2001 Nissan Altima Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2001 Altima most often describe a rough, shaking idle that can end in a stall, usually traced to a leaking intake manifold gasket and frequently quoted at several hundred dollars to repair. Power window regulator failures and intermittent dash/instrument electrical dropouts are the other recurring themes, and most of these reports arrive on cars with 50,000 to 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Intake manifold gasket leak (rough idle, stalling)

   • 61 complaints (38%)
   • median 74,000 mi at 8.3 yrs old (49 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $700 (median of 25 quotes)
   • filed 2000–2019

   Complaints describe the engine idling rough or low, sometimes dropping below 500 rpm and shaking the car while stopped at lights or signs, and occasionally stalling. Many owners say a dealer or independent mechanic identified a leaking intake manifold gasket, often at cylinder #4, and quoted repairs in the several-hundred-dollar range for a low-cost part. Several owners report the same gasket failing a second time, and some say they were advised not to drive the car until it was fixed. Reported from roughly 50,000 to 145,000 miles, with many appearing near 55,000-85,000 miles.

   What to check: Ask whether the intake manifold gasket has been replaced and at what mileage, and check for a rough or hunting idle with the car warm and in gear. A pre-purchase scan for misfire codes on cylinder #4 is worth doing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The intake manifold gasket on my 2001 Nissan Altima gxe is leaking. I had to pay over $480.00 to get it repaired. Several hundred other vehicles have had the same problem and Nissan should do a recall or reimburse my self and others for this defect in the pat or engineering flaw. This is a major emission problem and I would not pass inspection in virginia.”

   NHTSA complaint #10275091, filed 2009-06, 95 miles

   “Like many others, my 2001 Nissan Altima with only 57,000 miles on it displayed a check engine soon light. This occurred while my wife was idling at a traffic light. It is not a failure but if not corrected could crack the engine block. The error code crossed to a misfire in cylinder #4. I have found an inordinate number of folks with the same problem with their 2000 Nissan Altima. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10239120, filed 2008-08, 57,240 miles
2. 2
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Power window regulators failing

   • 11 complaints (7%)
   • median 53,000 mi at 4.3 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2002–2012

   Owners describe windows that stop moving or only work intermittently, and in some cases a window stuck in the down position. Complaints say dealers confirmed a problem with the window regulator assemblies, and several mention a limited service campaign or extended warranty for regulators in hot-weather states that had already expired or did not cover their car. Repair is often quoted per window, and some owners report multiple regulators failing in sequence. Mostly reported between about 15,000 and 70,000 miles, with several owners tying failures to hot weather.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Cycle every window up and down several times, listening for straining or crunching, and ask whether any regulator has been replaced and whether the former window regulator service campaign was ever performed on this car.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Starting from 10 months to the present, which is 14 months after purchase, both front and one rear window regulator assemblies have failed. The first two only weeks apart. I now , of course assume that the final window componnent will fail as well.replacement of the four regulator assemblies will cost me $900.”

   NHTSA complaint #10033063, filed 2003-08, 34,305 miles

   “I purchased my used 2001 Nissan Altima on 12/07/2004, on 01/09/2005 while driving I went to let my window down on the drivers side and it would not go down. My wife also, has a 1999 Nissan Altima that the window on the drivers side stop working and we have a friend with an Altima and her windows stop working too. I notice there are several complaints about the same problem and the dealerships are aware of the problem but there is no recall. I do not understand this. All I know is I had my car for 1 month and my window does not work now. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10106043, filed 2005-01, 59,176 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Gauges and electrical power cutting out while driving

