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Nissan Altima jerking problems

487 of the 15,494 owner complaints about the Nissan Altima describe jerking or lurching, most of them for the 2013 model year.

owner complaints
487
worst model year
2013
typical repair cost reported
$2,000
typical mileage
73,000
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall for this area of the car. See below

By model year

Often reported together

Stalling 104Check engine light 102CVT failure 93Transmission failure 59Hesitation 46Loss of power 43Shudder 31Slipping 28

Trouble codes mentioned

P0776 6P17F0 3P0841 3P0335 2P2813 1P0965 1P0766 1P0744 1P0731 1P0500 1

What owners say

Filed Nov 2, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · LA

The components and systems experiencing problems in my 2020 Nissan Altima S 2.5L include the engine, throttle body, and mass airflow (MAF) sensor system. The vehicle has experienced severe engine performance issues, including excessive fuel consumption, jerking, hesitation during acceleration, reduced engine power, and unexpected limp mode. The safety of myself and others were put at risk because the car did not accelerate anymore in the middle of on going traffic. It was me and my 2 underaged children in the car. Yes it has been confirmed by an independent service center. Yes, insurance representatives and others including mechanics. Check engine light appeared

Filed May 22, 2026 · FL

February 14 early afternoon the car was just acting funny like I didn’t wanna go started jerking I pulled over on I-95 where the car continue to jerk and act funny so I cut the car off. Try to cut it back on and it wouldn’t crank up all the way, so I had to get the car to back to my address where I had a old mechanic come out to inspect with the problem. Engine light came on through some codes telling me it was ignition coils, and other things got those fixed same cold still appeared at the car inspected further, somehow some kind of way engine oil was in the connector to the ECM. Nothing ever been majorly wrong with the car maintenance and oil changes in engine oil just happened to be in the connector to the ECM. Bought those parts install still no change carbon setting since February and today’s date is May 22

Filed May 12, 2026 · Driver assistance, Engine · AZ

The car stalls and began to jerk then shuts down the crash symbols comes on and goes off.

Filed May 4, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · FL · crash

The CVT issue remains with this car even though I have complained. The car will randomly de accelerate and randomly accelerate which has cause minor fender bender. The car continue to studer and jerk and continues to show since of transmission issues. These cars need to be recalled before someone is seriously injured from the known CVT issues.

Filed Mar 8, 2026 · Airbags · CO · crash

A truck was turning without signaling and we were passing on right side assuming he was turning left- and he suddenly jerked right causing major impact and sent us into ditch where we were stopped by impacting a solid fence.

Filed Jan 21, 2026 · Suspension · 196,000 miles · NH

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the steering wheel jerked and caused the vehicle to shift into the left lane. The contact immediately slammed on the brake pedal and repositioned the vehicle into the intended lane, but the vehicle felt unstable as if the vehicle was driving on ice. The contact pulled over to the side of the road to inspect vehicle but found no cause for the failure. The contact drove to the residence. The contact’s husband reversed the vehicle into the garage, exited the vehicle and became aware that the rear passenger’s wheel was pushed into the wheel well, revealing that the rear control arm was fractured. The contact stated that the rear control arm had fractured while driving, causing the vehicle to veer into another lane. While reversing in the driveway, the control arm completely detached, and the wheel fell inward. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 196,000.

Filed Dec 29, 2025 · Engine · 96,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that lead was found in the oil pan. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact was informed that the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and declined to complete the recall repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

Filed Nov 25, 2025 · Transmission · 68,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle failed to accelerate from a complete stop and jerked. Additionally, the vehicle failed to respond as intended while in reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer, where a diagnostic test was performed on the vehicle, and it was confirmed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 68,000.

Filed Nov 11, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · CT

On August 30, 2025, while driving on the highway, my 2019 Nissan Altima displayed a “CVT (AT) Hot / Power Reduced” warning. Power was limited, but the engine did not shut off. I immediately scheduled service at Paul Miller Nissan in Fairfield, CT. At the September 2, 2025 visit, the repair order stated: “Customer states CVT (AT) Hot Power Reduced display in dash. All past codes stored; cleared all past codes stored.” No complete diagnostic test, CVT pressure test, or fluid inspection was performed. The dealership did not preserve the freeze-frame data from the TCM. I was told that no current fault codes were present and that the vehicle was safe to operate. Relying on the dealership’s professional assurance, I continued normal use of the vehicle. About a couple of weeks later, the vehicle began to jerk and lose smooth acceleration intermittently, worsening by the sixth week. I promptly returned for service. On October 21–22, 2025, the same dealership confirmed transmission codes P0776 and P17F0, diagnosing a CVT failure and recommending full replacement. When questioned about prior diagnostic data, the service manager stated that all data from the September visit had been cleared and that the freeze-frame information was deleted and no longer available. This handling contradicts Nissan’s standard CVT diagnostic protocol, which requires documenting stored codes, inspecting CVT fluid condition, and recording internal temperatures before clearing data. Nissan Consumer Affairs later stated their review relied solely on the dealership’s findings and that missing diagnostic data would not be retrieved. Since the confirmed failure, I have been forced to rent a vehicle at my own expense, exceeding $1000 to date. The vehicle’s reduced power and transmission failure created a serious safety risk, especially as I transport my children in this vehicle. The dealership’s erasure of diagnostic evidence prevented accurate evaluation and timely repair. The issue remains unresolved.

Filed Nov 6, 2025 · Engine · LA

Check engine light came on will not go off transmission fluid burnt replaced transmission fluid because transmission was slipping out of gear not finding the correct gear I do believe it was starting off in second gear instead of first. Drive slightly better in manual after fluid gets warm but not overheating the car will start jerking and threatening to kill losing power in the accelerator and going uphill also having trouble with the car going into reverse and drive. I had no choice but to replace the transmission fluid myself due to lack of funds and now dealership refuses to touch my vehicle for repairs. I called Nissan to make a complaint and they hung up on me. Car was just paid off October of 2024. This situation with my transmission began November of 2025.

Related recalls

Power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (PRNDL)Reported September 2, 1994 · 1,000 vehicles affected
What is wrong
The shift lever lock plate, which prevents the shift lever from being inadvertently moved from park to drive or neutral position, can be broken by the transmission shift position pin.
Risk
Inadvertent movement of the transmission shift lever without operator action can cause vehicle movement which can result in a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Dealers will install a bracket to prevent the shift position pin from breaking the shift lever lock plate.

Recall number 94V165000 · Recall details

Questions about the Nissan Altima jerking

Which Nissan Altima years have jerking or lurching problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2013 (102 complaints), 2016 (52 complaints) and 2014 (41 complaints).

How much does it cost to fix jerking or lurching on the Nissan Altima?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $2,000 (median of 57 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.

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