NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Nissan Altima. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Dashboard has started melting. Front half of dash has started oozing a black, sticky, shiny tar-like substance in addition to an odor. Sticks to everything and does not come off or stop oozing. Spreading to more area of the dashboard. Does create a glare on the windshield, obstructing visibility. Have always used a sun shield since purchasing the car in 2022. This just started ~7/31/2025.
UNKNOWN
I am having problems with my ECU malfunctioning which is causing my catalytic converter my exhaust manifold and my O2 sensors to malfunction. I'm having all the same issues as the recall campaign reference number NTB 12-040 d
The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Altima. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who discovered severe corrosion on the rear cross-member. The contact was informed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive because the corrosion affected several parts of the vehicle. The mechanic informed the contact about NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V358000 (Suspension); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that she would receive a call back. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Around 12:30 pm Sysco driver [XXX] illegally parked on the San Diego California street blocking off traffic. I made a note of the drivers identification because of the awkward closeness to my vehicle. I went to an appointment about an hour away and upon my return I immediately noticed tension and pulling with my suspension that was not there before. I contact Sysco corporate office to report the incident and they said they will take care of it and to make a police report. I call immediately and am put on hold for nearly 90 minutes then am disconnected. I go to make an in person report and the police department is closed on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I notify the department of transportation and the California attorney general of my situation and how my car is not working like before. This should be investigated. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Yes, while driving down Atlanta Highway I was going around 55 mph then all of a sudden saw smoke was coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle. When I pulled over Flames was coming from the front right side and spread it to the center of the front hood, then spread it to the front seat and passenger side seat of the vehicle. I didn’t call 911 and fire services responded and put the fire out. According to the Montgomery Police Department, Delano police support Center vehicle was not involved in any type of car accident.
The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that seat air bag warning light remained illuminated after starting the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 191,000.
Vehicle doesn't work properbaliy
- Fuel system and Gauge - Smell of gas in the car, gas gurgles out of the filler tube. Concerned of driving the car with the smell of gas. - Dealer says repair it's not covered yet there's a recall bulletin on this problem (Nissan TSB NTB17-030). Say's diagnosing the problem isn't covered nor the repair. - NO - Fuel gauge reacts very slowly, won't go past halfway point. Can only fill $5 dollars of gas into the tank.
Today my 16 year old daughter drove my 2010 Nissan Altima. At 45 mph it started to jerk. She pulled over to check things out and saw nothing. She went to put it back in drive and the gear shifter wouldn’t stay in proper drive position, but she started driving. It continued and began jerking, making a popping sound, and then started pouring smoke. She pulled over, got out and got my 10 year old daughter out when she saw a flame by the windshield and they ran away from the vehicle before it became engulfed in flames very quickly. The entire vehicle is ash except the frame in a short period of time.
Dashboard is melting and cracking. Glare makes it hard to see out of the windshield.
At some point on the highway the car throttles down to less than 60 mph. Mashing the gas pedal to the floor results in nothing happening. This causes a dangerous road situation with the slower speed, but the worst part is when it suddenly begins to accelerate again, potentially hitting the car in front of you unexpectedly. No mechanic can reproduce the effect as it only takes place after driving on the highway for an hour or so.
My name is [XXX] and I can be reached at [XXX]...The dashboard has many cracks on it and it looks like it's melting too by the sun rays. It's very sticky when you touch it too. Vehicle tends to slow down a lot when I am driving as if I am about to get transmission problems soon. I see many people who already complained this transmission issue. My car has about 130,646 miles on it. The passenger air bag is consistently on and I hope it won't deploy on its own. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
This vehicle has a major electrical issue. A long time ago, I used to use my keyfob to open doors remotely and used the push start button to get the car running. I can no longer do this. when I couldn't do this any longer, went through several mechanics. They could not fix this problem. Finally, they had to use a bypass method where now I have to use a different way to start the car. The mechanic had to install a push bypass button. This is how I can only start the car now. 1. I depress the brake paddle 2. Insert the keyfob in a hole (located at the bottom the left side of the steering wheel) 3. Press the start button 4. Then hit this bypass button I don't know if anybody is having this issue but this has become a nuisance for me.
