2021 Nissan Altima: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
70 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 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. 2021 specifically: a year the record favours — 70 complaints, score 88/100. 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 2021 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 70 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 14.0
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 2021 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking lot, the contact shifted into drive(D) and then to reverse(R) to exit the parking lot, and while driving 3 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact attempted to forcefully depress the brake pedal; however, the vehicle failed to stop. Due to the failure, the vehicle crashed i…
When I make a turn, I hear a clicking noise and also when I come to a complete stop, I can a sound that sounds like a grunting noise. I had new brakes, rotors and brand new tires put on in 2025. I think my ball joints and tie rod is defective. I have a triple AAA membership and I just renewed it in June and it said that my 2021 has two recalls. NHTSA # 23V628000 The back over prevention sensing system camera & NHTSA#…
My car is supposed to have an automatic braking system/collision detection. Two cars in front of me slammed on their brakes and the car in front of me slammed on his brake, and I didn't have enough time to react. I totalled my car, but my car is supposed to have a safety feature that automatically brakes. The faulty automatic braking didn't engage as it should have.
Recalls: 2 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. |
| 23V628000 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra 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 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.
- Forward Collision Avoidance22 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Service Brakes21 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Electrical System21 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other12 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Steering7 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Engine6 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
Other Nissan Altima years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Nissan Altima?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Forward Collision Avoidance (22 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2021 Nissan Altima a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 88/100, computed from 70 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2021 Nissan Altima's most common problem?
22 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2021 Nissan Altima sit in the Forward Collision Avoidance group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is radar or camera module replacement and calibration: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $780–$2,160 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 2021 Nissan Altima cost to run per year?
About $3,686 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $18,430 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 2021 Nissan Altima have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2021 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 2021 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.
Moderate evidence — 70 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 70 NHTSA complaints on record (14.0/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (29.8/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems