Case file · NISSAN-ALTIMA-2019-2024 · Field document

Nissan Altima 2019–present · Pre-purchase checklist

Bring this to the inspection. Every check below is specific to this generation's documented failure modes, not generic used-car advice.

1. Check 01

   Drive it cold and hot: feel for shudder or rubber-band hesitation between 15 and 45 mph under light throttle. That's the classic Nissan CVT judder pattern. Any lurch, flare, or momentary loss of drive is a walk-away.

2. Check 02

   Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup. On a 2019–2020 VC-Turbo car, demand the 25V-437 engine-bearing inspection paperwork; on a 2024, confirm the power-steering-bolt recall (23V-882); on a 2025, confirm the door-striker recall (26V-023).

3. Check 03

   Ask for CVT fluid service receipts. No records on a 60k+ mile car means you're budgeting a fluid service immediately and pricing in transmission risk.

4. Check 04

   On the highway portion of the test drive, watch for phantom braking or a 'front radar unavailable' warning. The AEB/radar complaints on early cars are real and annoying to chase.

5. Check 05

   Check the windshield edge-to-edge in daylight. Cracked windshields are the single most-reported 2019–2020 complaint, and replacement means recalibrating the forward camera.

6. Check 06

   Back up with the rearview camera on: flickering, distortion, or a black screen on a 2019–2021 points to the camera-harness recall (23V-628). Free fix, but confirm it's done.

7. Check 07

   On a VC-Turbo (any year 2019–2024), listen at idle and under load for any deep knock or rattle, and look at the oil on the dipstick. Metallic glitter is exactly what the recall inspection screens for.

8. Check 08

   On the 2.5, watch for rough idle or a check-engine light on the test drive; owners report EGR and driveability faults, and direct injection means carbon buildup on higher-mileage cars.