1996 Nissan Altima reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 1996 Nissan Altima — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 117
- on record
- Top problem area
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
- 21 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 0
- none on record
- Reported harm
- 27 reported crashes · 18 injuries · 5 fires
What owners report fails — 1996 Nissan Altima
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL 21
- AIR BAGS 11
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 5
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE 4
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE 4
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1996 Nissan Altima
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1996 Nissan Altima units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Nissan Altima reliable?
NHTSA has 117 consumer complaints on record for the 1996 Nissan Altima. The most-reported problem area is air bags:frontal (21 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1996 Nissan Altima units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Nissan Altima?
Owners most often report problems with: air bags:frontal (21), air bags (11), power train:automatic transmission (5), air bags:frontal:sensor/control module (4). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1996 Nissan Altima?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.