My air bag light is on red
THERE ARE two ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. FIRST, THE COST TO REPLACE A HEADLIGHT BULB IF ONE GOES OUT IS VERY HIGH (I PAID WELL OVER A HUNDRED DOLLARS), AND THUS MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT BEABLE TO REPLACE THE LIGHT, WHICH I BELIEVE IS A SAFETY ISSUE. Second, this vehicle does NOT have the means to start it with a real key. It ONLY starts with the key fob. Thus, in the event that something happens to the key fob, like if it breaks or if the battery goes dead, the vehicle cannot be started. I believe this would cause a safety issue, in the event that a driver should be stuck on the side of the road, especially in bad weather, and cannot start the vehicle to move out of the way of any traffic or other dangers. I did question the manufacturer about this issue which is the most important to me, and they were VERY uncooperative. They would NOT sell me a replacement key fob (to keep as a backup) but would sell me one at a price over $300. I feel this especially is a safety issue. And actually the TRUNK of this vehicle has no key hole that can allow it to be opened except with the key fob. What if a woman has the keyfob in her pourse, lays it down to unload groceries into the trunk, and accidently closes the trunk lid. Then she cannot start her vehicle. And, what if a CHILD should get into the trunk and there be no one with a key fob to get them out. I would like to have some response to these issues. In my opinion, both the keyfob issues and the headlamp issue are vey important safety issues and need to be addressed. I feel that things like safety equipment (headlights) and access (an actual key and opening to use it) should be priced within the reach of ANY person who owns this particular vehicle. Thank you Please disregard CAPS in first paragraph, my CAPS key got stuck.
2010 Nissan altam the front strut insulators on both sides have really bad cracks on the upper insulators. It's a loud clunking noise going over bumps or just driving on flat surfaces. There's a recall on 09 and 10 maxima and altamas with the same issues but this one isn't showing up for a recall.
My extremely shiny/melting dashboard is the problem yes it is available for inspection. Everyones safety was put @ risk because of the glare created by that dashboard onto the windshield. I can’t afford to pay the dealership or anyone else to look at it. Not inspected by police insurance or manufacturer yet but I’m sure it will be once I have a wreck Due to the fact that I can’t see clearly out the windshield there were no warning lamps Or messages but here’s the story : I bought this car Preowned in Oklahoma on April 16, 2023 since then on more than one occasion I have almost run over A pedestrian or into another vehicle because I couldn’t see due to the excessive glare on my windshield One photo Shows how bad the Glare is when The Sun hits The windshield 4some reason it uploaded sideways Depending upon the placement of the sun the Reflection on the The windshield Will cover the entire lower half the rest of the photos were taken in my garage &even after dark with just the light from my garage you can clearly see how bad the glare is due to the reflection. I also included a photo of a quarter standing On its side. that is how sticky the dash is. You can also see in the photos how the shade I bought to keep the sun off of The dash leaves pieces on the dashboard because it keeps sticking to the dashboard Every day when I use it. You can also see if you look really closely how the stickiness that’s on the shade rubs off onto the windshield and leaves a sticky mess on it. please do something about this my car is no longer under warranty but is it unsafe to drive at various times both day and night. There’s no way I can afford to get a new dash.
Inspection is available, but note that car is in very poor shape and melted. All persons in the vehicle at the time of the incident were in extreme danger as the car showed no warning signed in the engine heat or check lights in the dashboard before the engine sputtered and slowed, the electrical sparked, and the whole front of the car caught on fire. The fire spread on a matter of 10 minutes and burst the windshield and front tires from the flames. Police inspected the remains of the vehicle and were unable to discover the source outside of the leaking oil still on fire by the electrical unit. Claim has been reported to insurance provider for their review.
