2020 Nissan Altima: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
179 NHTSA owner complaints · 6 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. 2020 specifically: a year the record favours — 179 complaints, score 76/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Nissan's CVT problem: the Altima, Sentra, Rogue and Pathfinder years to avoid, including 2020 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 179 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 29.83
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I leased and then bought a new 2020 Altima in 11/19 with 4 Continental tires. On 8/27/26 I saw a hole and fissures in the sidewall of the right-rear tire (Continental Pro Contact TX 215 / 55 R 17. All 4 tires had 7/32 wear on 11/30/25 and were rotated front to back. Threads are good.
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.
Recalls: 6 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V138000 | Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Nissan Altima vehicles. |
| 20V685000 | Tires | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Altima S grade vehicles equipped with Continental ProContact TX tires, size 215/60 R16 H, with TIN date code 3320 and Mold ID S-419149. |
| 23V628000 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. |
| 21V169000 | Tires | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Altima and 2018-2021 Titan vehicles equipped with Continental tires. |
| 20V570000 | Visibility:Glass, Side/Rear | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Altima, Maxima and Leaf vehicles. |
| 25V437000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. |
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 32 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,050
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.
- Electrical System45 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine36 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other35 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Forward Collision Avoidance29 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Steering20 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Service Brakes18 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Nissan Altima years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Nissan Altima?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (45 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2020 Nissan Altima a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 76/100, computed from 179 NHTSA complaints and 6 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2020 Nissan Altima's most common problem?
45 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2020 Nissan Altima sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 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 2020 Nissan Altima cost to run per year?
About $4,126 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $20,632 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 2020 Nissan Altima have recalls?
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.
Compare with
Other midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2020 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 — 179 complaints, 6 recalls on record
- 179 NHTSA complaints on record (29.8/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (29.8/yr)
- 6 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems