2020 Nissan Altima: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
178 NHTSA owner complaints · 6 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Reviewed by the MotorJury data desk · 2 sources · Last updated 2026-08-20
178 NHTSA owner complaints · 6 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Complaints per year on the road: 29.67
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Engine Malfunction" was displayed. Additionally, the vehicle experienced excessive coolant consumption and the engine overheated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the thermostat was replaced; however, the failure recurred and worsened. The vehicle was returned to an independent mec…
When I am driving my car randomly states check engine and makes a beeping noise and then the engine starts to make some type of combustion noise and then slows down and then turns off.
Both passenger-side and driver's side rear door lock mechanisms ceased working. They do not work when attempting to lock/unlock the doors from the inside controls in the front seat. These doors also do not lock/unlock when using the remote key fob either. Both rear doors have to be lock/unlocked manually from the inside of the door.
What the community is saying right now.
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V138000 | Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Nissan Altima vehicles. The tie rod ball joint fastener was not tightene… |
| 20V685000 | Tires | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Altima S grade vehicles equipped with Continental ProContact TX tires, size 21… |
| 23V628000 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Ca | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can c… |
| 21V169000 | Tires | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Altima and 2018-2021 Titan vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On … |
| 20V570000 | Visibility:Glass, Side/Rear | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Altima, Maxima and Leaf vehicles. The rear window glass may not remain proper… |
| 25V437000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Hard Pa | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 … |
EPA combined 32 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $1,900
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (45 complaints in our indexed sample).
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 40/100, computed from 178 NHTSA complaints and 6 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for the 2020 Nissan Altima, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 04/03/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorComplaints & 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: 2026-08-20.