Showing the 2009 Altima FWD: as EPA lists it. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
21–26 mpgcombined; city 18–23, highway 26–32; the FWD
Five years of fuel
$12,490–$19,160U.S. average; Ohio $11,160–$18,060 at local prices; the FWD; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
NHTSA's VIN data lists no trims for the 2009 Altima, so these are the versions EPA tested, by its names. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 1,601 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Altima. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Steering
885
4
1
0
Electrical system
487
2
2
2
Unknown or other
151
2
2
1
Engine
114
3
4
0
Power train
97
5
0
3
Air bags
95
10
0
7
Structure
92
2
2
1
Vehicle speed control
52
15
0
6
Visibility/wiper
41
3
0
0
Service brakes
34
4
0
3
Suspension
34
2
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
26
0
0
0
16 more parts
Wheels
16
1
1
0
Seats
15
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
15
2
0
0
Tires
12
1
0
1
Fuel/propulsion system
11
0
1
0
Engine and engine cooling
10
0
1
1
Exterior lighting
9
0
0
0
Visibility
7
0
0
0
Equipment
4
0
0
0
Equipment adaptive/mobility
4
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
4
0
0
0
Seat belts
3
1
0
2
Forward collision avoidance
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
1
0
Service brakes, air
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, electric
1
1
0
2
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2009 Altima over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.
Risk: OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY GARMIN TECHNICIANS BY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND INSERTING A SPACER ON TOP OF THE BATTERY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN DIRECTLY AT 1-866-957-1981 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 ALTIMA AND MAXIMA PASSENGER CARS. THE UPPER FRONT STRUT INSULATORS MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED OUT OF SPECIFICATION RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT INSULATOR TO CRACK.
Risk: IF THE STRUT INSULATOR IS CRACKED, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT ROD TO COME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING POSITION, WHICH COULD AFFECT VEHICLE STABILITY AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FRONT STRUT INSULATORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-NISSAN1 (1-800-647-7261).
NISSAN IS RECALLING 225 MY 2009 ALTIMA VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 214, "SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION WELD ON THE DOOR ASSEMBLY.
Risk: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
Remedy: ALL THE AFFECTED VEHICLES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIPS AND REMEDIED AT THE FACTORY. NO VEHICLES HAD BEEN RETAILED.
NISSAN IS RECALLING 3,403 MY 2009 ALTIMA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 16-INCH ALLOY WHEELS. SOME THESE WHEELS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO SPECIFICATION. THIS COULD CAUSE ONE OR MORE OF THE FIVE LUG NUTS ATTACHING THE WHEEL TO THE VEHICLE TO BECOME LOOSE.
Risk: IF THE LUG NUTS BECOME LOOSE, IT COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE IF IT IS EQUIPPED WITH ONE OF THE AFFECTED WHEELS. IF IT IS, THE WHEELS WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEW ONES THAT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATION. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING SEPTEMBER 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 120 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2009 Altima, the latest on Apr 13, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (21), equipment (20), steering (18), engine and engine cooling (16), power train (10).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2009 Altima.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: midsize cars. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Altima Front-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
23 / 32 / 26
Altima Front-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
23 / 31 / 26
Altima Front-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Premium Gasoline
19 / 26 / 22
Altima Front-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
18 / 27 / 21
Altima Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
35 / 33 / 34
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data