2nd generation (L30) · L30 · 652 complaints, 306 with mileage
Owners filed 652 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998–2001 Nissan Altima, and 306 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 51,134 and 120,000 miles. The median is 80,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the engine and its cooling system (20.6% of complaints, typically around 78,000 miles), the electrical system (9.8% of complaints, typically around 69,000 miles), the airbag system (8.9% of complaints, typically around 73,000 miles).
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 134 | 20.6% | 78,000 | 57,200–99,000 |
| Electrical System | 64 | 9.8% | 69,000 | 49,464–107,900 |
| Air Bags | 58 | 8.9% | 73,000 | 45,000–113,000 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 44 | 6.7% | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 43 | 6.6% | 49,067 | 33,500–117,922 |
| Tires | 43 | 6.6% | — | — |
| Suspension | 43 | 6.6% | 113,000 | 89,000–169,000 |
| Visibility | 38 | 5.8% | 59,176 | 35,450–78,550 |
| Power Train | 30 | 4.6% | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 28 | 4.3% | 73,964 | 57,000–86,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 141 | 36 |
| 1999 | 110 | 40 |
| 2000 | 199 | 109 |
| 2001 | 202 | 121 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 80,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 20.6% of complaints (134 reports, 93 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 78,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 57,200 and 99,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 9.8% of complaints (64 reports, 38 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 49,464 and 107,900 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 8.9% of complaints (58 reports, 26 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 73,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 113,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 6.6% of complaints (43 reports, 24 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 49,067 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 33,500 and 117,922 miles.
The suspension accounts for 6.6% of complaints (43 reports, 19 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 113,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 89,000 and 169,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 5.8% of complaints (38 reports, 19 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 59,176 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,450 and 78,550 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2001 model year drew the most — 202 complaints — while 1999 drew the fewest at 110. The median year sits at 170.
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Of the 652 complaints filed against this generation, 112 reported a crash; 14 reported a fire; 96 reported an injury; 7 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 17.2% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 51,134 and 120,000 miles, with a median of 80,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the engine and its cooling system and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 69,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Timing chain guide and tensioner wear on the KA24DE; distributor and crankshaft position sensor failures causing intermittent stalling and no-start.
Catalytic converter and oxygen sensor failures generating high check-engine-light complaint volume.