2016 Nissan Altima Recalls, Problems & MPG

NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 554 owner complaints for the 2016 Nissan Altima. The EPA rates it 26 to 31 MPG combined, depending on engine and drivetrain.

Recalls
4
Owner complaints
554
Crashes / fires reported
28 / 3
EPA combined
26–31 MPG

2016 Nissan Altima recalls

  • Latches/Locks/LinkagesMay 28, 2020 · NHTSA 20V315000+

    Risk: Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. If the primary latch is inadvertently released again and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

    Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an Owner’s Manual addendum card with instructions on how to lubricate and maintain the secondary hood latch mechanism, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: Recall 16V-029 remains open for any unremedied 2013-2015 Altimas and this recall applies to all vehicles covered by 16V-029 even if those repairs have already been performed.

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.

  • StructureDec 19, 2018 · NHTSA 18V915000+

    Risk: If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.

    Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will secure the latch-lock cables in the correct position using the new remedy procedure, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7669.

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles, previously remedied under recall number 17V-040. The door latch-lock cable may not have been routed properly in the rear door when the remedy was applied. As a result, the cable may interfere with the window regulator causing the rear passenger door to unlatch and inadvertently open without warning when the window is lowered.

  • Latches/Locks/LinkagesJan 18, 2017 · NHTSA 17V040000+

    Risk: If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.

    Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will correct the rear door latch/lock cable routing, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles. The rear door latch/lock cable on the vehicles may have been improperly routed. As a result, lowering a rear window may inadvertently cause that door to unlatch and open.

  • Air BagsApr 26, 2016 · NHTSA 16V244000+

    Risk: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

    Fix: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.

Recall repairs are free. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours still needs one.

Most reported 2016 Nissan Altima problems

Owner complaints to NHTSA by system. One complaint can name more than one system.

  • Power Train235
  • Engine86
  • Unknown or Other81
  • Air Bags71
  • Vehicle Speed Control65
  • Exterior Lighting42
  • Electrical System42
  • Structure29

2016 Nissan Altima gas mileage

EPA ratings for each version (city / highway / combined).

VersionEngineCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Altima2.5 L 4 cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios)273931$2,050
Altima SR2.5 L 4 cyl, Automatic (AV-S7)263730$2,150
Altima3.5 L 6 cyl, Automatic (AV-S7)223126$2,450

Real-world mileage depends on how and where you drive. Logbay compares your actual MPG with these EPA numbers.

Questions

Does the 2016 Nissan Altima have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2016 Nissan Altima, most recently for the latches/locks/linkages (May 28, 2020). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common 2016 Nissan Altima problems?

Owners filed 554 complaints with NHTSA. The most reported areas are power train (235), engine (86), unknown or other (81).

What gas mileage does the 2016 Nissan Altima get?

The EPA rates the 2016 Nissan Altima at 26 to 31 MPG combined (best version: 27 city / 39 highway).

Sources: NHTSA recalls and owner complaints (api.nhtsa.gov), EPA fuel economy (fueleconomy.gov). Updated Oct 26, 2026. Complaint counts are unverified owner reports.