Per Vehicle, By Model Year

Nissan Altima Strut Replacement Cost by Year (2007 to 2026)

A front pair of Altima struts installed at an independent shop typically runs $380 to $680 on a recent (2019 and newer) Altima in 2026. A Nissan dealership runs $680 to $900 for the same pair, plus the $85 to $115 four-wheel alignment Nissan specifies. For older Altimas, RepairPal's national estimate is $759 to $890 for a 2008 and $924 to $1,055 for a 2013. Altima rear suspension uses shock absorbers, so the typical strut job is a front pair only.

Why the Altima sits where it does on cost

The 2019 onward Altima rides on the Nissan L34 platform with MacPherson front struts and a multilink rear with shock absorbers (FWD) or struts (AWD trims, 2020 onward). The OEM front strut is a Showa twin-tube unit, the same supplier behind the Civic and Accord. Showa's Altima-specific tune is slightly softer than the Camry, which gives the Altima a smoother urban ride but contributes to a shorter typical service life of 85,000 to 125,000 miles versus the Camry's 90,000 to 140,000.

Compared to the Camry and Accord at the same parts-and-labor tier, the Altima typically lands $20 to $40 below the Camry and within $0 to $20 of the Accord on front-pair installed cost. That places the Altima in the cheaper third of the mid-size sedan market for strut work, which matches Nissan's broader positioning as a value-priced alternative to the Toyota and Honda flagships in this segment.

The aftermarket is well covered for the Altima. Monroe sells the Altima front strut as a Quick-Strut complete assembly, pre-loaded with spring and mount so no spring compressor is needed, and KYB covers the same applications under its Excel-G line. A complete front assembly typically runs $120 to $180 per side, with budget brands lower; mechanic recommendations consistently favour Monroe or KYB on a car owners plan to keep past 130,000 miles.

Altima cost by year and trim

Recent-generation ranges reflect typical aftermarket retail at AutoZone, O'Reilly, Advance Auto Parts, and Rock Auto. Independent labor at $105 to $145 per hour, dealer labor at $135 to $175. For verified national figures on older Altimas, see the RepairPal table below.

Cost by older Altima generation (2007 to 2024)

Most Altima strut searches are for older cars, and those are usually cheaper to source parts for than the latest models because Monroe Quick-Strut and KYB Excel-G complete assemblies are widely stocked for every generation back to the mid-2000s. The figures below are RepairPal national estimates for a suspension shock or strut replacement (parts and labor); an independent shop doing a front pair only typically comes in below these.

RepairPal estimates: 2008 Altima $759 to $890 (L32 generation); 2013 Altima $924 to $1,055 (L33); 2019 Altima $1,194 to $1,422 (L34). The all-Altima national average is $939 to $1,105. Figures include parts and labor and exclude tax.

VC-Turbo and AWD specifics

The VC-Turbo (Variable Compression turbocharged 2.0L) trim ships with a front strut tuned for the heavier engine and revised front weight distribution, so it is a different application from the 2.5L naturally aspirated equivalent and lists higher at the Nissan parts counter. KYB and Monroe both cover the VC-Turbo application in the aftermarket at broadly the same per-side cost as the 2.5L trim.

AWD Altimas (2020 onward, on SR and SV trims) use the same front strut as the FWD trims. The AWD difference is at the rear: the rear suspension uses shock absorbers, not struts, on both layouts, so a rear damper job costs about the same between configurations. Rear shock R and R adds roughly half an hour per side to the labor versus the front struts.

Altima versus mid-size sedan rivals

Common Altima strut failure modes

The most common Altima strut complaint is a top-end knock between 85,000 and 110,000 miles, almost always traced to the upper strut mount bearing. Mechanics in the cohort report the bearing failure rate is slightly higher than on the Camry, possibly because Nissan uses a thinner upper mount on the L34 to save weight. The Monroe Quick-Strut and KYB Excel-G assemblies both include a new bearing, so this is rarely a bearing-only repair.

A second common pattern: front strut shaft seal weep between 95,000 and 125,000 miles. The Showa twin-tube design on the Altima develops weep slightly earlier than the equivalent unit on the Civic, likely due to the heavier vehicle weight loading the seal. A wet, oily strut body is the unmistakable signal.

Third, owners report premature upper strut mount bushing wear on some early L34 Altimas. NHTSA records no formal recall for this, so it is an out-of-pocket repair for most owners; check the NHTSA database for your specific VIN before assuming any coverage.

Labor time on the Altima

Nissan's published service information lists front strut R and R at 1.0 hour per side or 1.7 for the pair on the 2019 to 2024 Altima. Quick-Strut assemblies cut about 35 minutes per side compared to bare strut work. Chain shops typically bill at the high end of the published time; independent shops often book it at 1.5 to 1.7 hours for the pair.

RepairPal's Altima suspension strut estimator shows a national range of $939 to $1,105 including parts and labor (labor $356 to $522, parts around $583). That reflects a fuller shop estimate; an independent shop doing just a front pair commonly comes in lower because there is less labor and the alignment is paid once.

Alignment requirement

Nissan specifies a four-wheel alignment after any Altima strut R and R. The factory spec is camber minus 0.5 plus or minus 0.5 degrees and toe at plus 0.05 plus or minus 0.1 degree. Four-wheel alignment at an independent shop runs $85 to $115 in 2026, or $115 to $155 at a Nissan dealer.

The 2019 and newer Altima offers ProPILOT Assist on SV trim and above. After any suspension geometry change, ProPILOT requires the forward camera and radar to be recalibrated. Most Nissan dealers charge $150 to $300 for this; well-equipped independent shops with the Nissan CONSULT-III scan tool can do it for $100 to $200. Lower trims without ProPILOT skip this step.

DIY strategy

A DIY front-pair Altima strut job using Monroe Quick-Strut or KYB Excel-G complete assemblies takes 3 to 4 hours in the driveway for a competent home mechanic. The Altima strut tower is reasonably accessible after removing the wiper cowl. Total parts cost is $280 to $385 for the pair plus $35 to $55 for an alignment shop visit afterward. That is a $250 to $450 savings versus an independent shop and a $400 to $600 savings versus the Nissan dealer.

The realistic risk is the lower strut bolt on rust-belt Altimas. Salt-state Altimas (Buffalo, Cleveland, Boston, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Minneapolis) often need penetrating oil overnight plus a long breaker bar and possibly a propane torch to release the lower bolt. If a bolt shears, the extraction job wipes out the labor savings. See the DIY versus mechanic page for the full tool list.

Frequently asked questions

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