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 — 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.