NissanAltima2020Overview/nissan/altima/2020/base/

2020 Nissan Altima

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2020 Altima.

Transmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2020 Nissan Altima pairs an automatic transmission with variable gear ratios and an engine requiring 5.3 quarts of 0W-20 oil to deliver EPA fuel economy ratings of 28 mpg city, 39 mpg highway, and 32 mpg combined. Set against the model’s 1993–2025 complaint history—a timeline spanning from a high of 2,304 grievances for the 2013 model year to a low of six for 2025—this iteration accumulated 174 total owner complaints with “Unknown Or Other” identified as the top concern area alongside six recalls. That complaint volume situates the 2020 model year in the lower-middle range of the Altima’s reliability spectrum, indicating notably fewer reported issues than the historical peak years yet substantially more than the most recent production runs.

Model year20252024202320222021202020192018

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque98 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy28/39/32 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 510 Enhanced Flooded Battery. European Norm Rating. CCA battery, OE oil filter 1520865F1E. 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 47 · 510 Enhanced Flooded Battery. European Norm Rating. CCAOEM · verified
Tire size235/40R19 92VOEM · verified
Wheel / rim8 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520865F1E
Engine air filter165466CB0A alt 165466CA0A
Spark plug224016LD1C alt 224015NA1C
Front wiper blades288906CA1A alt 288906CA0A
Serpentine belt117205NA0B alt 117206CA0B
Thermostat21200ED00A alt 21049ED00B
Cabin air filterH72776CA1J

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length192.9 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase111.4 in
Curb weight3406 lb
Track (front / rear)63.4 / 63.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined28 / 39 / 32 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume101 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

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.

7.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.40 sec — 2020 SR
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2020SR 2.5L I-47.40 sec15.80 sec182 hpAWD
2019Platinum VC-Turbo Edition One 2.0L Turbo I-45.90 sec14.50 sec248 hpFWD
2019Platinum VC-Turbo Edition One 2.0L Turbo I-46.10 sec14.60 sec248 hpFWD
2019Platinum VC-Turbo Edition One 2.0L Turbo I-46.10 sec14.60 sec248 hpFWD
2019SR VC-Turbo 2.0L Turbo I-46.10 sec14.50 sec248 hpFWD
2019SV 2.5L I-47.40 sec15.70 sec182 hpAWD
2019Platinum 2.5L I-47.60 sec15.80 sec182 hpAWD
2019SL 2.5L I-47.70 sec16.00 sec182 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.3 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 83 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidNissan NS-3 CVT Fluid
Automatic Transmission Fluid CapacityRE0F10H
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.125 pt
Engine CoolantNissan Long Life Blue Antifreeze/Coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity8.6 qt
Engine CoolantNissan Long Life Blue Antifreeze/Coolant

Engine torques

Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts98 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts83 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)±50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)675 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)±50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug TypeDILKAR7N9HG
Spark Plug Gap.031-.035 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity1.102 - 1.322 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeVC-100YF or equivalent
Oil Capacity4.10 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance510

Service checks

RPM51.0
Residual Pressure51.0 PSI is approximate. psi

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 20.0 ft-lbs
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 107.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 62.0 ft-lbs
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .945
Variation from Parallelism Thickness VariationFront; .0002", Rear: .0004
Maximum Rotor RunoutMeasure on vehicle. .002
Maximum Drum DiameterParking Brake: 6.811

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 60°22 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
131.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90-96°31 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
130.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 120°, Step 3: 120°30 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
129.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 75-80°, Step 3: 75-80°29 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 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 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 10,000 miCV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Transfer Case Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 11,250 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Keyless Entry Remote Battery (replace)
Every 15,000 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 20,000 miSteering Linkage (inspect)
At 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
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 2020 Nissan Altima sits in the middle of a generation that launched in 2018 with relatively modest complaint volumes compared to the prior generation's peak years (2013 logged 2,304 complaints and 12 recalls). Within the current generation's arc, complaints declined steadily from 223 in 2018 to 174 in 2020 and then dropped sharply to 68 by 2021, suggesting early-production issues were being progressively addressed. However, recalls tell a slightly different story: 2019 saw a spike to 7 recalls, and 2020 remained elevated at 6, before falling to 2 in 2021 — indicating that while consumers were reporting fewer problems, federal regulators were still actively identifying safety defects through the 2020 model year. The 2020 model's top complaint areas are Unknown/Other (18), Electrical System (17), Engine (15), and Power Train (8), with 16 crash-related complaints and 7 fire-related complaints, though the data does not specify root causes for any of these categories. TSBs followed a consistent downward trend (191 in 2018, 186 in 2019, 146 in 2020, 109 in 2021), reinforcing that Nissan was steadily resolving technical issues across the generation. **Takeaway:** The 2020 Altima represents a reasonable but not optimal choice within this generation — it benefits from two years of post-launch refinement and lower complaint volume than earlier years, but its elevated recall count means a buyer should verify that all six recalls have been completed before purchasing.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
146
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
174
Owner complaints
16 involved a crash · 7 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 174 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other18
Electrical System17
Engine15
Power Train8
Visibility/Wiper6
Forward Collision Avoidance5
Steering5
Service Brakes,Forward Collision Avoidance4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V138000Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod AssemblyReported 04/03/2021

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Nissan Altima vehicles. The tie rod ball joint fastener was not tightened properly, which could result in the tie rod ball joint detaching from the… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the left and right-side tie rod ball joint fasteners, or install new fasteners as necessary, free of charge. The began March…

21V169000TiresReported 11/03/2021

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Altima and 2018-2021 Titan vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 146 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…
NTB15-049CC2026-03-30Electrical SystemTELEMATICS SERVICE INFORMATION HINT: This bulletin applies to vehicles equipped with a 4G…
NTB26-0032026-01-16Forward Collision AvoidanceFALSE ACTIVATION OF AEB OR FCW IF YOU CONFIRM The customer states they have experienced…
NTB19-042F2025-02-20Electrical SystemAUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING WARNING LIGHT BLINKING APPLIED SYSTEMS: Vehicles equipped…

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 2020 Altima take?

5.3 qt of Nissan 0W-20 SN is recommended but 0W-20 GF-5 SN may be used., per the factory manual.

Does the 2020 Altima have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Altima get?

EPA figures are 28 city / 39 highway / 32 combined mpg.