1998 Nissan Altima electrical system problems
15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the electrical system on the 1998 Nissan Altima — 12% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“After arriving home safely from a long highway drive (7 hrs), our car sat for about 5 hours. When I started the car, I smelled smoke and heard a unusual rubbing noise under the hood. After popping the hood, I saw smoke pouring out of the alternator. I turned off the engine, went inside to get a…”
filed Jun 21, 2005
“Vehicle caught on fire after it had been parked for more than 8 hours. Owner contacted the manufacturer and nothing was done. *ak”
filed Feb 9, 2005
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or…
NTB23-053 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 16, 202312 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V battery testing. These…
NTB23-049 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 16, 2023VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB13-107F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 27, 2023INTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB16-003C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 17, 2023
Electrical System problems in other Altima years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Altima | 3 | 8% |
| 2023 Altima | 10 | 34% |
| 2022 Altima | 7 | 23% |
| 2021 Altima | 21 | 30% |
| 2020 Altima | 45 | 25% |
| 2019 Altima | 58 | 26% |
| 2018 Altima | 37 | 17% |
| 2017 Altima | 26 | 7% |
| 2016 Altima | 42 | 8% |
| 2015 Altima | 54 | 6% |
| 2014 Altima | 71 | 6% |
| 2013 Altima | 159 | 7% |
Other reported problem areas on the 1998 Nissan Altima
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.