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2021 Nissan Altima problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2021 Nissan Altima. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 14% of relevant complaints.
Better than 95% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2021 Nissan Altima have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 9 of 70 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Nissan Altima concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (14%). For comparison, the 2020 scores 33%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2021 compares with other Nissan Altima years
Of the 13 Nissan Altima years with enough complaints to score, the 2021 is the best on engine and transmission share (14%). The worst is the 2016 (65%). By volume, the 2021 drew 70 complaints (9 drivetrain), against 179 for the 2020 and 20 for the 2022.
Nissan Altima years to avoid and best years →
2010 Altima problems · 2011 Altima problems · 2012 Altima problems · 2013 Altima problems · 2014 Altima problems · 2015 Altima problems · 2016 Altima problems · 2017 Altima problems · 2018 Altima problems · 2019 Altima problems · 2020 Altima problems · 2021 · 2023 Altima problems
The rest of the picture on the 2021 Nissan Altima
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 9 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2021 Nissan Altima engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2021 Nissan Altima, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2021 Nissan Altima? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2021 Nissan Altima have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 9 of 70 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Nissan Altima concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (14%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Nissan Altima?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2021 Nissan Altima is forward collision avoidance: 22 of 70 complaints (31%) name it, followed by service brakes (21) and electrical system (21). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 14% of the relevant total.
Is the 2021 Nissan Altima reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 14% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 95% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 13 Nissan Altima years we score, it ranks best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2021 Nissan Altima?
No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2021 Nissan Altima, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Nissan Altima years are better?
The 2021 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Nissan Altima years we track (14%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/nissan-altima
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.