2020 Nissan Altima Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
Many times while I'm driving, I feel a jerky motion. when I am at a stop light, and proceed to hit the accelerator, it will not pick up. I have lost power, the car will jerk while I'm driving. The RPM will rave go up. It's very dangerous because I can be driving and the engine will lose or reduced power. I get a whining sound, like my transmission, is gonna go out.
Description of the Problem: For the past three years, my vehicle has experienced intermittent and sudden loss of power while driving, including on the highway. The issue is ongoing and has not been resolved despite having the throttle body replaced three separate times, totaling approximately $4,500 in repairs. Each replacement has resulted in the exact same malfunction: the car enters limp mode, drastically reducing power, which is especially dangerous when my children are in the vehicle. Component/Inspection: The issue appears to involve the throttle body and possibly the CVT transmission or related electrical system. The component has been replaced multiple times and is available for inspection if needed. Safety Risk: This malfunction puts my safety and the safety of my passengers at significant risk, particularly when driving at high speeds or in heavy traffic. The car's sudden loss of power makes it difficult to accelerate or maintain speed, which could easily lead to a collision/serious injury. Problem Reproduced/Confirmed: Yes. The problem has been witnessed and confirmed by Midas of Palm Bay, FL and Nissan of Melbourne, FL. Manufacturer Involvement: I reached out to Nissan, but they refused to assist with the repairs or offer any support. Warning Signs/Symptoms: Before the failure, the check engine light comes on, followed by a warning message that reads “Engine Malfunction.” Immediately after, the vehicle loses power and cannot accelerate normally.
While driving my vehicle on the freeway, the car suddenly went into limp mode then a few seconds later, the Warning Light appeared showing CVT failure alert. The car has 111,000 miles. This should be an issue that Nissan need to be responsible 100%.
Unpredictably vehicle acceleration is delayed by approximately 3-4 seconds. Car then proceeds to take off after transmission kicks in. I almost got hit by a semi during a left turn. And similar near miss incidents have occurred. Car also fails to accelerate in a predictable manner when needed rpm goes up but vehicle will stall/hesitate. The vehicle is under warranty and has been to the dealer 3 times. They will not perform any maintenance on the vehicle. Saying it needs to be replicated in person. The Issue is not easily replicated, but when the issue presents itself, it poses a great safety risk to occupants in the vehicle and all drivers/pedestrians on the road around the vehicle. This seems to be a known issue by Nissan but they fail to implement a recall or any other corrective action. I can provide invoices/Statements of work but will have to retrieve them from the dealer. I also have video evidence of the issues occurring. Dealer has seen the videos but refuses to repair, replace, or recompensate for the issues listed above off the videos alone.
Transmission went out at 145k miles
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle would hesitate and shudder. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that no issues were found; however, the failure reoccurred. Additionally, the contact stated while the vehicle was parked, she shifted into drive(D) and depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact was unable to drive the vehicle after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle would be repaired at her own expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be repaired under the power train warranty due to the mileage. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000. The VIN was not available.
2020 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE.
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Quick Summary
The 2020 Nissan Altima has 7 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.