My dash is melting and it is so shiny that the glare on the windshield makes it almost impossible to see on a sunny day. The dash is so sticky that you can’t even clean it. And it is admitting a foul odor which makes me sick makes my nose run and makes my eyes water. I don’t have another vehicle to drive but it’s getting to where I can’t drive this one
When parked letting the car warm up constant shaking kinda a rough ideal at times. From park to reverse it shifts hard the to drive its ok I guess then on the go it's like driving a boat on land loud knocking sounds seems like the tires are flat or about to explode off the car really nerve-wracking
No imcident
The rear sub-frame where the hub is connected to (drivers side), blew out /rusted out completely while driving. I just inspected the car recently and while I saw some surface rust on the rear sub-frame, I had no indications that the whole rear tire hub support-mount was about to fail. Inspecting the passenger side of the sub-frame, I suspect that mount is about to blow too. I was driving on the interstate which was curving left, when this happened. I lost control and the tire started screeching as it was not making flat contact after the failure. It was difficult to re-gain control and I am blessed that there was no accident. Nissan Altima driver's should be cautious driving a car that appears completely fine. I've attached pictures of the bad side and the other side to show how a 'good side' appears before it goes out. Also, there is a recall for 02-05 Nissans for rear sub-frame corrosion issues, but no recalls for the later years like my 2010.
Had a blowout and it made me shit my pants Infront on my girlfriend's mom.
I have a melting dashboard that is becoming hazardous due to the extreme glare , tackiness and continuous deterioration. I noticed it in May 2021 and has become substantially worse’s as it is now a hazard and concerned driving it until I can find a fix . I contacted Nissan consumer affairs and was advised no recall and due to age that they could not offer a good will fix and directed me to dealer. I will spoke to the dealer body shop who advised it will be approximately 2000 to replace . I will be bring it to the dealer in the next week for their inspection and assessment as this issue has been noted in the Auto Saftey letter to Nissan North American CEO in fall of 2021 requesting recall
Before I started my trip to New Smyrna Beach, FL on May 28, 2022. I made sure my son checked the oil, the coolant, and my tire pressure. Car was running fine. Got on the highway and the car started making a load noise. I was able to get off the exit in Ormondo Beach, FL to check and see what was wrong. In the process I had to call my Husband and son. They came from Jacksonville, FL to check the car. The car temperature gauge went over half then back down. After resting for a while. My husband check the oil and it was low. He added oil and Lucas's oil. He drove the car back to Jacksonville, because I was afraid it might catch fire. We got 3 minutes from home; the car stalled out because he had to stop for a traffic light. And the black cloud of smoke came from the hood and back of the car. When had to push the car home. The car didn't give me no warning on the oil being low.
Ever since i got the car in May of 2022 I have had problems with my transmission, engine and problems with excessive oil leaking. I’ve tried to get it fixed. None of the repairs have fixed my car even with my warranty and I’m still having problems with it. I have also needed to get a valve cover replacement and many repairs to my engine. My dashboard also has difficulties working and turning on. Sometimes my brakes are faulty and require changes frequently. I also have no seatbelts in my backseat
Was driving home on a rather busy highway, had my cruise control set at 65 mph, then the cruise control just shut off, no warning indications, no alerts, just poof off. It caused my car to lose speed instantly and caused a great deal of concern for both myself and everyone around me, this is now the second time this has happened within a month. Have not had time to take it to a dealership yet going to do so next week and see if they cant figure it out.
