The Nissan Altima is a fine midsize sedan and a blend of capable performance, deft handling, and a roomy cabin. Along with Nissan’s excellent reputation for safety and dependability, the 2017 Altima remains a solid and viable sedan.

Still, the 2017 Altima isn’t without its problems.

Jerry

, the

car insurance

super app, will break down the 2017 Altima’s biggest warts, from recalls to reported issues from actual drivers. We’ll also give you tips to save on

Nissan Altima car insurance costs

Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs

* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

Get ahead of my car maintenance

* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

The most common 2017 Nissan Altima problems

Before we wade into the 2017 Altima’s problems, overall this is a vehicle rated five stars for safety by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). That is due to Nissan’s excellent safety track record and the dependability of the brand’s vehicles.

However, the problems to beset the 2017 Altima are significant. First, there are the transmission issues, which garnered 87 out of 232 complaints listed with the NHTSA. Most chilling of the complaints were multiple instances of the transmission dying while driving at highway speeds, putting both the driver, passengers, and surrounding cars in danger of accident, injury, or worse.

One driver complained of the transmission failing suddenly on the highway and the Altima began lunging forward, and would simply die when pulling out or slowing down. Another driver noted that their Altima’s reverse simply stopped working.

Many other complaints about the 2017 Altima were registered with the NHTSA, including the following:

Airbag light coming on and staying on

Loose steering while driving at highway speeds

Engine sputtering during acceleration

A “clunking” sound while going around curves

The rear seat belt unexpectedly coming out of the buckle

Stereo speakers randomly giving out

Along with these problems, the NHTSA issued three recalls for the 2017 Nissan Altima. The first recall issued was for the unintentional release of the primary hood latch.Basically, corrosion on the secondary latch would cause it to bind and remain unlatched, even when the hood was closed. If the primary latch accidentally released, and the secondary latch wasn’t engaged, the hood would fly open, raising the risk of severe accident and injury.

There were also two recalls for the Altima’s rear door suddenly opening when the window was lowered. This also created a serious risk for collision and injury.

MORE:

Nissan tune-up costs

Is the 2017 Nissan Altima reliable?

Despite the serious issues outlined above, the 2017 Nissan Altima was rated a 4/5 for reliability by RepairPal. It also received a solid 81/100 reliability score from JD Power. They ranked the Altima as number two in midsize sedans, just behind the

Volkswagen Passat

, which JD Power gave an 83/100 score.

According to RepairPal, the average annual cost for repairs for the 2017 Altima is $360, which is significantly below average for a passenger car.

MORE:

How to replace power steering fluid for a 2017 Nissan Altima

How to simplify car insurance shopping (and still optimize coverage!)

Despite the issues covered here, the Altima remains a relatively reliable car. But problems can crop up with any vehicle, so keeping your auto expenses on the low side is always a good idea. One way to do this is to use

Jerry

to find a robust-yet-affordable

car insurance

policy.

Sign-up takes just 45 seconds, and then Jerry gets to work comparing quotes from over 50 top insurers to ensure you get the policy you want at a price you want. Once you pick your new policy, Jerry signs you up and helps you cancel your old policy. Best of all? The average Jerry user saves more than $800 per year on car insurance!

“
Jerry
was spot on. I’m young with one rear end on my record. Still, they dropped my monthly insurance rate from $468 to $250. This really saved me money.” —Jason M.