2016 Nissan Altima · symptom sheet

Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard

85owner reports
70,000median miles
$1,500median quote
1involved a crash

Newest report Aug 3, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026

235 of the 553 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 85 of those describe transmission shudder, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2016 Altima.

Narrower sheets: Transmission jerks, lurches or bangs into gear (43 reports) · Transmission hesitates when accelerating (25 reports)

No recall on this systemas of Oct 2, 2026

1 crashin 85 reports

Tick what matches of 85 reports

shudders or vibrates at low speed

slips or revs without pulling

hesitates when I accelerate

a dealer did a software update

fluid was changed or flushed

Transmission shudder on other Altima years

201464 reports 201546 reports 201685 reports 201737 reports

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: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024.

What this problem usually is

This is the biggest drivetrain group on the site: a transmission that shudders, slips, hesitates or bangs into gear. It's the everyday version of transmission trouble, where the car still drives but doesn't drive right, and it has three narrower sheets of its own for jerking, hesitation and slipping.

Read the full explainer · Which cars report it most

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the transmission (7 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2016 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.

What owners paid

18 of the 85 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $400 to $4,000.

$400$1,500$4,000

$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 54,000 and 89,228 miles, from the 67 reports that gave a mileage.

Is this a known problem?

The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 5 service bulletins or notices for the 2016 Nissan Altima that deal with this problem. Newest first.

Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.

Service bulletinNTB17-039kSep 30, 2020
PATHFINDER, ALTIMA, MAXIMA, MURANO AND QUEST; CVT JUDDER AND DTC P17F0 OR P17F1 STORED IF YOU CONFIRM The customer reports a transmission judder (shake, shudder, single or multiple bumps or vibration), AND One of these DTCs is stored: ï· P17F0 (CVT_JUDDER (T/M INSPECTION)) ï· P17F1 (CVT_JUDDER (C/U INSPECTION)) NOTE: ï If a transmission judder (as ...
Service bulletinNTB16-085Aug 25, 2016
ENHANCED DIAGNOSTIC LOGIC FOR CVT PATHFINDER AND ALTIMA WITH V6 ENGINE ONLY IF YOU CONFIRM THE CUSTOMER REPORTS A TRANSMISSION JUDDER (SHAKE, SHUDDER, SINGLE OR MULTIPLE BUMPS OR VIBRATION).
Service bulletinNTB15-086DAug 9, 2016
2013-2016 ALTIMA AND 2014-2016 ROGUE; MIL ON WITH DTC P0776, P1715 MAY HAVE HESITATION AND/OR LACK OF POWER ALTIMA WITH 4-CYLINDER ENGINE ONLY THE TITLE IS CHANGED, A DTC IS ADDED UNDER IF YOU CONFIRM, AND TCM REPROGRAMMING IS ADDED TO THE SERVICE PROCEDURE.
Service bulletinNTB15015FApr 29, 2016
IF YOU CONFIRM: The customer reports a transmission judder (shake, shudder, single or multiple bumps or vibration) AND One of these DTCs is stored: - P17F0 (CVT_JUDDER (T/M INSPECTION)) - P17F1 (CVT_JUDDER (C/U INSPECTION)) NOTE - If a transmission judder (as described ...

1 more on the 2016 Nissan Altima page.

What owners wrote

“The transmission started slipping at 70,000 miles on the Altima, even after getting a preventative transmission service at 30,000 miles. A mechanic revealed a judder code, which means the transmission will stop working within weeks. A repair would cost more than the car is worth. My wife could have been stranded in traffic. This is unacceptable. No warning lights appeared on the dash.”
Filed Sep 30, 2025 · 70,000 miles

“2016 Altima 66,700 miles At a light, when push the accelerator my car hesitates for about 4 seconds. Then it slowly gains power. This is an accident waiting to happen. 2016 Altima needs a recall. I see multiple complaints on the internet as well.”
Filed Jun 30, 2024 · 66,700 miles

“Iâm starting to experience issues with the CTV transmission. Iâm experiencing jerking and stalling while driving on a busy highway with cars traveling 55mph or more. It is extremely dangerous driving when these things occur when cars are traveling at those speeds and the vehicle hesitate without warning.”
Filed Apr 28, 2023

“Transmission failing. Will not take off from stand still, then jerks and goes after revving. Jerks badly and shudders when accelerating, then refuses to accelerate to highway speeds over 55mph.”
Filed Oct 25, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 1 of 85 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