2017 Nissan Altima: problems, recalls and what it’s worth
NHTSA has 1 open defect investigation (not a recall). Known weak spot on this generation: CVT transmission (Jatco). 3 recall campaigns to confirm with a dealer. A lot of owner complaints, 34% about transmission & drivetrain.
Cold test drive: hesitation off the line, judder under light throttle at 30–45 mph, a whine that rises with speed, or the tach flaring without acceleration. Look for a CVT replacement or reprogram in the service history.
Known problems on the 2017 Nissan Altima
CVT transmission (Jatco) $3,300–$5,000 to fix
The Jatco CVT on this generation is a documented failure point — shudder around 30–45 mph, RPM flare, whining, then failure, frequently 60k–120k mi. Nissan extended the powertrain warranty to 84 mo / 84k mi on many of these and settled class actions.
Check for: Cold test drive: hesitation off the line, judder under light throttle at 30–45 mph, a whine that rises with speed, or the tach flaring without acceleration. Look for a CVT replacement or reprogram in the service history.
Basis: NHTSA complaint clusters; Nissan CVT extended-warranty program; multiple class-action settlements
Known patterns for this year and model, not findings about one car. A well-kept example may already have had the fix. Costs are rough US shop prices.
2017 Nissan Altima recalls
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Nissan Altima. Repairs are free at a dealer for the brand, and a dealer can confirm by VIN which were already done.
- Doors & latches
Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
Details 20V315000
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.
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 Owners 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.
- Body structure
If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
Details 18V915000
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.
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.
- Doors & latches
If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.
Details 17V040000
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.
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.
2017 Nissan Altima safety investigations and free repairs
Under investigation (not a recall):
- Desiccated air bag inflator rupture since Sep 2021
Ask the seller if the car has had this problem.
Free repairs to ask about (warranty extensions):
- Transmission: CVT Class Action Owner Notification In mid-December, current and former owners and lessees of the following vehicles will receive a postcard from a…
- Lights: Halogen Headlamp Class Action Owner Notification Beginning October 25, 2021, current and former owners and lessees of certain 2013-2018 Altimas will…
- Suspension: Rear Lower Suspension Link Warranty Extension Dealer Notification In October 2019, Nissan launched a Voluntary Service Campaign (P9324) on MY2013…
- Exhaust and emissions: OBD II EVAP Tube Warranty Enhancement The update below was sent out to Regions and Dealers in August of this year.
A dealer for the brand can check these by VIN.
Source: NHTSA, Sep 24, 2026.
2017 Nissan Altima safety and fuel
From NHTSA’s crash tests and the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov.
What owners complain about
391 complaints filed with NHTSA for this year and model, which is a lot.
Share of complaints that mention each area. One complaint can mention several.
What a 2017 Nissan Altima is worth
Rough trade-in values — roughly what a dealer would pay — by mileage, from published trade-in guides. Private sales and dealer prices run higher. For the exact car, add its VIN.
| Mileage | Trade-in (rough) |
|---|---|
| 40,000 mi | $5,925 |
| 80,000 mi | $4,875 |
Other Nissan Altima years
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Printable inspection checklist · Out-the-door price calculator