Car check · problems, recalls, fuel cost, price

Nissan Altima 2016 in Ghana

What US owners report going wrong with the Nissan Altima 2016, its safety recalls and crash stars, what fuel costs you a month in cedis, whether it can still be imported, and what it sells for in Ghana.

Rutger van der Maar, CC BY 2.0
Rutger van der Maar, CC BY 2.0
Ethan Llamas, CC BY-SA 4.0
DestinationFearFan, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photos of the same model and year, not of the car you are buying. Ask the seller for photos of that car, with the VIN and the odometer in shot.

At a glance

US safety recalls 4 includes air bags
Owner complaints …
Crash rating ★★★★★ US government, out of 5
Fuel a month GH₵1,980 40 km a day
Import into Ghana Allowed about 10 years old

Can it come into Ghana?

A 2016 car is about 10 years old, under the 15-year limit. It can be imported until about 2030.

Every used vehicle needs a pre-shipment inspection and a Certificate of Conformity from a GSA-approved body in the country it ships from.
Not allowed at all: flood- or fire-damaged cars, cars with chassis damage, and cars assembled from parts, according to published guides to the rules.
Import duty: 20% of the customs value for a petrol, over 3,000 cc car (GRA's vehicle duty table). VAT, NHIL, GETFund and the ECOWAS, AU, EXIM and special import levies come on top, plus an age penalty on older cars.
The customs value is GRA's own figure (the car's price when new, minus up to 50% for age, plus freight and insurance), not what you paid. Only the ICUMS assessment gives the final amount, so never pay a "clearing agent" a figure you cannot see on the official assessment.
Buying a car already in Ghana? Ask the DVLA to confirm through ICUMS that duty was paid before you pay.

Age is worked out from the model year; the rule uses the date of manufacture, which can be a few months earlier. Source: GSA public notice of 14 August 2026, as reported by Citi Newsroom.

Safety recalls

Faults the maker agreed to fix for free in the US. A car shipped to Ghana usually never got the repair, so these are worth asking about.

Structure 18V915000 · 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 was applied. As a result, the cable may interfere with the window regulator causing the rear passenger door to unlatch and inadvertently open without warning when the window is lowered.

The risk: If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.

The fix: 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. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7669.
Latches/locks/linkages 17V040000 · 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 cause that door to unlatch and open.

The risk: If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.

The fix: 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 customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Air bags 16V244000 · 26/04/2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.

The risk: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

The fix: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Latches/locks/linkages 20V315000 · 28/05/2020

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.

The risk: Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. If the primary latch is inadvertently released again and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an Owners Manual addendum card with instructions on how to lubricate and maintain the secondary hood latch mechanism, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: Recall 16V-029 remains open for any unremedied 2013-2015 Altimas and this recall applies to all vehicles covered by 16V-029 even if those repairs have already been performed.

Recalls for this model and year. Not every car of the model is affected: check the exact car with its VIN.

What owners say goes wrong

Problems real owners reported to the US government (NHTSA). A high count on a popular car is normal; look at which part comes up most.

Getting owner reports from the US database… this one takes a few seconds.

Crash test ratings

2016 Nissan Altima 4 DR FWD · US government 5-star ratings

Overall	★★★★★
Front crash	★★★★★
Side crash	★★★★★
Rollover	★★★★☆ 10% risk in a single-vehicle crash

Front crash test · NHTSA
Side crash test · NHTSA
Side pole test · NHTSA

What it costs to run in Ghana

US EPA fuel figures for the Auto (AV-S7), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, at this window's Ghana pump price.

Fuel at 40 km a day

GH₵1,980 a month

Town driving10.7 L/100 km
Mixed driving9 L/100 km
Litres a month128
Petrol price (1 Nov 2026)GH₵15.39/L

Uses the NPA price floor; pump prices are at or a little above it. Accra traffic and air conditioning use more than the US test, so treat this as the least you will spend.

What a Nissan Altima 2016 sells for in Ghana

Live listings on Jiji right now.

Asking Jiji…

Found a Nissan Altima 2016 to buy?

Check that exact car: the VIN shows whether the ad tells the truth, and which recalls apply to it.

Questions people ask

Does the Nissan Altima 2016 have recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 US safety recalls for the Nissan Altima 2016, including an air bag recall. Cars imported to Ghana rarely had the free US repair done, so ask for proof or have a dealer check.

How much fuel does a Nissan Altima 2016 use in Ghana?

About 10.7 litres per 100 km in town (US EPA figure). At 40 km a day that is about 128 litres a month, roughly GH₵1,980 at the 1 Nov 2026 petrol price.

Can a Nissan Altima 2016 still be imported into Ghana?

Yes for now: Ghana bars used vehicles 15 years and older from 1 October 2026, so a 2016 car can be imported until about 2030. It needs a pre-shipment Certificate of Conformity.

Sources: US NHTSA and EPA public data, Ghana NPA fuel prices, Ghana Standards Authority import notice (14 August 2026). Figures are for US-market versions of this model.