Makes›Nissan›Altima›2015

2015 Nissan Altima

Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2015 models.

Nissan Altima
Pictured: 2024 Nissan Altima SR, front left, 05-05-2025. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Class
Midsize Cars
Body styles
2.5/2.5s/2.5sv/2.5sl 4dr Sedan, 3.5sl 4dr Sedan
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl
Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
MPG (best)
31 combined · 27 city / 37 hwy
Length
191.7 in
Curb weight
3,122–3,360 lb
NHTSA rating
Not rated
Recalls
10 campaigns

Pros & cons

What's good

  • Excellent fuel economyUp to 31 MPG combined — 21% better than the average 2015 midsize car (25.7 MPG).

Watch out for

  • Many owner complaints952 complaints filed with NHTSA versus about 205 for similar models — most often about the exterior lighting.
  • 10 recallsMore than similar models (about 3). Confirm repairs with the VIN.

Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 29 similar 2015 models — not a review. How we calculate this →

Overview

The 2015 Nissan Altima is a midsize car offered with 2 engines (2.5L 4-cyl and 3.5L 6-cyl) and front-wheel drive.

It measures about 192 inches long and 72 inches wide on a 109-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 3,122 lb (2.5/2.5s/2.5sv/2.5sl 4dr Sedan).

EPA rates its most efficient version at 31 MPG combined (27 city / 37 highway), 21% better than the 2015 midsize car average of 25.7 MPG, for an estimated $2,150 a year in fuel.

NHTSA has not published a 5-Star overall rating for this model year.

It has 10 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 952 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the exterior lighting.

What changed for 2015

No changes to engines, powertrains, drivetrains, size, EPA ratings or NHTSA crash rating compared with the 2014 Altima — a carry-over year in the data.

Compared with 2014; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2014 Altima →

Dimensions & weight

BodyLengthWidthHeightWheelbaseTrack F / RCurb weightWeight F/R
2.5/2.5s/2.5sv/2.5sl 4dr Sedan191.7 in72 in57.9 in109.4 in62.6 / 62.2 in3,122 lb60/40
3.5sl 4dr Sedan191.7 in72 in58.3 in109.4 in62.2 / 62.2 in3,360 lb61/39

Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.

Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →

Engines, MPG & running costs

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCity / Hwy / Combvs. classFuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Altima2.5L 4-cylAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Front-Wheel Drive27 / 37 / 31+21%$2,150290
Altima3.5L 6-cylAutomatic (AV-S7)Front-Wheel Drive22 / 31 / 26+1%$2,600352
8/10EPA fuel economy score (best version)
8/10EPA greenhouse gas score
Save $1,250Fuel over 5 years vs. average new car
25.7 MPG2015 Midsize Cars average

EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2015 EPA class average. How we calculate this →

Safety ratings & technology

NHTSA has not published 5-Star ratings for the 2015 Nissan Altima.

Similar 2015 midsize cars

ModelBest MPG / rangeNHTSA overallRecalls
2015 Nissan Altima (this car)31 MPGNot rated10
2015 Toyota Corolla34 MPGNot rated1
2015 Ford Mustang25 MPGNot rated11
2015 Honda Accord47 MPGNot rated6
2015 Chevrolet Impala25 MPGNot rated3
2015 Toyota Camry40 MPGNot rated1
2015 Chevrolet Camaro22 MPGNot rated1

Recalls (10)

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch · May 28, 2020

NHTSA campaign 20V315000 · 1,831,818 vehicles

Problem
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.
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.
Structure › Emergency › Escape/Egress/Exit · Dec 19, 2018

NHTSA campaign 18V915000 · 341,003 vehicles

Problem
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.
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.
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch · Jan 18, 2017

NHTSA campaign 17V040000 · 341,005 vehicles

Problem
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.
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.
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification · Dec 19, 2016

NHTSA campaign 16V911000 · 757 vehicles

Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014, to August 12, 2016, and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured June 4, 2015, to August 19, 2015. An incorrect Occupant Classification System (OCS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have been installed in the front passenger seat. The incorrect ECU and seat combination may misclassify the front passenger seat occupant.
Risk
If the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECU and update the OCS software free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification · Apr 26, 2016

NHTSA campaign 16V244000 · 3,296,947 vehicles

Problem
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.
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.
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch · Jan 22, 2016

