NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 4 complaints against the 2025 Nissan Altima. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2025 Nissan Altima complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2025 Nissan Altima has generated 10 NHTSA complaints and has 1 active recall. If your 2025 Nissan Altima has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Nissan pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2025 Nissan Altima include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 2 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “I am reporting a severe combined safety failure involving fuel delivery and electronic systems. Between 1:22 PM and 3:37 PM, documented evidence shows the vehicle’s fuel range dropped by 37 miles while the odometer recorded only 6 actual miles driven—a 600% abnormal fuel consumption rate accompanied by excessive engine noise. The odometer also exhibited erratic behavior, reversing and then spiking while stationary. Additionally, the unit was provided with critically low tire pressure (26 PSI), which continued to drop while parked, indicating an active leak neglected by maintenance. Furthermore, there is a discrepancy in records: the VIN indicates a black vehicle, but the actual unit provided is white. These defects posed an immediate fire and road safety risk, causing significant psychological and physical distress (vertigo).” (NHTSA Complaint #11725685)
The 2025 Nissan Altima has generated 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “My car was parked in a driveway for 1 hour and when going to approach my car from that 1 hour of leaving I came back to my front windshield cracked in the center , crack did start from the bottom and go up , no forced trauma , no sign of rock or pebble hit , no sign of any issue on a ring camera within that 1 hour of sitting .” (NHTSA Complaint #11684006)
The 2025 Nissan Altima has generated 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “Rear view camera visibility is not clear and brightness at night makes it difficult to see at night. I made appointment with Nissan dealer to check camera. Dealer agreed that camera was not clear and much to bright at night. Dealer said they checked with other Altimms that had same troubles with camera. Dealer said there is nothing they can do. dealer said maybe wait for a manufactures download to correct problem. Well it’s been nine months and no downloads or call from dealer. This is definitely a safety hazzard.” (NHTSA Complaint #11678515)
The 2025 Nissan Altima has generated 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2025 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the back-over prevention camera failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the image appeared blurry and distorted. The contact stated that it was difficult to identify a human from an object because of the failure. The vehicle was taken to two dealers, where it was confirmed that the images appeared blurry and distorted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 145.” (NHTSA Complaint #11649430)
Airbag defects are safety-critical and may trigger California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22. The 2025 Nissan Altima has 2 NHTSA complaints on record related to airbag warning lights, unexpected deployment, and sensor failures. Owner reports include: “A tractor trailer hit my vehicle from behind/driver side rear in snowy road conditions and then jackknifed causing my vehicle to spin out of control across the interstate. My 2 children were in the backseat, my [XXX] son driver side rear & [XXX] daughter passenger rear. My husband was in front passenger seat. No air bags deployed, the vehicle was a total loss, we almost got killed. The impact was mainly on the driver side rear where the initial impact happened & my son’s seat was pushed up & completely detached from the rest of the vehicle and yet his SRS Side Airbag never deployed. Please see images below of the air bags not deploying . If that tractor trailer hit us 2 inches different, my son would be dead right now. There were injuries and we were seen by EMS on scene & then the hospital later. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)” (NHTSA Complaint #11642097)
The following 1 recall has been issued for the 2025 Nissan Altima by the NHTSA or Nissan. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury or a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the door strikers, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 13, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan’s customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan’s numbers for this recall are PD185 and PMA61. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this reca
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2025 Nissan Altima:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Nissan to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Nissan must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2025 Nissan Altima qualifies as a lemon under California law, Nissan may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Nissan a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Nissan dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Nissan pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Nissan a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Nissan is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2025 Nissan Altima has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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