2013 Nissan Altima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 2,312 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 26 Altima model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 63 involved a crash and 9 involved a fire. 48 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Latches/locks/linkages, hood, latchMay 28, 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.
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.
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.
Campaign 20V315000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationDec 19, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014, to August 12, 2016, and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured June 4, 2015, to August 19, 2015. An incorrect Occupant Classification System (OCS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have been installed in the front passenger seat. The incorrect ECU and seat combination may misclassify the front passenger seat occupant.
If the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECU and update the OCS software free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 16V911000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationApr 26, 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.
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.
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.
Campaign 16V244000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, hood, latchJan 22, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 6, 2012, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
These vehicles were previously included in recalls 14V-565 and 15V-116, however the previous remedy plan may not have been performed consistently to remove the safety risk. To correct this issue, Nissan will re-notify all affected owners and dealers will replace the hood latch with a new one, free of charge. The recall began on February 17, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 14V-565 and 15V-116.
Campaign 16V029000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalOct 20, 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 15V681000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasolineAug 4, 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified the agency on July 31, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2016 Nissan Maxima vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to August 18, 2015. On October 14, 2015, Nissan expanded the recall to cover an additional 41,388 vehicles, including certain model year 2013-2015 Altima 3.5 vehicles equipped with a V6 engine manufactured March 30, 2012, to August 18, 2015 as well as the vehicles covered by the July 31, 2015 notification. In the affected vehicles, due to an improperly installed o-ring that may not have been seated correctly at the time of assembly, fuel may leak during a crash from the area where the fuel sending unit attaches to the fuel tank.
If fuel leaks from between the fuel sending unit and the tank, it may increase the risk of a fire in the event of a crash.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer ring between the fuel tank and the fuel sending unit. The recall began on September 28, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 15V486000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, hood, latchFeb 27, 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 1, 2013, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will be instructed to modify the bend angle of the hood actuation lever to eliminate potential interference with the hood inner panel. In addition, dealers will clean and lubricate the latch joint as needed. If significant corrosion is observed, the latch assembly will be replaced. This repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 14V-565.
Campaign 15V116000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, hood, latchSep 15, 2014
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 6, 2012, to February 28, 2013. In the affected vehicles, interference between the hood inner panel and the secondary latch lever, in combination with debris and corrosion, may cause the secondary hood latch to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will be instructed to modify the bend angle of the hood actuation lever to eliminate potential interference with the hood inner panel. In addition, dealers will clean and lubricate the latch joint as needed. If significant corrosion is observed, the latch assembly will be replaced. This repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 20, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 14V565000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, softwareMar 25, 2014
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 14V138000 on NHTSA.gov
Tires, temporary/emergency spare tireApr 24, 2013
Nissan North America is recalling certain model year 2013 Altima vehicles manufactured March 21, 2012, through March 26, 2013. The spare tires may have been significantly over- or under-inflated.
Tires that are significantly over- or under-inflated may fail without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and adjust the spare tire pressure, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 29, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 13V158000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsMar 1, 2013
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, Sentra, and Infiniti JX35 vehicles. Sensors within the passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) may have been manufactured out of specification. This may cause the system to malfunction and permanently suppress the passenger airbag.
If the vehicle is involved in a crash necessitating airbag deployment and the passenger airbag is suppressed, there may be an increased risk of personal injury.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ODS sensors and replace them as neccessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 13V069000 on NHTSA.gov
SteeringOct 10, 2012
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Altima vehicles manufactured from May 10, 2012, through July 26, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with transverse link bolts and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to proper specification.
The affected bolts could become loose and fall out which may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the bolts to the proper torque specifications. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2012. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 12V494000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
2,312 reports, newest first.
Exterior lighting, Apr 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact received notification of Voluntary Service Campaign: PC861 (Front Combination Lamps (Headlamps) – Halogen Only). The contact stated that the front headlamps failed to illuminate. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the Voluntary Service Campaign had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the Voluntary Service Campaign had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000. The contact stated that there isn't a failure mileage. While waiting for the parts to become available, the contact had become ill and had missed the deadline for the recall repairs. However, the contact claims that she was never notified that the parts were available or to come in for repairs. The contact is currently waiting for the manufacturer's recall department to approve the repairs past the deadline.
