51 complaints reported

2001 Nissan Altima Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
51
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Dec 2017

I HAVE BEEN READING COMPLAINT SECTION MY CAR DOES THE SAME THING STARTING THE ENGINE IT STARTS TO SHAKE AND SPUTTER . SOME TIMES I CAN GIVE IT MORE GAS AND IT MAY STOP OR WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING WHEN IT DOES IT AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT I PUT IT IN PARK AND STEP ON THE GAS PEDDLE, THIS USUALE STOPS THE PROBLEM. IT ONLY HAPPENS EVERY FEW MONTHS OR SO. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS COLD, BUT NOT THE CASE . IT HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. I HAVE LOW MILES ON IT ABOUT 77,5000. I SEE SOME PEOPLE THINK IT IS A INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET PROBLEM AND I HAVE THE SAME ISSURE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2017
Dec 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER WAITING A FEW MOMENTS, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2014
Jul 2014

CAR IS IDLING ROUGH AND WILL STALL AT LIGHTS OR ANYTIME STOPPED WHILE IN GEAR. HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE REAR ENDED ON MANY OCCASIONS BECAUSE IT WILL IDLE THEN STALL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2013
Nov 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR AN UNRELATED REPAIR WHEN THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT BOTH MOTOR MOUNTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 11/27/12 *CN

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: May 2010
Jan 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE ENGINE RPMS AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN INTAKE GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2012
Nov 2011

I JUST HAD TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON THE #4 CYLINDER FOR THE 2ND TIME ON MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE FIRST TIME WAS FEB 23, 2005 AT JUST UNDER 57,000 MILES. NOW, THE MILEAGE IS 123,225. LUCKILY, MY FIANCE WORKS AT A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY GAVE ME A BREAK ON THE LABOR RATE! AT A REDUCED LABOR RATE, THE REPAIR WAS $287.00, ALL LABOR EXCEPT $7.13. MY CAR STARTED TO IDLE ROUGH WHEN STOPPED AT LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS, ALMOST LIKE IT WANTED TO DIE. SINCE IT HAD HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE, I KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS THIS TIME!! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: May 2011
Nov 2011

MY 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA HAD TO HAVE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AT THE #4 CYLINDER REPLACED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 56,955 MILES ON IT IN FEB 2005. THE PART WAS LESS THAN $10.00 BUT THE REPAIR WAS OVER $734.14 DUE TO LABOR. I JUST HAD TO REPLACE THE EXACT SAME PART A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. THE VEHICLE HAS A LITTLE OVER 123,000 MILES ON IT. BOTH TIMES, THE VEHICLE WOULD START IDLING EXTREMELY ROUGH WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. WHEN YOU START TO ACCELERATE, AT TIMES, THE CAR WOULD ACT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2005
Nov 2011

I HAVE A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT, AND GOT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. AT 52,000 MILES, I HAD MAJOR SHAKING AT IDLE, TOOK IT IN, AND THEY REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET UNDER WARRANTY. NOW, AT 74,000 MILES, ONLY 22,000 MILES MORE, THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTOZONE, AND THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK, WHICH INDICATED THE PROBABILITY OF A VACUUM LEAK, POSSIBLY DUE TO A FAULTY GASKET, ETC. THIS PROBLEM IS APPARENTLY VERY COMMON WITH THIS YEAR ALTIMA, AND NISSAN HAS NEVER ISSUED A RECALL. FROM WHAT I CAN GATHER, THERE IS EXCESSIVE HEAT IN THE AREA NEAR THE MANIFOLD GASKET (WHICH IS A 15.00 PART), LEADING TO PREMATURE BREAKDOWN OF THE GASKET. SIMPLE HEAT SHIELDING WOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT NISSAN HAS DONE NOTHING. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE CAR COULD DIE AT IDLE AT A STOP LIGHT, AND THE DRIVER COULD BE REAR ENDED. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE JOB, DUE TO 5 OR MORE HOURS OF LABOR TO GET THE GASKET REPLACED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2011
Feb 2011

