2005 Nissan Altima Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about rusted-through floor pans, often found late because the corrosion starts underneath and only shows when the carpet or undercoating gives way. The other common themes are crankshaft position sensor failures that stall the engine and the 2.5L engine's appetite for oil. Most reports arrive between roughly 50,000 and 160,000 miles, and many describe problems that develop gradually before the vehicle quits or fails an inspection.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine stalls, hard starts (crankshaft position sensor)

   • 253 complaints (23%)
   • median 78,000 mi at 5.8 yrs old (225 state mileage)
   • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $544 (median of 19 quotes)
   • filed 2005–2026

   Complaints describe the engine quitting without warning while driving or at low speed, sometimes restarting on its own and sometimes needing several attempts, along with delayed starting and a check engine light. Several owners were told by dealers or independent mechanics that the crankshaft position sensor had failed or overheated, and some report the sensor had already been replaced once. A number of owners say they were told their vehicle was not covered by the related recall despite matching symptoms. Spread from about 30,000 to 130,000 miles, with many reports between 60,000 and 100,000 miles; several describe the stall happening at highway speed or when braking to a stop.

   Recall 07V527000

   What to check: Ask whether the crankshaft position sensor has been replaced and check the VIN against recall 07V527000, since owners report many cars with the same symptom were outside it. Watch for a check engine light, rough idle or hesitation on a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car turned off while entering on ramp of highway in heavy traffic. According to a recall notice of dec 2007, the ECM must be updated. I brought my vehicle in for the recall. I was told in order to perform the recall update they must first run a diagnostic test for $98. I was then told the crankshaft position censor needs to be replaced. This would cost another $200. Since I did not receive the recall notice and the ECM caused the crankshaft position censor to overheat how is it that I must pay for this. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10260874, filed 2009-03, 51,000 miles

   “Before I got the recall letter from Nissan about my computer chip, my car would die while it was running, it was hard to start it, and I kept having this crankshaft sensor problem I had to replaced it twice already, I finally got my computer reprogrammed today july 1st 2008.. Came back home and thought everything was okay.. And what do I know it comes on again my service engine light... Took it to the auto shop said it was my crankshaft again...I had to replace 2 crankshafts on the same week.. And now I have to replace it again... …”

   NHTSA complaint #10232973, filed 2008-07, 66,784 miles
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Rusted-through floor pans

   • 320 complaints (29%)
   • median 105,000 mi at 9.9 yrs old (274 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 35 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2020

   Owners describe discovering holes in the floor after noticing a soft or squishy spot, rusty flakes on the garage floor, or something hanging down underneath the car. In several cases the carpet and padding were found wet or the metal was gone on both the driver and passenger sides. Body shops quoted repairs commonly running into the high hundreds to over $2,000, and owners report the dealer either declined assistance or attributed the corrosion to snow and road salt. Reported from about 50,000 miles up, with most complaints between roughly 75,000 and 180,000 miles, often found during inspections or unrelated repairs.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look underneath both front footwells with a flashlight and press on the floor metal from inside; lift the mats and check for damp carpet. A service campaign covering floor pan moisture on this generation existed and has since expired, so ask whether any repair was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We are the second owner of the car, a family member was the first and bought it new from a Nissan dealership. One day in october 2014 my husband got in the passenger side and said it felt squishy. He stuck his hand under and could feel rot. We drove the 2.1 miles home and then he looked. That is when he discovered a hole at least 9 inches in the floor. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10704771, filed 2015-04, 160,000 miles

   “Took the car to repair shop for o/c and was told I had slight rust underneath passenger door. Was told it should be alright for another inspection. When I went for inspection I was told they couldn't inspect it because the rust had gotten so bad in that same area. I paid close to $500. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10645017, filed 2014-10, 75,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   High oil consumption on the 2.5L engine

   • 84 complaints (8%)
   • median 75,000 mi at 5.5 yrs old (62 state mileage)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,065 (median of 10 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2026

   Owners of 2.5L cars describe needing to add oil frequently with no visible leak, in some cases around a quart in a few hundred miles, sometimes leading to overheating, a thrown rod or engine replacement. Complaints mention oil pooling around the spark plugs under the valve cover and premature catalytic converter failure. Repair advice in the complaints ranges from replacing the engine to reworking oil passages. Usually reported between roughly 60,000 and 200,000 miles, often noticed on longer highway drives or after the oil level warning appears.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level and look for a fuel or burnt smell, and ask how often oil has been added between changes. On a 2.5L car, listen for timing chain whine and confirm maintenance records for the engine.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2005 Nissan Altima 2.5 4 cyl qrd25 engine has had constant problems including excessive oil consumption which lead to cylinder 1 throwing a rod. Researched this problems and found 1000's of other people with the same problem. Purchased a replacement engine with 60,000 miles and the same thing is happening. No oil leaks, just uses a quart of oil/per 60 to 100 miles. Nissan is aware of this situation and has replaced several engines. I see that they are now offering an extended warranty but does not wish to help. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10482305, filed 2012-10, 140,000 miles

   “My Nissan Altima 2005 is consuming excess of oil. 5 liters during 6 hours driving causing overheating the motor or possible fire. During my trip a had to reduce the speed and stop on the highway. My car had to toward to the dealer but they just say this issue was a design issue on this Altima motor model. This happen when car is driving to height speed. Oil can not flow properly through motor and it goes out through air duct. Cover of motor was disassembled in several holes were made internally to let oil flow properly.”

   NHTSA complaint #10298835, filed 2010-01, 62,300 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Erratic shifting and slipping automatic transmission

   • 83 complaints (8%)
   • median 59,700 mi at 5.0 yrs old (70 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2005–2026

   Owners describe the automatic transmission shifting harshly into gear, banging when moving between drive and reverse, and slipping when warmed up or on inclines. Some report the transmission eventually failing despite regular servicing, and one owner reported the transmission was replaced shortly after purchase. Complaints say the dealer did not offer assistance beyond the warranty period. Reported from very low mileage (under 5,000) up to around 150,000 miles, with symptoms often appearing once the car is warm or under load.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Drive the car long enough to reach operating temperature and feel for delayed or harsh shifts, then check for a clunk moving between drive and reverse. Ask about transmission service history and whether it has ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Dt: had the vehicle 3 months and transmission replaced. Noticed when driving the vehicle it accelerated, then when letting off the accelerator was pulling back like a rubber band effect. Currently, that the transmission been replaced when making a right turn it makes a clanking noise . Also, can feel every bump in the road.”

   NHTSA complaint #10126439, filed 2005-06, 4,200 miles

   “Transmission slams from drive mode and then to reverse when hot in drive it slips trans mission slams when shifting at a stationary position ,slips when car is warmed up and driving on highway,slips more on inclidingroads.”

   NHTSA complaint #11330586, filed 2020-06, 152,773 miles

Buying note. Inspect the underside and floors for rust before anything else, since that is the most frequently reported problem and repairs are not cheap. After that, verify oil consumption on a 2.5L car, ask whether the crankshaft sensor and recall coverage were addressed, and drive a manual car long enough to test the clutch pedal.

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.