2016 Nissan Altima · symptom sheet
Transmission jerks, lurches or bangs into gear
- 43owner reports
- 71,000median miles
- $1,500median quote
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Jul 8, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026
43 of the 85 reports of transmission shudder on the 2016 Altima describe jerking or hard shifts.
Part of Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard (85 reports) · also: hesitation when accelerating
Tick what matches of 43 reports
Jerking or hard shifts on other Altima years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024.
What this problem usually is
This is the narrower sheet inside transmission shudder for shifts that jerk, lurch or bang. Where the wider sheet also takes in slipping and vibration, these reports are about a shift that arrives too hard: the car lunges forward, or a clunk comes through the floor as it drops into gear.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the transmission (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2016 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
What owners paid
10 of the 43 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $600 to $2,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 59,000 and 88,500 miles, from the 31 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“Vehicle jerks as RPM needle rapidly bounces between 10rpm and 40rpm when accelerating, sometimes subtle jerk when decelerating.”
Filed Jul 3, 2022
“My car only have 85000 mile on it and it jerks sometimes and was told it was a Transmission Fluid Pressure Sensor/Switch A Circuit Range/Performance and after doing research a lot of people transmission are doing the same thing. Nissan should be made to fix the problem”
Filed Apr 22, 2022
“I was driving down the highway and my 2016 Nissan Altima began jerking and trying to stall, then jerking me forward again quite hard. I had to pull over in fear of hitting someone or my car becoming out of control. I have since discovered that it is the CVT transmission.”
Filed Jun 10, 2021
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 43 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Airbag warning light or recall 70 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 61 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 40 reports
- Headlights too dim or fail 37 reports
- Doors, latches or locks fail 31 reports
- Loses power when accelerating 26 reports