Nissan Altima FAQs

• What is bad about Nissan Altima?

  Build quality for the Altima did improve over time, but that doesn't mean it wasn't dogged by issues, as is the case for so many makes and models of car, even by today's standards. The Altima was known to have issues such as a faulty fuel pump and engine seal, leaking intake gasket, failing camshaft, and high-profile problems with the CVT, which we've discussed separately below. Given the Altima is no longer sold new in Australia, we suggest checking out what other cars are on the market right now, with recent years seeing a big leap in improvements across things like safety, amenity and technology.

• Is the Nissan Altima discontinued?

  Nissan Australia retired the Altima from its local line-up across 2017/18. At the time it was the brand's only mid-sized sedan, going head to head with the likes of the Toyota Camry. It was always going to be a tough ask, what with the dominance of the Camry over the years, however, the auto-maker eventually decided to wave the white flag around the Altima. With just shy of 5000 sales across four years of sales down under, the Altima never really gained a foothold in a tough market.

• Do Nissan Altimas have transmission problems?

  Pretty quickly, the Altima established a reputation for being associated with transmission problems, which was due to the fact it relied upon a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Some observers pointed to the possibility the auto-maker may have been using an inadequate cooling system for the CVT, and as it heats up, it has been known to be prone to excessive vibration. If the CVT overheats, that may prompt the engine to go into fail-safe mode and cut power in order to prevent damage.