   • 7 complaints (4%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2004–2013

   Complaints describe the instrument cluster gauges suddenly dropping to zero, dashboard and interior lights failing, and accessories such as blowers and wipers acting up, sometimes with a loss of speed or an apparent brief engine shutdown. Owners report dealers finding no stored fault codes and being unable to reproduce the problem, with some paying for tune-ups or batteries without a lasting fix; one owner reported a speed sensor replacement. Reported from about 45,000 to 105,000 miles, at varied speeds and sometimes on warm days.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have the charging system and battery connections checked, and ask whether any intermittent dash or stall behavior has been diagnosed; note that a fault like this may not leave codes behind.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving the gauges suddenly stop working, the radio still works but all the gauges in the instrument panel go to zero. One time the engine appeared to stop but turned back on. This has happened on five occasions. I took it to the dealer (regal Nissan) but there were no error codes so they could not find a problem. They did a tune up (replaced the spark plugs, plug wires, distributor and cap) but the gauges have shut off twice since the turn up. The dealer said that unless there is an error code, they could not help me. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10147286, filed 2006-01, 93,000 miles

   “Vehicle lost speed from 70 MPH to 20 MPH ,and all the gauges on the dashboard shut down, but the engine was still running. Vehicle was driven to the dealer, who was unable to locate the cause of the problem. The consumer stated that the vehicle began running on two of the four cylinders.”

   NHTSA complaint #10109005, filed 2005-03, 47,300 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light on; airbag concerns in crashes

   • 15 complaints (9%)
   • median 75,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 13 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2015

   Owners report the airbag warning light staying on, including the passenger-side light with the seat occupied, and in some cases finding the bulb taped over when buying the car. A few complaints describe crashes where the airbag did not deploy or where deployment was followed by burns and debris. Complaints generally do not record a clear dealer diagnosis or repair for the warning light. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 45,000 to 160,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Confirm the airbag warning light comes on and then goes out at startup, check that it has not been covered or disabled, and ask whether the passenger occupant sensor or any seat trim work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vehicle rear ended someone's van while only going 15-20 MPH. The airbag deployed and then exploded; causing 2nd & 3rd degree burns throughout my upper body. Small pieces of debris were also removed from bruises I sustained throughout my upper body. I broke/fractured my ribs, dislocated my knee and my pelvic bone was shattered. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10654531, filed 2014-11, 10,000 miles

   “Some driver had an accident, due to a dui, and his car was straddled across the left lane and I hit it as I came around the bend at appr. 11:30 p.m. In a dark section of the highway. My car suffered severe front end damage and I and my son was jerked, but we were both wearing our seatbelts. My airbag did not deploy and my anti-lock brakes locked up. We were nearly wiped out on the freeway. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10717615, filed 2015-05, 130,000 miles
5. 5
   Suspension

   Rear sway bar and suspension noise

   • 17 complaints (11%)
   • median 169,000 mi at 15.4 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2019

   Complaints describe the rear of the car swaying and noise from underneath while driving, with dealers finding a disconnected or loose rear sway bar or a fallen sway bar bushing. One owner reported a control arm separation at the hub at higher mileage. Repairs described include replacing bushings and link hardware. Reported from about 17,000 miles up to 200,000 miles, with most reports on higher-mileage cars.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have the rear suspension inspected on a lift, including sway bar links, bushings and control arm mounts, and listen for clunks or rattles on a test drive over uneven road.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving down the street at about 15 miles an hour and my tire on the passenger side turned out word and then hit a car on the side of the road. Upon further inspection I realized that the car had come apart at the control arm , at the hub and the transaxle had separated as well. Found these parts at the place I park in front of my house and the other one about 50feet from where the car came apart.”

   NHTSA complaint #10918415, filed 2016-10, 169,000 miles

   “Consumer noticed the vehicle would sway in the rear and make noise. The dealer inspected the vehicle and found the rear sway bar was disjointed.ts scc”

   NHTSA complaint #8023642, filed 2002-12, 56,000 miles

Buying note. A 2001 Altima is a high-mileage car now, so the main things to verify are whether the intake manifold gasket has been replaced and how the car idles when warm, plus the condition of the window regulators, rear suspension hardware, and whether the airbag warning light behaves normally.

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.