2001 ALTIMA SE IDLE PROBLEM WHEN ON A STOP. SIMILAR IDLE PROBLEMS I HAD IN MAY 2005 IN WHICH THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WHICH IS LEAKING AT #4 CYL. PAID NOTHING BECAUSE ITS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. SAME PROBLEM AGAIN IN MAR 2007, WITH 60,802 MILES, DEALER REPLACED THE SAME INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET INWHICH THIS TIME, I PAID A LOT OF MONEY TO GET IT FIX. NOW, ON THE THIRD TIME, WITH 120,000 MILES, I'M HAVING SIMILAR IDLE PROBLEM AND PROBABLY I WILL HAVE THE DEALER TO WORK ON IT. THIS IS REALLY A BIG PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR AND I TAUGHT THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON IT. IT'S REALLY UNSAFE AND COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF THE DRIVER DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE/OPERATE WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2011
Nov 2010

THE VEHICLE FREQUENTLY STALLED DURING THE PAST MONTH. NOW ITS MILLAGE IS 105,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2010
Sep 2010

THE FAILURE I AM WRITING ABOUT IS INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IN THE 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA IN DOING RESEARCH IT IS EVIDENT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS IN MOST OF THESE CARS IN ORDER TO FIX HAD TO BRING TO MECHANIC AND PAY $900 FOR A PART THAT COST NO MORE THEN$20 THERE HAS BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS SUBMITTED TO YOU ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE FROM OTHERS IT IS EASY TO SEE HOW WIDE SPREAD THIS ISSUE IS WITH ONE QUICK INTERNET SEARCH. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2010
Aug 2010

CAR STALLING WHEN NOT IN MOTION, SHUTTING OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, OCCURS WHENEVER I DRIVE THE CAR. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAS TO BE REPLACED. MANY OTHER CONSUMERS SHARE THE SAME PROBLEM. NISSAN ALTIMA 2001 LIMITED EDITION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2008
Feb 2010

GASKET ISSUE...CAR STARTS SHAKING AT STOP SIGNS AND ONE HAS TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL PRETTY HAND. CAN BE DANGEROUS. THE PART WAS REPAIRED ....BUT BECAUSE IT WAS 100K MILES + ....HAD TO PAY 1200 DOLLARS TO FIX THE ISSUE. LOOKS LIKE A SCAM BY NISSAN AND DEALERS....SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME TOPIC. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2010
Jan 2010

THE CAR STARTED TO ALMOST DIE AND VIBRATE WHILE STOPPED AT RED LIGHTS. I AM PAYING $636 TO HAVE THE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED. THE CAR ONLY HAS 66000 MILES ON IT AND IS GARAGE KEPT AND PERFECTLY MAINTAINED. BASED ON THE LARGE NUMBER OF IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS REPORTED TO NHTSA, I BELIEVE THIS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND SHOULD BE REIMBURSED BY NISSAN. I ALSO REGISTERED THIS COMPLAINT WITH THE NISSAN WEBSITE TODAY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2010
Jan 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIANS INFORMED THAT THE MANIFOLD GASKET EXHIBITED A LEAKAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2010
Dec 2009

2001 NISSAN ALTIMA ,ROUGH IDLE APPEARS TO ACT AS IF THERE IS A DEAD MISS. CHECKED OUT BY MECHANIC AND ITS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE . NISSAN SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND RECALL THIS. FAILURE MILEAGE 58,000. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2009
Nov 2009

2001 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS A DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, CAUSES ROUGH IDLE AND CAR TO SHUT OFF WHEN ENGINE IS ON. THIS LEADS TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF CAR AND STALLING IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH A $10 PART, WHICH COSTS $600+ TO REPAIR. NISSAN SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS COMMON PROBLEM AND HAVE IT REPLACED ON THESE CARS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2009
Oct 2009

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WHICH IS A PROBLEM NISSAN IS AWARE OF ON MOST OF THE 2000-2004 ALTIMA CARS, MAKES THE CAR SHAKE AND SEEM LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL WHILE IDLE. SOMETIMES IT DOES IT WHILE DRIVING, AND HAS IN SOME CASES MADE THE CAR GO DEAD WHICH DOESN'T ALLOW THE CAR TO BE STEERED AWAY FROM DANGER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2009
Sep 2009

