Nissan Altimas are known to have above-average reliability, but an extended warranty might be worthwhile for long-term ownership or high-mileage driving.
We’ll break down what a Nissan Altima warranty covers, how much it costs, what your options are and whether a warranty may be worth it in the long run.
All new Nissan Altimas come with a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile limited powertrain warranty from the factory.
Jump to insightQuotes we received for an extended auto warranty on a 2021 Altima ranged from $1,053.72 to $1,072.23 a year.
Jump to insightNissan has better-than-average reliability compared with other vehicles.
Jump to insightNissan Altima extended warranty coverage
An extended auto warranty is an optional, paid extension of the factory warranty your Altima comes with. For context, Nissan Altimas come with the following warranties from the factory:
- A three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
- A five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty
Factory warranties follow the vehicle, not the owner. So if you buy a two-year-old car with 20,000 miles on it, you still have one year or 16,000 miles worth of factory bumper-to-bumper warranty remaining.
For an extended warranty on your Nissan Altima, you have two options:
- Buy the official Nissan extended warranty, called Nissan Security+Plus.
- Buy a plan from a third-party extended warranty company, which allows you to take your car to any ASE-certified mechanic for repairs.
Whether you get a third-party plan or a warranty from a dealer, a plan that offers comprehensive, exclusionary protection (often called bumper-to-bumper or Platinum) will provide the most value. These plans cover almost all the parts on your vehicle.
Less comprehensive plans may be cheaper, but they also cover fewer parts per dollar.
Auto warranties only pay for repairs and replacements of specifically covered parts that fail from materials or workmanship defects, not from damage or accidents. Repairs generally aren’t covered under warranty if you make aftermarket modifications.
Warranties also don’t cover wear-and-tear items like wiper blades and brake pads or damage due to missed maintenance, pre-existing conditions or misuse.
In general, here are the differences between what a bumper-to-bumper warranty and a powertrain warranty cover:
Bumper-to-bumper
Here’s what’s typically covered:
- Engine
- Drive axle
- Differential assembly
- Transmission and transfer case
- Steering
- Seals and gaskets
- Air conditioning/heating
- Core electrical components
- Front and rear suspension
- Brakes
- Cooling system
- Fuel delivery system
These components are not covered under the bumper-to-bumper warranty:
- Spark plugs
- Battery cables
- Tires
- Fluids and lubricants
- Upholstery
- Paint
- Handles
Powertrain
Here’s what the powertrain warranty covers and what it doesn’t:
| Typically covered | Not covered |
|---|---|
| Parts that create power and deliver it to the wheels | Parts not related to the engine, transmission or drive axle |
Some extended auto warranty plans fall somewhere between bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage.
» LEARN: What to know about manufacturers’ extended warranties
Extended warranties help protect against unexpected expenses
A ConsumerAffairs investigation found that most drivers couldn't afford to cover a $1,000 repair bill with cash, and 13% had no way to pay a bill that large, even with credit.
Compare Nissan Security+Plus coverage plans
Nissan offers three tiers of its Security+Plus extended warranty plans: Powertrain Preferred, Silver Preferred and Gold Preferred.
- Powertrain Preferred covers repairs caused by the mechanical breakdown of more than 950 components, including parts related to the engine and transmission, as well as fuel pumps, steering gear housing and more.
- Silver Preferred covers everything under the Powertrain Preferred plan plus 690 more parts, including audio/video/navigation components and anti-lock braking system components.
- Gold Preferred is Nissan’s most comprehensive extended warranty plan; the manufacturer says that “only a few items are not covered” and that “virtually all major components” of the vehicle are protected under this plan. Excluded components are listed on the vehicle service contract.
All three Nissan Security+Plus plans also include the following benefits:
- 24/7 roadside assistance
- Trip interruption reimbursement when you are 100+ miles from home
- Car rental reimbursement of up to $42 a day for five days
- Up to $100 towing benefits per claim
These benefits start immediately when you purchase your plan.
How much does a Nissan Altima extended warranty cost?
We were quoted $1,072.23 a year from olive for three years of bumper-to-bumper coverage for a 2021 Nissan Altima registered in Austin, Texas, with 40,000 miles. From Endurance, the quote for similar coverage was $1,053.72 annually for 30 months of coverage for the same vehicle with the same mileage. Both quotes assumed a $100 deductible. Note that both of these are third-party extended auto warranty companies.
The “official” Nissan extended warranty, Nissan Security+Plus, may cost less than a third-party option. Be sure to get a quote from your local Nissan dealer to compare your options.
To get a preview of Nissan Security+Plus costs, check out our general article on Nissan extended warranties. We found a price range of $830 to $2,406 for Gold Preferred and Silver Preferred plans on vehicles ranging from a 2023 Nissan Altima to an older, higher-mileage car like a 2019 Altima with 50,000 miles. Coverage terms for these plans varied from three years or 36,000 miles to eight years and 120,000 miles.
