The Lemon Index2010 Nissan Altima.
The 2010 Nissan Altima is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 83 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 33, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 21 to 34 mpg combined. The best Nissan Altima year is 2022.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 393 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Nissan Altima year. 2010 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 25K to 99K miles on the car (282 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- electrical complaints mostly came at 24K–76K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 23K–123K miles
- airbags complaints mostly came at 21K–101K miles
Recalls 3
- equipment 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM.
- body structure 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 ALTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 7, 2010 THROUGH APRIL 13, 2010.
- suspension 2009
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 ALTIMA AND MAXIMA PASSENGER CARS.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Nissan told dealers about
Nissan sent dealers 136 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- If continuously variable transmission (cvt) fluid temperature rises above a certain threshold, it
- Service information on the removal and installation of service parts, on certain vehicles, for
- The cvt fail-safe logic has caused a reduction with the vehicle's maximum speed
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★★
Fuel cost and engines
About $1900–3050 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
2010 Nissan Altima. The automatic push-to-start ignition would not operate when engaged. Checked battery good, fuses good.
2010 Nissan Altima owner · NHTSA complaint 10525590
More owner reports
Went out to start vehicle ,no start...towed to dealer ,denied under warranty,made me pay for replacement..dealer towed to a Nissan dealer to perform install of steering lock assay. And misc hardware.
NHTSA complaint 10488746
When at a stop and starting to accelerate, it's almost as if the power train shifts immediately from low or 1st gear to hi and then vehicle starts to lunge and buck. Also, has little acceleration capacity when this happens.
NHTSA complaint 10444663
Quick answers
Is the 2010 Nissan Altima reliable?
Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 3× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 33; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Nissan Altima year by this measure is 2022.
What are the most common 2010 Nissan Altima problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (34%), electrical (18%) and airbags (14%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2010 Nissan Altima have?
3 safety recalls (latest: equipment). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2010 Nissan Altima get?
21 to 34 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2010 Nissan Altima problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 25,800 and 99,000 miles. The middle report was at 54,000 miles, from 282 complaints.
Does the 2010 Nissan Altima have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 34% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2010 Nissan Altima cost in fuel a year?
About $1900 to $3050 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2010 Nissan Altima have?
2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.
What Nissan Altima year is better than the 2010?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2022, 2011 and 2021.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works