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2017 Nissan Altima: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Nissan Altima, most recently filed May 2020. Owners have filed 391 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. In NHTSA crash tests it earned 5 stars overall.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
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Recalls (3)

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Nissan Altima. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2017 Nissan Altima. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 20V315000 Filed May 28, 2020

Unintentional Release of Primary Hood Latch

Latches/locks/linkages · hood · latch
Official NHTSA text
Summary
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.
Consequence
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.
Remedy
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.
49.4% repairedof 1,831,818 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 20V315000
Listed for 2017 Nissan Altima. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 18V915000 Filed Dec 19, 2018

Rear Door May Open When Window Is Lowered

Latches/locks/linkages · doors · latch
Official NHTSA text
Summary
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.
Consequence
If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
Remedy
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.
57.5% repairedof 341,003 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 18V915000
Listed for 2017 Nissan Altima. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 17V040000 Filed Jan 18, 2017

Rear Door may Open when Window is Lowered

Latches/locks/linkages · doors · latch
Official NHTSA text
Summary
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.
Consequence
If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.
Remedy
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.
84.6% repairedof 341,005 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 17V040000

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Owner complaints (391)

391 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The power train is mentioned most often.

24involved a crash
7involved a fire
23injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Nissan Altima, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 391.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2017 compares with other Altima years

Best and worst Altima years →
2013201420152016201720182019202020212022
This year (2017)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Crash tests: 5 stars overall

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 4★★★★★★
Side crashDriver 3★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 10.3%★★★★☆
Front seat of a modern car with the seat belt buckled across the passenger seat
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2017 Nissan Altima 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 31 mpg combined

31
mpg combined
27
city
39
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$2,150
CO₂ tailpipe
287 g/mi
EPA class
Midsize Cars

What it costs you to run

$2,107per year
$176per month
484gallons a year

Miles ÷ 31 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2017 Nissan Altima configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
2.5 L 4-cyl · CVTFront-Wheel Drive27 / 39 / 31$2,150287
2.5 L 4-cyl · AV-S7 CVTFront-Wheel Drive26 / 37 / 30$2,250297
3.5 L 6-cyl · AV-S7 CVTFront-Wheel Drive22 / 32 / 26$2,600347

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2017 Altima for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All Altima years

Where to next

2017 Nissan Altima FAQ

How many recalls does the 2017 Nissan Altima have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 20V315000 (latch), 18V915000 (structure), 17V040000 (latch). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2017 Nissan Altima problems?

Owners filed 391 complaints with NHTSA. Power train (133), Air bags (73), Unknown or other (62) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2017 Nissan Altima get?

EPA rates the 2.5 L 4-cyl · CVT version at 27 city, 39 highway and 31 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

What safety rating did the 2017 Nissan Altima get?

NHTSA rated the 2017 Nissan Altima 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (10.3% rollover risk).

How does the 2017 Altima compare with other years?

Among the 2013–2021 Nissan Altima model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (70) and the 2013 the most (2,312). The 2017 drew 391. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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