Quotes for extended auto warranties vary based on coverage, vehicle, deductible, location and other factors. A 2022 Altima with zero miles typically has cheaper extended warranty options than a 2020 model with 50,000 miles, for example.
For context, the average cost of an extended warranty is around $1,000 per year of coverage. The quotes we collected for our hypothetical 2021 Nissan Altima were more expensive by comparison.
Compare quotes from multiple providers to be sure that you're getting a good deal on an extended warranty.
Remember that some extended warranty plans, particularly those from manufacturers, start from the date that the original owner purchased the car. In such a case, if you're getting a seven-year/100,000-mile warranty and the factory warranty is three-year/36,000 miles, you're really paying for four years or 64,000 miles (whichever comes first) of additional coverage.
Nissan Security+Plus plans offer various term options ranging up to 8 years or 120,000 miles from the vehicle’s original in-service date.
Nissan Altima extended warranty pros and cons
Pros
- Provides peace of mind after the factory warranty expires
- Covers costly repairs such as transmission failureThird point
- Flexible coverage options through third-party providers
- Helps avoid unexpected out-of-pocket repair costs
Cons
- Higher than average cost compared to other extended warranties
- Some plans may offer limited coverage depending on provider and tier
- Remaining factory warranty may overlap with some extended warranties if not timed correctly
- May not be necessary for low-mileage or well-maintained vehicles
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when deciding if a Nissan Altima extended warranty is right for you, but it can help to consider these factors:
- Model year and current mileage. Older cars and those with higher mileage typically experience more component failures, so an extended warranty can come in handy.
- Deductible preference. A higher deductible typically means a lower upfront price, and vice versa. Consider what your budget allows and compare quotes to find a deal that fits.
- Ownership horizon. It may not make sense to get an extended warranty if you expect to sell your Altima before the warranty runs out. However, an extended warranty can be a wise choice if you plan to keep the car for many years to come.
Is a Nissan Altima extended warranty worth it?
A Nissan Altima extended warranty can certainly be worth it. In general, an extended auto warranty is worth it if any of the following are true:
- Your vehicle has a bad reputation for reliability.
- The warranty costs less than you expect to spend on repairs.
- A big repair bill could hurt you financially.
- You don’t mind paying for peace of mind.
Nissan as a brand has above-average reliability, with J.D. Power ranking Nissan 10th out of 28 car brands for overall dependability.
As for the Altima specifically, RepairPal gave it a 4.0 out of 5 reliability rating.
Still, many ConsumerAffairs reviewers have reported issues with their Nissan Altimas.
“I bought a 2018 Altima with 40000 mi on it,” reported Kyle from Minnesota. “Just rolled 87000mi and the CVT (transmission) failed. Spoke with Nissan consumer affairs and after they acknowledged issues with the CVT in specified models including Altimas they refused to even partially offset the cost 4000.00 to replace the CVT due to it exceeding the 60000mi warranty.”
[T]he transmission went out and they couldn't do anything to help out with the $6k cost to replace the transmission.”
Randy in Louisiana had a similar story involving the Altima’s transmission failing: “2017 Altima with 80k miles. The transmission went out and they couldn't do anything to help out with the $6k cost to replace the transmission.”
These stories from real customers mentioning issues with Nissan Altima maintenance suggest that an extended warranty may be a good idea. The likelihood of needing repairs and the prices we found for Nissan Altima extended warranties means you’re likely to come out ahead by purchasing a protection plan.
FAQ
How long is Nissan’s factory warranty?
Nissan’s factory warranty includes three years or 36,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage and five years or 60,000 miles of powertrain coverage.
Is Nissan Altima’s extended warranty transferable?
Yes, the Nissan Altima's official extended warranty is transferable.
Does Nissan offer an extended warranty on CVT transmission?
Yes, Nissan offers a CVT warranty extension on several of its models, including 2017-2018 model year Altimas. This is separate from a Nissan extended service contract available through Nissan Security+Plus. This added transmission coverage extends the factory warranty on the CVT assembly and components with term and mileage limits of 84 months or 84,000 miles. To find out if your Altima is covered, contact your dealer with the vehicle’s VIN.
Article sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:
- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Software Updates Become More Routine, but Fall Short on Perceived Benefit, JD Power Finds.” Accessed July 2, 2026.
- RepairPal, "Nissan Altima Reliability Rating." Accessed July 2, 2026.
- Nissan Extended Services North America, GP, "Nissan Security+Plus Extended Protection Plans." Accessed July 2, 2026.
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Altima, Sentra and Versa CVT Warranty Extension.” Accessed July 2, 2026.
