Car · Nissan problems

2010 Nissan Altima problems

381 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Nissan Altima. The most reported area is electrical system (19% of them). NHTSA also lists 105 service bulletins and 3 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 37. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 381 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Electrical system74 · 19%
• Power train (transmission and drive)73 · 19%
• Other or unknown70 · 18%
• Air bags61 · 16%
• Engine and engine cooling54 · 14%
• Service brakes32 · 8%
• Suspension31 · 8%
• Body and structure30 · 8%

14 smaller areas not shown (117 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 105 repair bulletins from Nissan for the 2010 Nissan Altima. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. NTB09-131CReceived April 29, 2026

   Body and structure

   Certification label and VIN plate replacement service information Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement "Certification Label" or "VIN Plate/Label" may be needed.

2. NTB13-027DReceived July 19, 2024

   Electrical system

   CAN communication - network diagnostic flow chart.

3. NTB13-107GReceived July 19, 2024

   Electrical system

   Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start.

4. NTB09-081KReceived June 7, 2024

   Visibility and wipers

   Windshield cracking.

5. NTB13-028IReceived June 7, 2024

   Visibility and wipers

   Removing foreign material from the window glass.

6. NTB08-097LReceived October 6, 2023

   Steering

   Diagnosis of vehicle pull (drift) and/or steering wheel off-center.

7. NTB23-053Received July 11, 2023

   Electrical system

   Silicone-based lubricant or grease CAN damage electrical components.

8. NTB16-003CReceived May 5, 2023

   Electrical system

   Intelligent key replacement or swapping between vehicles.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2010 Nissan Altima. Recall repairs are free at a Nissan dealer.

1. 10V401000September 10, 2010

   Equipment

   The batteries contained in the affected gps units CAN overheat.

2. 10V193000May 7, 2010

   Structure

   Some of the front side member assembly components may not have been welded to specification due to a tool maintenance error.

3. 09V358000September 16, 2009

   Suspension

   The upper front strut insulators may have been manufactured out of specification resulting in a potential for the strut insulator to crack.

See all 3 recalls for the 2010 Nissan Altima, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Altima will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Electrical system 74 complaints · 19%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Power train (transmission and drive) 73 complaints · 19%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Air bags 61 complaints · 16%

• Airbag clockspring replacement$230 to $670
• Airbag / occupant sensor replacement$220 to $750

Engine and engine cooling 54 complaints · 14%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2010 Nissan Altima: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2010 Nissan Altima?

Of the 381 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Nissan Altima, 74 (19%) name electrical system, and 73 (19%) name power train (transmission and drive). A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2010 Nissan Altima reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 25 of the 381 complaints as involving a crash and 9 as involving a fire. They also reported 37 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2010 Nissan Altima have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2010 Nissan Altima. Recall repairs are free at a Nissan dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 105 repair bulletins for the 2010 Nissan Altima.

More

• 2019 Altima problems
• 2018 Altima problems
• 2017 Altima problems
• 2016 Altima problems
• 2015 Altima problems
• 2014 Altima problems
• 2013 Altima problems
• 2012 Altima problems
• 2011 Altima problems
• 2010 recalls
• All Nissan recalls
• Nissan problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.