CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2006 Nissan Altima has a trend of engine & transmission problems.
Excessive oil consumption is the main problem reported by owners. Nissan did a recall back in 2006 for oil consumption due to bad piston rings, but many owners report to us that the recall didn't fix the problem. The dealer only had to check the oil consumption rate. Typically 1 qt per 1,000 miles is "acceptable" per OEM standards ... that's a lot of oil!
The 2006 Altima also has a defect trend of CVT transmission failure showing up around the 100,000 mile mark.
It's an expensive repair at over $2,000 average repair cost. For more information see Nissan Altima CVT defect info on NissanProblems.com.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
96,916 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Extreme rust of floorboards. On both passenger and driver side of vehicle, a 12"X24" area of the floors are completely gone, with only the vehicle carpet remaining. This is major, widespread safety hazard across the Nissan product line in early 2000S model year vehicles and has been widely reported online, in print, and on tv. It's a travesty that NHTSA has failed to give this issue the attention it deserves and force Nissan to do the right thing in issuing a recall. So many of these vehicles are still on the road! there is no rust anywhere else on our vehicle; clearly this is a manufacturing or design flaw. We noticed the rust for the first time several months ago when we were in for an oil change.
Extreme rust and corrosion of the driver's side floor panel and frame. Rusted area is about 3' X 1'. rust has exposed the insulation under the carpet; there is no metal remaining in a 4" X 6" area. Metal around this is very thin. I am concerned that too much pressure from my foot will cause larger area to collapse. Estimate to repair at a body shop is about $1,400. I have driven many cars longer than this and have never had a frame or underside rust like this. It is surely a defect in manufacturing and a possible safety issue if my feet go through the hole or a piece of road debris penetrates the carpet.
It has recently come to my attention that the floor pans of my car have rusted through to the point where my foot could go through the floor pan. After taking my car to get a safety inspection in the commonwealth of Virginia, my car has failed inspection and cannot pass until these hazardous holes are fixed on both driver and passenger side. This is a manufacturing issue due to the number of complaints that have been filed in regards to this matter. Owners of these vehicles should not be held responsible of this issue. Again, this is a reoccurring issue among Nissan Altima, specifically the years 2002-2006. I am now required to pay at least $500 to repair an issue that is out of my control. There is no way that I can stop rust from occurring. These cars should not be allowed to be driven because exhaust fumes can enter the vehicle as well as a foot going through the holes. It is unethical of Nissan to allow these vehicles to still be driven knowing that this is a reoccurring issue.
The floorboards are rusted out below the front driver and front passenger feet. My mechanic told me it won't be long before I'll have two large holes. Surface rust or wheel arch rust is one thing, but structural rotting for a car that's 10 years old is excessive.
- Vadnais Heights, MN, USA
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The floor boards under the front driver and passenger seats are prematurely rotting. Each side has a huge hole approximately 5 inches across and 8-12 inches long and the holes continues to enlarge. This particular complaint has been made by hundreds of times by others. It is a safety issue and Nissan should do something to repair the vehicles! date listed below is when I first discovered it after a mechanic brought it to my attention while the car was up on a lift.
During a recent oil change, my mechanic brought to my attention that the front seat floor boards were rusting on both the drivers and passenger sides. The rusting areas look almost identical. I researched this on the internet to find that this is a common problem with 2002-2006 Nissan Altima. There apparently have been a few class action lawsuits filed and several television reports on the matter. I have called Nissan; however, they claim it is not a defect. I discussed with a neighbor recently who also owns a Nissan Altima built in that timeframe and found out that he too recently discovered the rusting floor board issue. Nissan told me that I lived in a salt state and did not know how I maintained my vehicle; however, given the hundreds and probably thousands of complaints filed, it is nearly impossible for this issue to be due to owner negligence. My hope was that my 15 year old daughter would be able to have this car once she gets her license, but now I'm faced with spending thousands to either fix the issue (which may not be fixable given that rust areas grow) or to buy another vehicle. There is currently a hole through my floor board and it is a safety concern to me, especially if my daughter is behind the wheel.
Both floor panels rusted out. Major safety issue. Cost more to fix than what the car is worth. I still owe $4000 on the car and it's now worth nothing. Nissan doing nothing about it.
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Altima. While driving 20 mph, the contact heard a noise under his feet and noticed that the driver's side floor board was rusted out. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The failure mileage was 110,000.
Front driver side floor rusted through, making a big hole approximately 9in wide by 22in long. Also engine shakes while starting vehicle and sitting in idle in both gear and neutral.
The floorboards have rusted right through to the outside. This should not happen with normal wear. We have just been alerted to this by the mechanic and it is so advanced he advises we don't use the car! repairing it is probably more than the car is worth!
I have owned a 2006 Nissan Altima for the last 6 years that has 126,000 miles on it. During a recent inspection the mechanic found severe rusting and a significant hole in the driver's side floor pan; you could see the interior carpet from underneath the car. It looks like the floor has been eroding for quite some time. After searching for this issue online, I learned that this is a common problem with Nissan Altima from 2002 to 2006 relating to a faulty design in a drain (those were a Nissan reps own words). I'm frustrated that there were no recalls or communications regarding this known issue. I'd hope that Nissan can be compelled to be transparent and forthcoming with known issues which may be a risk to customers' safety.
It seems like this is a widespread problem with older Altima. Apparently the driver and passenger side forms a rust problem which can cause one to feel unsafe driving the car. The image I attached shows the floorboard not only rusting but coming off, and I can push on the bottom of the carpet from the bottom of my car. Nissan knew of this problem since 2008 and has not offered any obvious statements nor recalls. This is potentially dangerous and is an expensive repair (for both side floorboard replacement, it can cost 3000)
Excessive rusting of the floorboards. A gaping hole is in the floor going through to the outside of the car. This is frustrating because this car has been garage kept at home and at work.
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle failed inspection due to severe frame corrosion. The independent technician diagnosed that the floorboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 101,980.
I looked under my car this evening and found a large rusted out hole in the driver's side floorboard. The passenger side floorboard also seems to be rusting from the inside out.
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that there was premature corrosion on the floorboards across the front driver and passenger sides of the vehicle. Due to the corrosion, holes could be seen through the floorboards. The failure occurred without warning. The dealer and mechanic confirmed that the vehicle needed to be repaired using a patch kit. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. Updated 10/07/16
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Coventry, RI, USA