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Buying a used 2021 Nissan Altima? Check these 2 recalls first
Only two recalls apply to the 2021 Altima: the critical tie rod that can come apart and cause steering loss, and backup camera wiring that can fail. That is a much shorter list than the 2019 and 2020 cars, and neither recall is flagged stop-driving or park-outside. Among 70 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — unverified reports covering 7 crashes, 1 fire and 4 injuries — the leading areas are forward collision avoidance (22), service brakes (21) and electrical system (21).
Before you buy
- Get the 17-character VIN from the seller and run it at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows which recalls are still unrepaired on that exact car.
- Confirm the tie rod recall was performed and check the steering for looseness, wander or noise while driving.
- Test the backup camera repeatedly in reverse to rule out the intermittent wiring failure covered by the recall.
- Ask whether the forward collision system has ever warned or braked unexpectedly, and how the brakes have behaved.
- Open recalls are repaired free at any Nissan dealer, whoever owns the car — an open recall is a to-do item, not a bill.
Recalls covering the 2021 Nissan Altima
| Recall | Area | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Nissan Altima tie rod can come apart, steering loss | Steering | critical |
| Nissan Altima and Sentra backup camera wiring can fail | Back Over Prevention | medium |
What owners have reported to NHTSA
70 complaints filed for this model year, including 7 mentioning a crash, 1 a fire and 4 injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, and popular models collect more of them simply because more are on the road.
| Problem area | Complaints | Recall in this area? |
|---|---|---|
| Driver Assistance | 22 | None found |
| Brakes | 21 | None found |
| Electrical System | 21 | None found |
| Steering | 7 | Yes |
| Engine | 6 | None found |
| Suspension | 5 | None found |