About this problem
The hood latch has a main catch and a secondary safety catch. If the latch corrodes or the release cable sticks, the main catch may not hold, and the secondary catch can fail to hold the hood once you are moving. Owners report the hood flying up at speed and blocking the windshield, which is why hood latch faults are usually recalled.
Across all owner complaints filed about the Nissan Altima since 2012, 249 (3.8%) describe hood latch and hood flying open, the second most reported problem we track on the Altima. The reports cluster on the 2013, 2014 and 2015 model years, and the 2013 drew the most, with 93. It tends to show up in the middle years of ownership: half of the owners who gave a mileage were between 39,000 and 93,000 miles. 7 reports describe a crash or fire linked to it. 4 recalls are related to it, and recall repairs are free at any dealer.
What owners report
Altima owners report the hood popping open while driving, sometimes slamming into the windshield. The cause is a hood latch that can corrode and fail to lock. Nissan recalled several Altima years for this problem.
How it gets fixed
The recall fix replaces or lubricates the hood latch, free at Nissan dealers.
Typical cost: Recall repairs are free. Out of warranty a latch costs about $100 to $300.
Complaints by model year
In owners' words
"This is to report and complain about recalls on my 2013 Nissan Altima recall: 16v-029 I traveled to my local dealer [kline Nissan, maplewood, mn] over a year ago for a similar recall fix to the hood latch'."
2013 Nissan Altima, 22,000 miles
"I am unable to close the hood of my car completely. The hood latch is loose at all times and I am unable to use the "open hood" button on the interior. I never received a recall notice from Nissan."
2015 Nissan Altima, 12,500 miles
"I brought my car to royal palm Nissan for a recall on the hood latch and told them to check the ocs light that went on intermittently even though there was a passenger seated. This was before the recall notice."
2014 Nissan Altima, 14,000 miles
Excerpts from public owner complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, lightly trimmed.
Related recalls
Nissan North America, Inc.
Nissan North America, Inc.
Nissan North America, Inc.
Nissan North America, Inc.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. Check a specific car by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Before you buy a Altima
- Check by VIN that the hood latch recall was done.
- Close the hood and pull on it to make sure it is fully latched.
- Look for rust on the latch.
Questions
Which Nissan Altima years have hood latch and hood flying open?
Complaints are highest for the 2013, 2014, 2015 model years. The 2013 drew the most, with 93 reports.
At what mileage does it usually start?
Among owners who gave a mileage, the middle figure was about 64,000 miles, and half reported it between 39,000 and 93,000 miles.
How much does it cost to fix?
Recall repairs are free. Out of warranty a latch costs about $100 to $300.