I HAVE A CVT TRANSMISSION IS MY CAR, AND ITS TERRIBLY SCARY. IT SHIFTS IF IT WANT TOO I TRY TO SLOW DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY HOPING TO HELP IT SHIFT IT STILL DONT I HAVE TO COME ALMOST TO A COMPLETE STOP. I GET OFF THE GAS CAR LURCHES FORWARD AND OR STALLS AND SHAKES AND THEN TAKES OFF. TRY TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR LITERALLY GOES NO WHERE THAN MINS LATER IT JUST TAKES OFF WITHOUT FOOT BEING ON GAS PEDAL. LOTS OF HESISTATION SHUDDERING LURCHING STALLING ITS REALLY SCARY TO DRIVE AT NIGHT TIME AND THROUGH BUSY PLACES. YOU PUT IT GEARS AND IT EVEN JUMPS AND OR ROCKS BACK AND FORTH
THIS CAR DASHBOARD IS COMPLETELY MELTING AND THE CHEMICALS THATS BEING RELEASED ARE VERY SMELLY AND EYE BURNING. FROM THE VENTS DOWN TO RIGHT BEFORE THE GEAR SHIFT HAS PIECES MISSING CONTROL UNITS DONT EVEN SIT IN ORIGINAL PLACE BECAUSE THE ENTIRE DASH IS MELTING AND WONT HOLD TOGETHER AND CHEMICALS ARE RELEASED ONTO THE WINDSHIELD MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. TURN THE AC DEBRIS COMES OUT AND EYES BURN TO THE POINT EVERY ONE HAS TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE. EYES BURN REGUARDLESS OF AC BUT WHEN ITS ON ITS 10X WORSE. IVE OWNED THIS CAR 2 YEARS AND ITS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE I GOT IT.
The airbag lights came on and when I took it to Nissan, I was told that it will not deploy if a person was to get in an accident
My Nissan altima dashboard is melting and the reflection is causing glare on windshield in the sun. Salt buildup on the windshield in combination with a flash of bright sunlight suddenly caused visibility out of the windshield to be nonexistent. I caused an accident when this happen to me on the freeway, as I lost all visibility and started to swerve and slow down. I had pull to the shoulder blindly and almost died.
The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle made abnormal sounds and was wobbling. The vehicle was towed to a collision center and diagnosed with corrosion in the lower rear suspension. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the collision center. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000. The VIN was unavailable.
My dash is melting. Besides being a mess as I am not able to clean it, it obstructs my vision when the sun hits it and glares back at the windshield. In Georgia there are many sunny days and if I am facing the sun, my view is really bad. I have contacted several Nissan dealers in the area and not one has a way to help me. I have read about consumers winning lawsuits in Texas and Florida, but the damage is the same here in Georgia.
The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle independently decelerated without warning. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to a local mechanic. The vehicle was then towed to a different local mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
The dash of the car has melted causing a glare on the windshield of the car making it hard to see out the windshield. Especially on very sunny days. The dash is sticky and car smells when entering it.
the whole dashboard area cracked and is melting
My 2010 Nissan Altima has a sticky dash. I am getting reflections in the windshield when I drive. I use a sun screen when my vehicle is parked. The sticky is getting on the bottom of my sunscreen. The sticky on the sun screen gets on the wind shield. I have called Nissan customer service. I was told my vehicle is out of warranty. Nissan can't do anything about the sticky dash. Nissan customer service did not offer a solution to the sticky dash problem. I think the sticky dash is a safety problem because it will probably get worse. Nissan knew about sticky dashes and could have recalled my vehicle.
The dashboard is melting and causing a large glare on the dashboard. This makes it a safety hazard to see out of the window. Nissan does not want to do anything about this but does acknowledge that it is happening.
The right side motor mount is broken for starters and then on the left drivers side front struts are making a noise and sometimes my back up camera goes out also the transmission is starting to jerk a little or it may be the broken motor mount.
The heater core in the car started leaking and it cost almost $2400 to replace it. Dealer told me that it is due to the fact that the whole dashboard in the car needs to be taken out and is very labor intensive. This is a big expense and wanted to check if there has been a repeated issue like this.
The dashboard is melted. The shiny surface that this melted area has created causes a terrible glare when driving during the day to the point where it is difficult to see the road or oncoming traffic well. The surface is extremely sticky to the touch. Melting has progressively been getting worse.