ONLY 64000 MILES AND THIS CAR SHAKES RATTLES AND ROLLS AT IDLE. I DID A SEARCH IN GOOGLE, IT IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE FOR 2000 AND 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA. THERE ARE ALREADY QUITE A FEW SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FILED. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER, THE REPAIR BILL IS $1175. THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE GAS INTAKE GASKET. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2009
Sep 2009

RPMS JUMPING UP AND DOWN AT IDLE. MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS A MISFIRE ON CYLINDER 4 AND I NEEDED A INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. (HE KNEW THIS BECAUSE HE SPRAYED CARB CLEANER BY CYLINDER 4)A $500 JOB. CAR MAYBE 8 YEARS OLD BUT IT ONLY HAS 38,000 MILES ON IT. NO REASON GASKET SHOULD BURN OUT ON ONE SIDE LIKE THAT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2009
Aug 2009 Crash

2001 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE 2.4 WITH 70,000 MILES. ON OR ABOUT THIS DAY MY WIFE AND 8 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER WERE DRIVING ON A EXPRESSWAY WHEN A ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN FRONT OF THEM. MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO STOP AND AVOID THE ACCIDENT. WHILE WAITING FOR THE ACCIDENT TO CLEAR THE CAR STALLED DUE TO THE #4 INTAKE EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. WHILE RESTARTING THE CAR TO ADVANCE TO A SAFER AREA. THAT IS WHEN A CAR HIT THEM IN THE REAR AND PUSHED THEM INTO THE CAR INFRONT OF THEM, CAUSING ALMOST $3000.00 DAMAGE TO OUR CAR. MY WIFE AND I STILL HAVE DIFFICULTY SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT, THINKING OF THE HARM THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO OUR DAUGHTER. I STILL HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO AFFORD TO FIX THIS DEFECT ON OUR CAR AND CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT MOST DAYS WHILE IT TRIES TO STALL OUT ON ME. THIS DEFECT IS CONSISTENT WITH COMPLAINTS #10167168,101451161,10100639 AND#10163901. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: May 2007
Jul 2009

AT FIRST MY CAR STARTED SHAKING AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS WATER IN MY GAS TANK. I HAD A TUNE UP DONE ON MY CAR AND THE SHAKING STOPPED MOMENTARILY. THE SHAKING STARTED AGAIN AND WOULD GET SO BAD THAT MY CAR WOULD SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. I WAS DRIVING AND ABOUT TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY CAR SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THANKFULLY, IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING AND THERE WERE ONLY FEW CARS ON THE ROAD. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2009
Jun 2009

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. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2009
Jun 2009

ROUGH IDLING THAT STARTED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. THE CAR HAS CUT OFF ABOUT 3 TIMES WHILE I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT. I HAVE CHANGED SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG WIRES, FUEL FILTER, OXYGEN SENSOR AND NOTHING HAS HELPED. I HAVE A MECHANIC WHO THINKS IT IS POSSIBLY THE FUEL INJECTOR BUT I DON'T WANT TO KEEP SPENDING MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. THERE SHOULD BE RECALL ON THIS FAULTY PART THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM FOR EVERYONE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2009
Jun 2009

EXTREMELY ROUGH IDLING THAT DULLS DOWN UPON PUTTING CAR IN PARK BUT DOES NOT STOP. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE CAR MIGHT STALL AT TIMES. PROBLEM HAS BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS. I WAS STOPPED THE OTHER DAY ON A HILL AND THE CAR LOST ACCELERATION POWER AND ALMOST STALLED. THIS COULD BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTS WITH STALLING OR THE LOSS OF ACCELERATION POWER. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS ALSO APPEARED AND REMAINED ON CONSTANTLY. TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR AND APPARENTLY IT IS A INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET THAT NEEDS REPLACED, WHICH IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR ($600-$800). IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED/RECALLED.TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2009

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2001 Nissan Altima has 51 Engine complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.