2009 Nissan Altima vs 2009 Toyota Prius
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2009 Nissan Altima | 2009 Toyota Prius |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,547 | 502 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 6 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 117 | 225 |
| Investigations | 0 | 2 |
| Crash reports | 36 | 64 |
| Fire reports | 8 | 4 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 21–34 | 46 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 80,000 mi | 40,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Nissan Altima | Toyota Prius |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 859 | 13 |
| Electrical System | 466 | 60 |
| Engine | 107 | 19 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 49 | 71 |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 111 |
| Power Train | 95 | 22 |
| Structure | 90 | 19 |
| Air Bags | 91 | 17 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Steering problems | 483 | 0 |
| Won’t start | 229 | 0 |
| Stalling | 58 | 13 |
| Airbag warning light | 34 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 16 | 5 |
| Check engine light | 13 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 11 | 26 |
| Vibration / shaking | 10 | 0 |
2009 Nissan Altima
2009 Toyota Prius
Compare all Nissan Altima vs Toyota Prius years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.