2004 Nissan Altima Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the engine shutting off while driving, frequently traced by shops to the crankshaft or camshaft position sensor and often tied to a 2006 crank angle sensor recall that some owners say did not resolve the stalling. A second large group of complaints describes rust-through in the floorboards, and smaller groups describe steering that binds or clicks and airbags that did not deploy in collisions.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalls or will not restart (crank/cam sensor)

   • 156 complaints (57%)
   • median 70,442 mi at 5.5 yrs old (136 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $580 (median of 12 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2023

   Complaints describe the engine cutting out without warning while driving, at stops, or when slowing down, sometimes with the check engine light coming on and the car hard or impossible to restart. Many owners say a dealer or independent shop traced the stall to a crankshaft or camshaft position sensor; some had the ECM reprogrammed under recall 06V242000 and report the stalling returned afterwards, with the sensor replaced instead. Several mention being told their vehicle was not covered by the recall even though the symptoms matched. Reported from roughly 30,000 to over 100,000 miles, across a wide range of conditions rather than one season.

   Recall 06V2420001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether recall 06V242000 was performed and whether the crank or cam position sensor has been replaced since. Watch for a check engine light and any hesitation or cut-out during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Nissan Altima just died on the highway without warning. The vehicle was rear ended and we had to be taken to the hospital. We both sustained multiple surgeries and was admitted for about a week. Called nissanusa to inform them, but they don't care. There were suppose to get back to us and nobody did. Very disappointed in Nissan. They are crap cars!!!”

   NHTSA complaint #10470659, filed 2012-08, 10,000 miles

   “I own a 2004 Nissan Altima and there's a recall on a sensor in the engine that causes the car to shut off while driving and without notice. I called the recall number and I was told that my car was not on the list for the recall. I explained on how that was possible if it was doing exactly what the recall was for. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10243048, filed 2008-09, 63,000 miles
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Rust-through in floorboards and frame

   • 33 complaints (12%)
   • median 113,500 mi at 10.5 yrs old (28 state mileage)
   • filed 2010–2019

   Complaints describe rust holes developing in the driver and passenger floor pans, in some cases large enough that owners say they can see through the floor, with rust spreading to nearby frame areas and metal flaking off. Owners describe noticing it during maintenance or from dust and water entering the cabin, and several say dealer or manufacturer responses were limited. Mostly reported above roughly 85,000 miles, though a few owners describe rust starting within a few years of new.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect the floor pans from underneath and lift the floor mats, looking for soft metal, bubbling paint or daylight. Ask whether the floor pan voluntary service campaign work was ever performed on the vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driver and passenger floorboards are completely rusted and will need to get repaired. It's very dangerous because someone can easily break thru it and injure themselves. I believe is a manufacture defect and Nissan should do a recall on this car before someone get hurt. I bought this car brand new and it shouldn't get this rusted out in only 9 years.”

   NHTSA complaint #10505371, filed 2013-04, 110,650 miles

   “The frame of the vehicle is rusting away. There is a hole in the floor board on passenger side, from underneath the vehicle from rust. You can feel around the frame of the car and chunks of metal fall off . This was noticed during maintenance on the vehicle . Car was stationary , I had noticed that I was getting an extreme amount of dust inside the vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #11243671, filed 2019-08, 136,200 miles

Buying note. Given the volume of stalling complaints on this model year, it is worth confirming the crank angle sensor recall work and any later sensor replacements before buying, and inspecting the floor pans closely for rust. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a scan for stored engine and airbag codes is a reasonable step.

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.