The rear control arm on my 2015 Nissan Altima broke after driving over a very small speed bump at ~10-15 MPH. Had this happened at highway speed, my family’s lives could have been at risk. A suspension component should not fail under such ordinary driving conditions. This incident has left me deeply concerned about the safety of my vehicle and the potential danger to other Nissan owners. Similar failures appear to have been reported online, yet I am unaware of a recall covering my vehicle. I urge the federal safety agency to investigate this issue and require a recall if warranted before someone is seriously injured. Please explain what action the federal safety agency has taken or plans to take. I can provide photographs and repair records. Thank you.
Nissan Altima ball joint problems
426 of the 15,497 owner complaints about the Nissan Altima describe ball joint or control arm failure, most of them for the 2013 model year.
- owner complaints
- 426
- worst model year
- 2013
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,200
- typical mileage
- 102,000
By model year
Often reported together
Harsh shifting 12Pulling 11Power steering loss 6Jerking 6Knocking 6Shudder 5Check engine light 5Tire blowout 4
Trouble codes mentioned
P0776 1
What owners say
On the morning of XXX, while driving at approximately 15-20 mph, the traction control warning light illuminated on my 2013 Nissan Altima (approximately 80,000 miles). I drove the short distance home, and upon inspection found the right-rear wheel visibly tilted inward with noticeably lower ride height than the left-rear wheel, consistent with a fractured right-rear lower suspension link (lower control arm). The component shows signs of corrosion. The vehicle was originally purchased in [XXX], was later registered and operated for approximately five years in [XXX], where winter road-salt exposure is routine, and was subsequently returned to [XXX]. The vehicle was parked immediately and has not been driven since; it is available for inspection upon request. Safety was put at risk because the failure occurred while the vehicle was in motion on a public road. A separated rear lower link allows the wheel to move out of alignment, which can cause sudden loss of vehicle control, particularly at higher speeds. The failure ha not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center; the vehicle is awaiting tow to a repair facility. No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms appeared prior to the morning of XXX. I contacted Nissan USA Consumer Affairs regarding this failure. They checked the VIN, stated that service campaign P9324 is not open on this vehicle in their [XXX] system, performed no inspection or repair, and referred the matter to Nissan Canada. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The passenger side rear spring mount/Lower Control Arm separated at the weld and failed at highway speed. Control of the vehicle was momentarily lost and I was able to safely pull to the side of the highway to await a tow truck. Vehicle is not drivable. Mechanic confirmed it was an "Insufficient Weld" consistent with a safety bulletin that expired less than a year ago. Nissan corporate would not assist in getting this repaired, but stated I could pay to have it towed to them for a customer-paid diagnostic.
The rear lower control arms (lower links) on my 2015 Nissan Altima are actively cracked and broken at 91,359 miles. An authorized Nissan dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed the severe structural failure on video, explicitly stating it is an immediate safety hazard. However, the manufacturer is refusing to repair this dangerous manufacturing defect under Campaign PC690 due to an expired calendar date, forcing an unstable, hazardous vehicle back onto public roads where I transport my children. Nissan chose not to notify owners of this defect by mail, and the dealership network actively delayed my scheduling for weeks. The vehicle is completely unsafe to operate.
Driver side rear lower control arm broke/rusted through. Was able to get the vehicle home prior to an catastrophic incident. See pictures attached. Warning light came on the dash at the time of the brake of the control arm.
Today (8/15/26) the vehicle broke down while driving. A component to the rear left suspension has busted off that appears to be the rear lower control arm/link. Not drivable. Steering wheel and tire are crooked. I have read that for the years 2013-2018 this is a known issue for these makes and models.
Rear lower control arm broke while driving on interstate car darted to the left but control was maintained
Right rear lower control arm fully broke while traveling 35 mph and going around a curve. The car immediately pulled hard right into the adjacent lane. Fortunately, there were no vehicles in that lane at the moment. I have contacted the dealership. This issue is addressed in Service Bulletin NTB21-045. However, the local dealership will not cover repairs because the car has been in service for over 10 years.
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while making a right turn into a parking space, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. While inspecting the vehicle, the son discovered that the rear passenger’s side wheel was turned inward due to a fractured rear passenger’s side suspension control arm. After additional inspection of the vehicle, the son discovered that the rear driver’s side suspension control arm was cracked. The son replaced the control arm, and the local mechanic replaced the rear driver's side control arm. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not eligible for a Manufacturer's extended warranty coverage associated with the failure. The failure mileage was 108,000.
Suspension control arm is snapped off and rusted out well below advertised maintenance recommendations per the manufacturer. I contacted my dealership and they gave me 1 week of "were checking if it's covered" and various run around instead of telling me yes/no. I can't afford not to have my car anymore so I'm getting it repaired somewhere else. NFTSA was investigating this for a recall, you closed the case in June 2026 and now Nissan is no longer covering the repairs. The bolt connecting the tire is still attached but the walls of the arm have shattered off. Perhaps my dealership would have done the right thing I'd I arrived onsite via tow-truck but because I noticed it in my driveway, I'm not getting any straight forward answers.
Related recalls
Suspension
- What is wrong
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Altima vehicles manufactured from May 10, 2012, through July 26, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with transverse link bolts and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to proper specification.
- Risk
- The affected bolts could become loose and fall out which may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the bolts to the proper torque specifications. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2012. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 12V494000 · Recall details
Suspension
- What is wrong
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 nissan altima sedan vehicles manufactured from april 25, 2011, through june 10, 2011 at the canton, mississippi plant. The transverse link bolt may not have been torqued to the proper specification. This condition could cause the bolt to become loose while the vehicle is being driven, creating a rattling noise and vibration.
- Risk
- If the bolt comes out completely, the driver may experience difficulty controlling the direction of the vehicle which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will replace the transverse link bolts and nuts and tighten them to the proper torque specification free of charge. The safety recall began on august 8, 2011. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 11V371000 · Recall details
Suspension
- What is wrong
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 altima and maxima passenger cars. The upper front strut insulators may have been manufactured out of specification resulting in a potential for the strut insulator to crack.
- Risk
- If the strut insulator is cracked, there is a potential for the strut rod to come out of its mounting position, which could affect vehicle stability and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners and dealers will replace both left and right side front strut insulators free of charge. The safety recall began october 2009. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-nissan1 (1‑800‑647‑7261).
Recall number 09V358000 · Recall details
Suspension
- What is wrong
- Nissan is recalling 1,018 my 2008 altima vehicles. The left side front suspension transverse link bolt may not have been tightened to specification. This condition could cause the bolt to become loose while the vehicle is being driven.
- Risk
- If the bolt were to come out, the driver may experience difficulty controlling the direction of the vehicle which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will tighten the transverse link bolt to specification free of charge. The recall began on august 11, 2008. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 08V363000 · Recall details
Suspension: rear
- What is wrong
- On certain vehicles, the rear subframe may have been manufactured incorrectly, which could result in a crack in a bracket which holds part of the rear suspension.
- Risk
- If the bracket is cracked, the stability of the vehicle may be affected under severe driving conditions. This could lead to a loss of control of the vehicle which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the rear subframe to determine if it was manufactured incorrectly and replace it, if necessary. The recall began on february 27, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 06V046000 · Recall details
Questions about the Nissan Altima ball joint
Which Nissan Altima years have ball joint or control arm failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2013 (222 complaints), 2014 (106 complaints) and 2015 (54 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix ball joint or control arm failure on the Nissan Altima?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,200 (median of 34 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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