How Many Miles Can A Nissan Altima Last? Problems And Tips

We've got used to the fact that Nissan Altima is a modern family sedan that is quite beautiful and allows for active driving. It's a good car with marvelous design and it's still quite reliable. But we should also know that this vehicle has a long history. The first generation was presented in 1993, and up until now, this sedan has already changed six generations with numerous facelifts.

So, when we are talking about the longevity of the Altima, we should be precise about the generation and even about the year of a car we want to know about. Without this preciseness, all our facts will be just words without any evidence. So, today we want to talk about the last two generations, mainly about Altima 2013 and Altima 2019 - we want to compare their longevity.

Here's what we'll be talking about:

1. The Altima 2013 - its longevity and main problems.
2. Is the Altima 2019 much better? Longevity and problems.
3. How can you make your Nissan Altima live longer?
4. Some weak links in your Nissan Altima and ways to deal with them.

Let's get started!

The Altima 2013 - how many miles can it go?

In 2013, Nissan presented a new Altima of the fifth generation which actually became the first really popular Altima in the USA. It was really beautiful, and comfortable and it was selling at a relatively good price. And these factors became really important for people who wanted to buy a family sedan.

Thanks to a lot of sales, we now have a huge amount of information about the fifth-gen Altima and its longevity.

For understanding the durability of this car, you will need to know some facts:

• a lot of engines were presented - starting with the strange 1.6 MR-series and finishing with the popular 3.5-liter V6 engine;
• nearly all engines were durable, the V6 engine was much more durable than the car itself, so no problems here;
• the CVT transmission by Jatco wasn't the most reliable option - it is known to go for 100,000 miles and then it needs repair or replacement;
• also, you couldn't get an Altima with any other transmission, so this is probably one of the main problems with the vehicle;
• minor problems will not change the longevity of the vehicle, but they will bother you all the time after your Altima hits the 100,000-mile mark.

We wouldn't say that the Altima 2013 is the most reliable vehicle in the world. The main problem is still with the CVT transmission that doesn't go over 130,000 miles even if you follow all maintenance rules. This will make you spend a lot of money or maybe consider selling your vehicle as a salvage car when the transmission gets broken.

Among other things that bother Nissan Altima owners, we can remember the power steering pump that is constantly leaking, the timing chain problems in all engines, and also the throttle body problems in all engines. This is still a good car that can go many miles if you decide to replace the transmission with a new one when it fails.

Nissan Altima 2019 - is it more durable?

The new Altima appeared in 2019 and has been sold up until now. It's a much more beautiful car than the fifth-gen Altima, but we are now talking about longevity, not beauty. And in terms of longevity, you will also find a lot of problems in this generation. We would say, you will find even more problems than before.

First of all, they have stopped offering the 3.5-liter engine. The V6 engine was the best option in the previous generation of Altima and now you just can't buy it. You have basically two options - a standard 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and also a 2-liter turbocharged engine. Both powerplants are not as reliable as the 3.5 V6 engine in the previous-gen vehicle.

Here are some longevity facts we can tell you about:

• the new engines are not that durable, we predict they can go 150,000 miles, and then it will not be very cheap to drive your vehicle;
• the transmission is still the same - it's the same model of the CVT transmission made by Jatco and it still goes 100,000 miles and needs repair or replacement;
• the paint became worse, so the body protection will not be as good and the car may get damaged by rust very soon;
• small problems with engines usually start getting on your nerves before the warranty period is over, this news is both good and bad;
• interior quality is not something you may be expecting from a Japanese vehicle, it's actually disappointing.

We see that the longevity of the Nissan Altima has deteriorated. For the new generation presented in 2019, we would give 150,000 miles. And this is the mileage where you will have to repair the transmission and some other important and expensive parts. So, this doesn't mean you will drive 150,000 miles with no problems at all.

Given the Altima now costs at least $25,700, we would consider looking at some other vehicle of this class like the Camry or maybe the Mazda 6. They are obviously more durable and can give much more quality than the Nissan. But still, if you are going to sell your car up until it has gone 100,000 miles, the Altima will still be a good choice.

How to make your Altima go more miles?

Nissan Altima is a really cool car. And people usually buy it not for longevity or something. They buy it because this vehicle is fun to drive, it's one of the most comfortable sedans on the market. Also, it's a beautiful car with a lot of advantages over its counterparts. But of course, these advantages are only important if your vehicle is reliable.

So, how can you improve the reliability of your car? It's a very hard question for an Altima, but we'll try to answer it anyway. The Nissan cars are pretty similar to one another in terms of longevity, so the tips will be also important for any modern Nissan car.

Here are some things you may do:

1. Car maintenance strictly according to the manufacturer's requirements. You should change oil and filters, and make diagnostics and other important actions regularly. Otherwise, a minor problem can grow into a shorter life for your car.
2. CVT repair. If your transmission starts malfunctioning, it will fail soon. The best option is to go to a dealer or to a specialized car repair shop to repair the transmission. Be ready for replacement which is not a cheap thing to do at all.
3. Keep an eye on the body of your vehicle. Unfortunately, the body of any modern Nissan car is not eternal and it can be damaged by rust. But if you pay attention to small damages and have them repaired, you will prolong the life of the car.
4. Don't experiment with the quality of fuel. Octane number, absence of hard particles, and different chemical elements are important factors in the lifespan of your vehicle. Nissan's engines don't like bad fuel and can fail unexpectedly if you buy anything else but premium gasoline.
5. Be careful when you drive. First of all, it will save your interior which is also very expensive to repair. And also, it will save your transmission and engine because you will not try to accelerate like a racer.

You may know that Nissan vehicles love good maintenance and calm driving. These are not the cars that can last for years with no maintenance or with bad oil. So, if you are ready to drive your Nissan Altima carefully and take care of it, you can buy this vehicle and be happy with the comfort you get. But if you aren't ready, better look for some other vehicle.

Again, the longevity of the Nissan Altima depends on you. We've seen Altimas with 60,000 miles on the clock but they were totally killed. We also know a lot of Altima owners who have already passed the 250,000-mile mark on their cars and they haven't yet repaired anything big and expensive. So, even the CVT transmissions can live long if they aren't tortured with active driving.

Final words

We know for sure that Nissan Altima is going to keep selling well in the US. It's a comfortable and beautiful vehicle and a lot of Americans choose cars by these criteria. It's not bad and not good, it's just what we have in society. But if you want to have a really durable car that can last over 200,000 miles, you should think of other sedans. The last two generations of Altima haven't been really good in terms of reliability.

The main problem is the CVT transmission. It can fail at 100,000 miles which is too soon for such a unit. And this will lead to expensive repair and a lot of waiting. Sometimes, it's just easier to buy a new transmission, but the price will be anywhere between $3500 and $5000 which is not cheap at all.