2017 Nissan Altima: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
391 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The 2013–2015 Altima is the centre of Nissan's continuously variable transmission problem. The fifth-generation car launched with a Jatco CVT that overheated, shuddered, went into limp mode and, at worst, failed outright; the 2013 model year carries more than 2,300 complaints and scores 23. Read the full note on the model page. 2017 specifically: 391 complaints on record, score 69/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Nissan's CVT problem: the Altima, Sentra, Rogue and Pathfinder years to avoid, including 2017 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 391 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 43.44
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with an electrical fault inside the air bag, and it was determined that the air bag inside the seat back needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer…
1. Headlights. The headlights are dim to the point that vision at night is greatly impaired unless I use my high beams. It is available for inspection. 2. Impaired vision at night, I cannot see very well when driving at night, and others may be affected by not being able to see me as well. 3. This is a known manufacturing defect which has been confirmed by Nissan, and is actually subject of a class action settlement,…
I was driving home from the store like 4 blocks away and on the road there’s dip n the road you can’t avoid it so after i drive over it the airbag light comes on with hitting anything.
Recalls: 3 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 17V040000 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles. |
| 18V915000 | Structure:Emergency:Escape/Egress/Exit | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles, previously remedied under recall number 17V-040. |
| 20V315000 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 26 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,500
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Power Train133 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Air Bags73 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Unknown Or Other62 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Vehicle Speed Control41 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Engine39 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System27 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
Other Nissan Altima years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Nissan Altima?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (133 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2017 Nissan Altima a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 69/100, computed from 391 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2017 Nissan Altima's most common problem?
133 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2017 Nissan Altima sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2017 Nissan Altima cost to run per year?
About $5,255 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,275 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2017 Nissan Altima have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2017 Nissan Altima, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 18/01/2017. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2017 Nissan Altima really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 391 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 391 NHTSA complaints on record (43.4/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (29.8/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems