2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Engine

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE WARNING LIGHT IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, WHICH INFORMED THE CONTACT TO SHUT-OFF THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NISSAN OF BRADENTON (1611 CORTEZ RD W, BRADENTON, FLORIDA 34207) HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHIFT INTERLOCK WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,000.*DT*JB

  Feb 12, 2021 · 171,000 miles
• Air bags

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FREEDOM NISSAN OF SOUTH BURLINGTON (1095 SHELBURNE RD, SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT 05403, (802) 864-7400) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 154,000.

  Aug 1, 2019 · 154,000 miles
• Electrical system

  THE 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID HAS CEASED TO FUNCTION SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY, PUTTING ME AT EXTREME DANGER. IN THE FIRST CASED, THE ELECTRONIC COMPUTER UNIT WAS THE DEFECTIVE PART, ON THE SECOND OCCASION, IT WAS THE IGNITION COILS. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, PLACING ME AT GREAT RISK AS THE VEHICLE SEIZES UP WITHOUT WARNING AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY.

  Apr 18, 2019 · 143,000 miles
• Unknown or other

  'TAKATA RECALL' UNKNOWN HS WARNING LIGHT ON CAUTION LIGHT ON TIIRE PRESSURE SYMBOL ON SEVICE ENGINE SOON INDICATOR ON

  Jul 1, 2017 · 246,000 miles
• Steering

  IN 2013, I WAS STRANDED AT WORK LATE AT NIGHT DUE TO A FAULTY STEERING WHEEL LOCK. I GOT INTO MY CAR AND WENT TO START IT AND THE KEY LIGHT WAS LIT ON THE DASH AND MY CAR WOULDN'T START. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY TO REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK. THANKFULLY, I WAS STRANDED IN A SAFE PLACE ESPECIALLY SINCE I'M A SINGLE FEMALE. IT'S NOW 2017, AND I FIND MYSELF IN THE SAME SITUATION. THANKFULLY, I NOTICED THE ISSUE EARLY WHILE IT'S STILL DAYTIME. I'M NOW WAITING FOR MY CAR TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP TO ADDRESS A FAULTY STEERING WHEEL LOCK. I'M CONCERNED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK ONLY HAS A LIFE SPAN OF 4 YEARS SINCE THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE TO…

  Mar 28, 2017 · 92,278 miles
• Air bags

  THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR TO DETECT AN OCCUPANT AND ENABLE/DISABLE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG FAILED. THIS IS AN ITEM CRITICAL TO OCCUPANT SAFETY THAT IS NOT A WEAR-AND-TEAR ITEM AND ONE WHICH SHOULD REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS WILL NOT WORK AS INTENDED WHEN OCCUPIED BY AN OCCUPANT OF THE APPROPRIATE WEIGHT PER THE SENSOR'S SETTING. IT IS APPARENT THAT MANY ALTIMA VEHICLES, MODELS BEFORE AND AFTER MY 2009 YEAR MODEL, HAVE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE SAME EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE COMPONENT. NISSAN IS NOT WILLING TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM VOLUNTARILY; THEREFORE, NISSAN SHOULD BE ORDERED BY THE NHTSA TO REPLACE THIS CRITICAL SAFETY…

  Feb 10, 2017 · 124,000 miles
• Electrical system

  I WAS ON MY WAY TO PICKUP MY WIFE AND THE FOR SONE REASON THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOCKED . I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A MISTAKE OR SOMETHING GOT STUCK IN THE CAR. I PRESS ON THE BUTTON TO START ,NOTHING AND TRY TO TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL ,STILL NOTHING. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND BACK IN ,NOTHING ,SO I DID THIS FOR 30 MINUTES UNTIL FINALLY GAVE UP. I HAD TO RUSH TO GET OUR OTHER CAR TO PICK HER UP. LUCKILY, TRAFFIC WAS OKAY. I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN TO SEE IF THEY CAN DO ANYTHING ,STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM. I CONTACTED THEM AT THIS SAME DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN THE PARKING LOT OF OUR APARTMENT.

  Feb 9, 2017
• Steering

  CAR WAS PARKED ON BUSY CITY ROAD AND WOULD NOT START. STEERING WHEEL LOCK DID NOT WORK.

  Feb 5, 2017 · 99,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• Pedestrian alert soundsClosedLed to recall 22V063000

  NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review…

  DP22005 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023