Exterior Lighting:headlights
NHTSA campaign 09E025000 · 2009 · reported 05/11/2009
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
1998 Nissan Altima Problems & Recalls
Built from official NHTSA complaint and recall data · data through 07/14/2026
Typical complaint levelIts most-reported problem — Air Bags:frontal — is about in line with the fleet median for that category across the 1998 model-years tracked on this site.
123Complaints
4Recalls
17Crashes
2Fires
9Injured
0Deaths
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint & recall data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Is this problem acknowledged?
The most-reported problem — Air Bags:frontal (7.3% of complaints) — has no NHTSA recall or open investigation on file.
None of the 6 most-reported categories on this page have a recall or open investigation on file — they rest on unverified owner reports alone.
| Complaint category | Reports | Official status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags:frontal | 9 · 7.3% | No official action | — |
| Tires | 7 · 5.7% | No official action | — |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline | 5 · 4.1% | No official action | — |
| Air Bags | 4 · 3.3% | No official action | — |
| Electrical System | 4 · 3.3% | No official action | — |
| Structure:body:door | 4 · 3.3% | No official action | — |
Recalled = an NHTSA safety recall covers this category, so a free repair exists. Under investigation = NHTSA has an open probe but no recall yet. Investigation closed = NHTSA examined it and closed the probe — this is not a defect finding; where a closed probe led to a recall we name the campaign. Not available = recall or investigation data could not be confirmed for this vehicle — it is not a “no”. Categories are matched by NHTSA's top-level component. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Percentages are the share of the 123 complaints citing each component; one complaint can cite several components. “Unspecified / other” is NHTSA’s own catch-all category — we show it rather than hide it.
Recalls — 4 campaigns
Suspension
NHTSA campaign 10E002000 · 2010 · reported 02/11/2010
THE ABSENCE OF THE WELD CAN ALLOW THE STRUT TO COME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING POSITION UNDER CERTAIN EXTREME DRIVING CONDITIONS WHICH COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING VEHICLE COMPONENTS INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 09E012000 · 2009 · reported 04/07/2009
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 06E026000 · 2006 · reported 03/23/2006
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Park it Park outside Specimen badges — shown on a recall card only when NHTSA sets the flag. None of the campaigns above carries either flag. Always check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
“WHILE DRIVING AT 40/45 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.”NHTSA complaint 10042034 — filed 10/01/2003 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
“VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A BUMPER REAR END ACCIDENT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT 5MPH. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.”NHTSA complaint 899573 — filed 11/28/2001 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
“VEHICLE WAS STRUCK AT REAR TANDEM AXLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE OF 30 OR MORE MPH, BOTH AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.”NHTSA complaint 872558 — filed 10/09/2000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Complaint trend by year filed
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Nissan Altima?
Air bags:frontal issues are the most-reported category, cited in 9 of 123 NHTSA complaints (7.3%), followed by tires (7), engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (5), air bags (4). Complaints are unverified owner reports.
How many complaints does the 1998 Nissan Altima have?
123 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Of those, 17 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, and 9 reported injuries. No deaths were reported.
Does the 1998 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
Yes — 4 NHTSA safety recall campaigns, including campaign 09E025000. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Has NHTSA acted on the 1998 Nissan Altima's reported problems?
0 of the 6 most-reported complaint categories on this page are backed by an NHTSA safety recall or open investigation; the rest are unverified owner reports. A recall means a free repair is available at authorized dealers.
Is a complaint proof of a defect?
No. Complaints are reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints, and a complaint is not proof that a defect exists.
About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.
