NissanAltima2015Overview/nissan/altima/2015/base/

2015 Nissan Altima

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2015 Altima.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2015 Nissan Altima is a passenger car built on a front-wheel-drive platform, powered by a four-cylinder engine that takes 5.0 quarts of 0W-20 API-grade oil—a specification that underscores its focus on efficiency. In terms of reliability, this model year recorded 941 owner complaints, with exterior lighting being the most frequently cited issue, and it has been subject to 10 recalls. That complaint total places the 2015 squarely between the model’s historical peak in 2013 (2,304 complaints) and the low seen in 2025 (6 complaints), indicating it occupies a middle ground in the Altima’s long-term reliability trajectory.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182015

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 550 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1520865F0E. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215/60R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.0 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520865F0E
Engine air filter165463TA0J alt 165460Z000
Spark plug224013TA1B alt 22401EW61C
Front wiper blades288903TA0D alt 288903TA1B
Serpentine belt117203TA0C alt 117206TA0A
Thermostat21200EA000 alt 21049ED00A
Cabin air filter272773JC1C

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length191.7 in
Overall width72 in
Overall height57.9 in
Wheelbase109.4 in
Curb weight3122 lb
Track (front / rear)62.6 / 62.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Altima of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.1–8.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.10 sec — 2013 3.5 SV
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
20162.5 SV 2.5L I-47.80 sec16.00 sec182 hpFWD
20162.5 SV 2.5L I-48.20 sec16.50 sec182 hpFWD
20133.5 SV 3.5L V66.10 sec14.60 sec270 hpFWD
20132.5 SL 2.5L I-47.40 sec15.70 sec182 hpFWD
20132.5 SV 2.5L I-47.60 sec16.00 sec182 hpFWD
20132.5 SL 2.5L I-47.70 sec16.10 sec182 hpFWD
20132.5 SL 2.5L I-47.70 sec15.90 sec182 hpFWD
20132.5 SV 2.5L I-47.70 sec15.90 sec182 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 0W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 22.0-26.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidGenuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.0-8.0
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Coolant Capacity8.0-8.5
Engine Coolant Capacity9.0-9.75
Engine CoolantUse Nissan long life coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity8.3
Engine CoolantUse Nissan long life coolant

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsUpper: 18 ft/lbs; Lower: 33 ft/lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts31
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 1st
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts23
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 1st
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts23
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0-26.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts25.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub135 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerNissan
Spark Plug Gap.043 in
Spark Plug Torque14 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing10 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance2 degrees
Ignition Timing10 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity17.0-19.0 lbs
Oil TypeA/C System Oil Type S (DH-PS)
Oil Capacity4.3 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

RPM51 @ idle rpm
Engine Compressionpsi 177-205 / max variation 14 psi
Engine Compressionpsi 142-185 / max variation 14 psi
Intake Valve Lash0.012-0.016 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.012-0.017 in
Intake Valve Lash0.012-0.016 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.012-0.017 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 20; Rear: 32 /; Front: 20; Rear: 32
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 107; Rear: 62 /; Front: 107; Rear: 62
ABS Sensor TorqueFront: 9; Rear: 13 /
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.039 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: .945; Rear: .354
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.0006
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .0016; Rear: .0022
Maximum Drum DiameterParking Brake: 6.810

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages

Prep Measure the diameter of each cylinder head bolt at point A and point B. Point A = 12.00 mm from thread end and point B = 55.00 mm from thread end. If either diameter is less than 0.23 mm use new bolts coated with clean engine oil. Tighten all bolts to finger tight then continue on with the following procedure.

137.0 ft. lbs.37 ft. lbs
260 degrees60 degrees
3Loosen bolts 360 degrees in reverse order360 degrees
429.0 ft. lbs.29 ft. lbs
575 degrees75 degrees
675 degrees75 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep Measure the diameter of each cylinder head bolt at point A and point B. Point A = 11.00 mm from thread end and point B = 48.00 mm from thread end. If either diameter is less than 0.18 mm use new bolts coated with clean engine oil. Tighten all bolts to finger tight then continue on with the following procedure.

172.0 ft. lbs.72 ft. lbs
2Loosen bolts 360 degrees in reverse order360 degrees
326.0-32.0 ft. lbs.26–32 ft. lbs
490 degrees-95 degrees90 degrees
590 degrees-95 degrees90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant at 105,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 105,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 20,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Drive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exterior Lighting (inspect) · Headlamp (inspect alignment) · Radiator Cap (inspect)
At 40,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 180,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2015 Nissan Altima falls within a steep downward trajectory from the 2013 model-year peak, when complaints reached 2,304, investigations hit 5, and recalls totaled 12. By 2015, complaints had fallen to 941 and investigations dropped to 3, yet recalls ticked up to 10 from 2014's 8, while technical service bulletins remained elevated at 331—near the generation's high—before sharper drops in complaints and recalls began in 2016. Federal data identifies Exterior Lighting with 238 complaints, Air Bags with 135, and Power Train with 106 as the top reported categories, though the data does not specify root causes, and the year logged 45 crash-related and 5 fire-related complaints. This places 2015 in a transitional arc where owner complaints are receding from their worst levels but manufacturer service activity and recalls remain comparatively high. Because recall and TSB volume are still elevated relative to 2016-2017, buyers must confirm all recalls are completed and closely inspect lighting, air bag, and powertrain systems, making 2015 a conditionally acceptable choice that is safer than 2013-2014 but less favorable than the quieter 2016 onward.

10
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
331
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
941
Owner complaints
45 involved a crash · 5 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 941 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Exterior Lighting238
Air Bags135
Power Train106
Unknown Or Other49
Latches/Locks/Linkages40
Suspension39
Structure37
Engine20

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 10 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V915000Structure:Emergency:Escape/Egress/ExitReported 19/12/2018

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles, previously remedied under recall number 17V-040. The door latch-lock cable may not have been routed properly in the rear door when the… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will secure the latch-lock cables in the correct position using the new remedy procedure, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019…

17V040000Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:LatchReported 18/01/2017

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles. The rear door latch/lock cable on the vehicles may have been improperly routed. As a result, lowering a rear window may inadvertently… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will correct the rear door latch/lock cable routing, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 331 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB12-103I2024-06-06Power TrainCVT/TCM CALIBRATION DATA “WRITE” PROCEDURE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT…
NTB13-107G2024-05-20Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…
NTB13-027D2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Altima. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2015 Altima take?

5.0 qt of SAE 0W-20 Genuine NISSAN engine oil or equivalent Engine oil with API Certification Mark, per the factory manual.

Does the 2015 Altima have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.