I purchased my 2010 Nissan in 2016. I had no issues up until now when I made my final payment. I do not travel no more than 2 hours on my car once a month. Outside of 2 hour travels I drive 15 minutes to work everyday. Wednesday, May 19, 2021 my car stop working out of the blue! When I was driving home, I was at a stop light. When it was time for me to go, my car did not move. So that’s when I pushed the gas pedal all the way down just so the car could move. If it went over 20 miles it will start shaking and jerking. I took my car to Nissan and they told me it’s my transmission. How is this possible? And they are asking fit 5,000.00! I don’t have that. On top of that I had to pay $252.00 just for them to tell me it’s my transmission. I could’ve caused an accident yesterday. What’s going on with Nissan transmissions
My dashboard has been melting since I purchased the vehicle last year. Dealership went out of business. It’s over $1,000 for dashboard to be replaced. I read the complaints on this website and y’all are WELL INFORMED of this issue and the safety concerns associated with it. Ditto for Nissan! A recall was issued for the previous two year models so why in the world should we have to pay for this repair out of pocket and how many complaints does it take to get y’all to do something????? I’m not sure what you’re here for if not to address issues consumers are having with their products. DO YOUR JOB AND MAKE NISSAN PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKES!!!!
AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE VERY NEXT DAY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AN IT STARTED HAVING ELECTRIC PROBLEMS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 106,324.
concern: melting dashboard safety: visibility - the dashboard is very shiny and sticky, potential glare confirmation: Florida recalls have already been made against 2008 and 2009 Nissan vehicles, but nothing further. symptoms: no idea that the dashboard was melting; college student used vehicle corrective action taken: washing/cleaners do not improve or correct the issue. Also, the replacement cost and/or labor required to fix the issue is extremely limited for consumers to take on personally.
THE AIRBAG PASSENGER NOTIFICATION LIGHT KEEPS BLINKING ON IN THE DASH. IT CAN BE RESET, BUT AS SOON AS A PASSENGER SITS IN THE CHAIR THE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN. ACCORDING TO THE ADVISOR THE SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ACCORDING TO THE NISSAN ADVISOR NONE OF THE AIRBAGS WILL DEPLOY IF THE LIGHT IS ON. THIS SEEMS TO ME A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
I DROVE MY CAR THE DAY BEFORE IT WAS FINE. I CAME OUT TO MY CAR A 2010 ALTIMA 3.5 SR I HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT . I PRECISELY PRECEDED TO DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE I HAD TO GO TO WORK. MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE OVER 20 MPH. CAR INTERMEDIATELY STARTED OVERHEATED AND DIED . I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A LOCAL INFINITI DEALER BECAUSE THE CAR WAS INOPERABLE, THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND THAT NISSAN HAD A RECALL ON THE CAR BUT THE 1ST OWNER NEVER FIXED IT. THE PROBLEM WAS A STEP MOTOR , THE CAR HAD NO POWER , NOW AFTER PAYING 3K FOR A NEW RADIATOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DATES BACK TO A RECALL YEARS BACK NISSAN HAD. THIS IS UNSAFE . I COULD'VE LOST MY LIFE . I STILL HAVE A LEAN ON MY VEHICLE IT HAS WORN CONTROL ARMS , AND CVT ISSUES GALORE IF THIS IS NOT FIXED SOMEONE WILL BE KILLED I PROMISE YOU . TOTALED OVER 8K IN REPAIRS SHAME ON NISSAN AND COMMON FUCCIN SAFETY BRO !!!!!! TOTAL JUNK AND UNSAFE AND IS INOPERABLE AND STILL ISN'T PAID OFF WHOOO HOOO JUST KILL US ALL NISSAN !!!!
The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the dashboard was cracking and became sticky to the touch. The contact also stated that there was a glare in the windshield from the dashboard. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer to be inspected. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026