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2000 Nissan Altima Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 2000 Nissan Altima has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Instrument cluster gauges freezing or dropping to zero.” Nissan owner's manuals split service into Schedule 1 (severe) and Schedule 2 (normal). Most US drivers fall under Schedule 1. The biggest preventable failure on Nissan vehicles is CVT transmission damage from extended fluid intervals — owners of Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Pathfinder, and Murano with CVT should not skip it.

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No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2000 Nissan Altima.

Reported to NHTSA

Instrument cluster gauges freezing or dropping to zero

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

20 NHTSA complaints · 2002-11 → 2016-01

“WHILE GOING 75MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL ALL OF A SUDDEN ALL THE GAUGES (RPM, MPH, FUEL, ENGINE TEMP) DROPPED DOWN TO ZERO”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10441217
“THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY ON MY 2000 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE FREEZES INTERMITTENTLY. THE ODOMETER GOES BLANK AND THE TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, HEAT SENSORS, ETC EITHER FREEZE IN PLACE OR DROP TO ZERO”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10277598
“I OWN A 2000 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE, AND HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A FAILURE IN THE SPEEDOMETER, TACH, ODOMETER, AND TEMP GAUGE WHILE DRIVING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10201721

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine acceleration or racing while stopped or braking

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

14 NHTSA complaints · 2000-06 → 2007-05

“CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATES WHEN STOPPED OR STOPPING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10016211
“STOPPED AT RED LIGHT, CAR RACED TO 4500 RPMS, FOOT ON BRAKE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #768467
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY ACCELERATES WHEN IDLE AND HE MUST SLAM ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10189945

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Tire tread separation, cracking and blowouts

TIRES

19 NHTSA complaints · 2000-10 → 2007-09

“WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH SIDEWALL STARTED TO CRACK, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #8010851
“ALL 4 TIRES ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF SEPARATION AFTER 18MONTHS/33000 MILES”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #762324
“THEY ONLY HAD 25,000 ON THEM AND 2 OF THEM BLEW OUT ON THE EXPRESSWAY ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10176635

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Driver-side power window switch and regulator failure

VISIBILITY

4 NHTSA complaints · 2004-02 → 2006-10

“DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW SWITCH FAILED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10066432
“WINDOW ON DRIVER'S SIDE IS FAILING TO GO UP ONCE IT GOES DOWN”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10170077
“THE REGULATOR IN THE WINDOW HAS WENT OUT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10058849

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Automatic transmission failure or slipping out of gear

POWER TRAIN

5 NHTSA complaints · 2001-04 → 2008-08

“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 45MPH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF OF THE ROAD”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10001071
“TRANSMISSION JUMPS IN AND OUT OF GEARS WHILE DRIVING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #893666
“TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN ON HIGHWAY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #9003422

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Intake manifold gasket leak with cylinder 4 misfire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

31 NHTSA complaints · 2004-11 → 2012-06

“THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AROUND CYLINDER #4 FAILED 2-3 YEARS AGO (~65,000 MILES), CAUSING ROUGH IDLE/STALLING AS WELL AS POOR GAS MILEAGE AND TRIGGERING FAULT CODE P0304”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10216932
“MY 2000 NISSAN ALTIMA IDLES ROUGH AND THE ENGINE SHAKES. MY MECHANIC RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND SAID CYLINDER 4 WAS MISFIRING AND THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT IT WAS TO CHANGE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10461178
“SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON 2000 ALTIMA GXE . CYLINDER #4 MIS-FIRE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10254978

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Air bags not deploying in collisions

AIR BAGS

11 NHTSA complaints · 2002-07 → 2015-03

“DURING A 40 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10101934
“THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10053481
“WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION BUT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10017442

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine stall or shutoff while driving

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

10 NHTSA complaints · 2000-08 → 2016-03

“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10005934
“WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10076166
“THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 2 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10453766

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter

Every 5,000 mi

Replace synthetic-blend or full-synthetic oil every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1. Schedule 2: 7,500 miles. VR30DDTT (3.0L twin-turbo): full synthetic only.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 5,000 mi

Rotate tires every 5,000 miles. Front-wheel-drive Nissans (Altima, Sentra, Versa) wear front tires fast — don't skip rotations.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

CVT Fluid (NS-3)

Every 60,000 mi

Nissan officially calls CVT fluid 'lifetime,' but independent technicians and Nissan TSBs recommend replacement every 60,000 miles to prevent CVT failure. Use Nissan NS-3 fluid only — substitutes destroy the belt-and-pulley system.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$360–$500

Shop

~$255–$355

DIY

~$80–$180

CVT fluid is manufacturer-specific and pricey — do NOT substitute conventional ATF.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Rogue and Pathfinder front pads typically last 35,000-50,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 2 years. Dark or amber fluid indicates moisture contamination.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles, sooner if driving on dusty unpaved roads.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Spark Plugs

Every 105,000 mi

Iridium-tipped spark plugs are rated 105,000 miles on QR25, MR20, and VQ35 engines. VR30DDTT: 60,000 miles due to higher cylinder pressures.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Long-Life Coolant

Every 75,000 mi

Nissan Long-Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue/green): first change at 105,000 miles, then every 75,000. Do not mix with other coolant chemistries.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Transfer Case / Rear Diff (AWD models)

Every 60,000 mi

On AWD and 4WD models, replace transfer case fluid and rear differential fluid every 60,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$105–$140

Shop

~$75–$100

DIY

~$15–$40

AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 15,000 mi

Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. Located behind the glove box on Altima, Rogue, and Sentra.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

246 crashes 1990–2024

How the 246 occupant deaths break down

178

driver deaths

67

passenger deaths

1

not recorded by seat

246

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 1999 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

27

complaints mentioning a crash

5

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2000 Nissan Altima reflects Nissan's published service intervals and the Maintenance Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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