NHTSA campaign 16V029000 · 846,000 vehicles

Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 6, 2012, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
Risk
If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix
These vehicles were previously included in recalls 14V-565 and 15V-116, however the previous remedy plan may not have been performed consistently to remove the safety risk. To correct this issue, Nissan will re-notify all affected owners and dealers will replace the hood latch with a new one, free of charge. The recall began on February 17, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 14V-565 and 15V-116.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper · Nov 5, 2015

NHTSA campaign 15V733000 · 119 vehicles

Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2015 Altima and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured October 6, 2015, to October 7, 2015. The affected vehicles have front brake calipers whose mounting bolts may not be properly tightened.
Risk
If the bolts were not properly tightened, the caliper may detach and reduce braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will check the brake caliper mounting bolts, tightening them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 14, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification · Oct 20, 2015

NHTSA campaign 15V681000 · 919 vehicles

Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
Risk
If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
Fix
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Fuel System, Gasoline · Aug 4, 2015

NHTSA campaign 15V486000 · 46,846 vehicles

Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified the agency on July 31, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2016 Nissan Maxima vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to August 18, 2015. On October 14, 2015, Nissan expanded the recall to cover an additional 41,388 vehicles, including certain model year 2013-2015 Altima 3.5 vehicles equipped with a V6 engine manufactured March 30, 2012, to August 18, 2015 as well as the vehicles covered by the July 31, 2015 notification. In the affected vehicles, due to an improperly installed o-ring that may not have been seated correctly at the time of assembly, fuel may leak during a crash from the area where the fuel sending unit attaches to the fuel tank.
Risk
If fuel leaks from between the fuel sending unit and the tank, it may increase the risk of a fire in the event of a crash.
Fix
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer ring between the fuel tank and the fuel sending unit. The recall began on September 28, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch · Feb 27, 2015

NHTSA campaign 15V116000 · 625,400 vehicles

Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 1, 2013, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
Risk
If the primary latch is inadvertently released 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 be instructed to modify the bend angle of the hood actuation lever to eliminate potential interference with the hood inner panel. In addition, dealers will clean and lubricate the latch joint as needed. If significant corrosion is observed, the latch assembly will be replaced. This repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 14V-565.
Check your VIN for open recalls at NHTSA ↗

Not every 2015 Nissan Altima is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.

Owner-reported problems

952Complaints to NHTSA since 2015
46Involved a crash
5Involved a fire
27Injuries reported
45,000 miTypical mileage at failure
Exterior Lighting245
Air Bags173
Power Train157
Unknown Or Other92
Engine66
Suspension63
Electrical System54
Structure › Body54
Complaints received per month (last 24 months with reports)
24/10: 224/11: 224/12: 525/01: 325/02: 525/04: 425/05: 325/06: 225/07: 425/08: 225/09: 425/10: 225/11: 425/12: 226/01: 926/02: 226/03: 626/04: 326/05: 226/06: 126/07: 426/08: 326/09: 626/10: 124/1025/0125/0525/0825/1126/0226/0526/08max 9

Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.

Used 2015 Nissan Altima buyer's checklist

  1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 10 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
  2. Exterior Lighting — 245 owner reports. Check all exterior lights, wipers and the windshield for cracks.
  3. Air Bags — 173 owner reports. Confirm the airbag warning light turns off after start-up and any airbag recall was completed.
  4. Power Train — 157 owner reports. Test-drive through all gears, including reverse; note slipping, harsh or delayed shifts.
  5. Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 45,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
  6. Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.

Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2015 Nissan Altima. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.

Other Altima years

Compare all years →
YearMPG (best)LengthOverallRecallsComplaints
2026 Altima30192.9 inNot rated01
2025 Altima31192.9 in★★★★★27
2024 Altima31192.9 in★★★★★141
2023 Altima31192.9 in★★★★★030
2022 Altima32192.9 in★★★★★031
2021 Altima32192.9 in★★★★★270
2020 Altima32192.9 in★★★★★6161
2019 Altima32192.9 in★★★★★7234
2018 Altima31191.7 in★★★★★2226
2017 Altima31191.7 in★★★★★3393
2016 Altima31191.7 inNot rated4555
2014 Altima31191.7 inNot rated81,025

Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Nissan. How we calculate this →