many model years of use, with several events at low speeds such as 10-25 mph.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the airbag system has ever been serviced or deployed, and have a pre-purchase inspection include a scan for stored airbag codes; a history of prior deployment repairs is worth confirming in writing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “After vehicle was struck from the passenger's side, passenger's side air bag deployed and bursted from the seam, causing chemical powder to spill into vehicle, onto the face of the passenger, resulting in difficulty breathing. Dealer contacted. Feel free to provide further details.”

   NHTSA complaint #864492, filed 2000-06

   “Consumer was driving at normal speed and hit another vehicle. Upon impact, air bags deployed. However, consumer was not driving fast enough for the air bags to have deployed. Car filled with smoke making, it was hard to see the road.”

   NHTSA complaint #852004, filed 1999-11
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light flashes; control module diagnosed as

   • 13 complaints (14%)
   • median 82,150 mi at 7.7 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2013

   Owners describe the airbag light on the dash flashing constantly, sometimes from the moment the ignition is switched on, with no other warning. Dealers that scanned the system commonly reported a failed airbag control unit or sensor module, and owners were quoted several hundred dollars for the part; one service department suggested sourcing a used module. A few owners note that the system may then be inoperative in a collision. Reported from roughly 70,000 to 116,000 miles, on vehicles of varying age in the sample.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Turn the key to ON and watch the airbag lamp through its self-test; a light that keeps flashing or stays on points to a fault that needs diagnosis. Ask for any scan results or module replacement receipts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 1996 Nissan Altima gxe. The air bag system developed a problem, I.e. The indicator light would not go out - it continued to flash. Upon diagnosis by the Nissan service department, they determined the problem to be a malfunctioning control module. This will cause the unit to not operate properly. I have learned through the NHTSA website that Nissan has had prior problems with these air bag systems, and my problem may be a continuation of these.”

   NHTSA complaint #10081181, filed 2004-07, 82,150 miles

   “Air bag module. Light on dash started to flash . Took car to dealer ship and was told it was the airbag modular after they check out the computer. I asked the service manager if their was a recall on this and he said no. I asked if this was common and he said he had seen this before in this model and year. The part cost over $550.00 not installed. He told me to try to find one in a junk yard, told me how to remove and install same and even offered to let me borrow the special tool needed to remove and install same. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10080934, filed 2004-07, 70,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Stalling, no-start and misfire traced to ignition or fuel

   • 9 complaints (10%)
   • median 93,000 mi at 9.0 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1996–2006

   Owners describe engines that turn over but will not start, intermittent no-starts, and check-engine lights with no useful code. Mechanics traced some cases to a failed fuel pump or a burned connector at the fuel tank, and others to oil leaking into the distributor and damaging the ignition components; one owner was told by a parts department that distributor failures of this type were common. A few complaints also mention oil seepage from the upper oil pan area. Mostly reported between about 70,000 and 116,000 miles in the sample, with some failures occurring while driving.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check for oil residue around the distributor and look at the fuel pump connector and tank top for discoloration or heat damage; ask whether the fuel pump or distributor has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My daughter's 1996 Nissan Altima developed an intermittent problem that sometimes left her stranded. When I discovered what the problem was, I wanted others to know. The problem turned out to be an intermittent electrical connection inside the fuel tank. It was burned and had actually melted the top of the fuel tank where the connectors were. It was the two wire connector that connected directly to the electric fuel pump. The fuse was a 15 amp fuse, but the wires and the connectors looked small for that kind of current draw. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10146692, filed 2006-01, 90,000 miles

   “I contacted a Nissan dealer parts dept. They reported to me that this is very common, and the cam sensor is now repaired in a newly designed distributor, but all the original cam sensors in the factory distributors were experiencing a high failure rate. I know of two other people who have experienced the same failure.”

   NHTSA complaint #714790, filed 1999-11
4. 4
   Vehicle speed control

   Engine revs or accelerates on its own at low speed

   • 7 complaints (8%)
   • typically at 3.8 yrs old
   • filed 1996–2002

   Complaints describe the engine racing or the car surging forward while the driver is braking for a stop, in some cases requiring hard braking and shifting to neutral. Owners report the dealer could not duplicate the condition on a test drive and in one case replaced a wiring assembly without resolving it. Some instances followed transmission or throttle-related repairs. Reported on vehicles of mixed age and mileage in the sample, usually when slowing or coming to a stop.

   What to check: During a test drive, pay attention to idle quality and any surging when slowing to a stop, and ask whether throttle body, idle control or wiring work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle would intermittenly accelerate on its own when the brakes were applied. Took vehicle to dealership & was informed by mechanic that the problem could not be duplicated after being test driven. The problem would happen at least 5 times in one day. Contacted manufacturer & informed had not heard of that problem before. Did not offer any help.”

   NHTSA complaint #855253, filed 2000-01

   “Was coming to a stop on the highway, when engine started racing, almost took off. Had foot on brakes at time. Turned vehicle off. Took vehicle to dealer next day & mechanic could not find cause of engine racing. Has happened twice already.”

   NHTSA complaint #846400, filed 1999-09
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slips, will not engage reverse, or shifts oddly

   • 10 complaints (11%)
   • typically at 3.5 yrs old
   • filed 1996–2003

   Owners report the automatic transmission slipping, failing to go into reverse, or selecting the wrong gear, in one case with neutral acting as a forward gear. Several describe repeat visits where the dealer could not reproduce the fault until it happened again, after which solenoids, valve assemblies or the whole transmission were replaced. One owner refers to a technical bulletin about the condition and notes the dealer only acted on the third failure. Reported across a broad mileage span, with faults often intermittent before a confirmed repair.

   What to check: Drive the car through every gear including reverse from cold, and ask for transmission service records; repeated solenoid or valve-body work is worth knowing about before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Had car two months, experienced transmission slippage, took car to dealer 3 times couldn't find problem, finally transmission shifting solenoid replaced. Con tinued to experience transmission slippage. Returned car to dealer no trouble codes found, wouldn't act up. Finally transmission drive gear failed, returned to dealer. Needs new transmission, used transmission installed. Two blocks from dealer at gas pump car fails to start, shifter linkage not properly adjusted. Returned to dealer. …”

   NHTSA complaint #732289, filed 2000-09

   “Three times in the last seven months vehicle has accelerated on its own. Nissan could not duplicate this problem. The problem started after transmission was rebuilt, and the radiator, auto transaxle assembly and throttle valve switch were replaced. The transmission was not shifting from second gear to third due to control valve assembly failure. Next, the gas pedal went to floor but the dealer could not duplicate it. However, the dealer replaced the wiring assembly. The problem still exists.”

   NHTSA complaint #872282, filed 2000-10

Buying note. Have any example inspected with attention to the airbag warning lamp and stored airbag codes, and to transmission behavior through all gears, since those are the most frequently reported areas. Service records showing prior work on the distributor, fuel pump or transmission are the most useful thing to ask for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.