Other or unspecified, Mar 22, 2023
The CVT was making noise and vibrated. We did some research on line and read that the 2013 Nissan Sentra already had a transmission recall and many reported safety incidents. We saw many complaints for the 2013 Altima transmission but no recalls. The dealer said the transmission must be replaced but we would have to pay for it and they would contact us if a recall was announced. There was a recall for the CVT software and the owner notification states that that this issue could lead ro accelerated wear and damage to the CVT. I would think that they would then need to cover a failed transmission.
Electrical system, Mar 22, 2023
The headlights on low beam do not put out enough light to see what is in front of the car and I still have them. It is unsafe to drive a care with inadequate low beam lighting. Yes, dealer confirmed it but said 4/25/2022 was the last date to report the problem to have it replaced as part of the settlement. The dealerships are well aware of this problem. No warning, the lights just gradually got dimmer over time.
Suspension, Mar 21, 2023
While driving on the highway the car started to lose control. Car shop said control link on driver side broke and the one on the passenger side was cracked and they replace both. I took the old parts e Incident (0)to the dealership they said it was a recall.
Air bags, Mar 20, 2023
My 2013 Nissan Altima had a malfunctioning air bag which "could or could not" deploy correctly, and at any time. I had to pay $2800.00 for replacement of this serious safety issue, and Nissan will not reimburse me. This air bag had simply stopped operating correctly, it had never been deployed. At the time of replacement the car had 86,000. I had no choice about replacing it unless I wanted my passenger to be at a serious safety risk.
Suspension, Mar 19, 2023
While driving my 2013 Nissan Altima on the highway I heard a real loud bang so I got off the nearest exit to check out the car. Upon looking under the rear passenger side of the car I noticed that the lower control arm broke off. I was able to get the car home, but cannot drive it. Doing a little research, I found this is common on 2013-2019 Altima models. I feel this is a major safety concern and should be looked into further.
Power train, Mar 8, 2023
While driving the vehicle the car shut off while driving on the Highway in traffic.When the vehicle came to a complete stop after thankfully not being in a collision the vehicle would start but wouldn't go into drive.It was later Determined that the Transmission suffered a catastrophic failure for the second time.The Transmission has less than 17K on it and the first Transmission failed at 41K Nissan should be held accountable for producing a Transmission that can cause a catastrophic accident due to a complete Mechanical failure on a piece of equipment that Nissan Produced. Nissan and the government agencies are aware of the issues with these vehicles and failures to take action.Shame on Both.
Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Mar 6, 2023
My car will not got out of gear without pressing the shift lock release button.
Suspension, Mar 2, 2023
With only 99 k miles my lower rear control arm broke while I was driving the vehicle and the rear tire began flopping around. Had I been driving faster at the time it's possible that my spouse and I could have died in an accident or have be extremely injured. Dealer lied and said that there was a recall and that I should have received a letter in the mail. I never received a letter. And it looks like there is only a service campaign for the issue.
Air bags, Feb 25, 2023
Driver air bag light remains on. Passenger air bag was supposedly fixed per recall years ago, but now the driver air bag seems to be faulty. Car has not been in an accident. Attempts by dealer and other mechanics to reset the light have failed, indicating there is a problem. Nissan refuses to remediate and says that it is the owner's responsibility. Dealer has said that Nissan does not know what the problem is and even if airbag is replaced for a tune of $3K they do not guarantee that the problem will be fixed! There is no option for us and this is extremely unsafe.
Air bags, Feb 8, 2023
Air bag sensors continue to come on even after repairs and reprogramming have been completed multiple times. Sensors do not recognize occupants thus causing a safety issue should there be a collision. Complaint was filed with Nissan Consumer Affairs and Nissan refuses to remediate even though recall was issued on this same issue several years ago. Nissan states outside of normal warranty. Nissan expects remediation costs ($800.00 plus) to be covered by consumer. I believe the sensor and airbag system is still faulty and was not properly remediated during the initial recall.
Power train, Feb 7, 2023
My 2013 Nissan Altima only has 121,000 miles and is only driven 1 time per week all highway miles. This week my car broke down in the middle of several intersections....very dangerous! I was almost hit several times because my car would just die when trying to take off. I never had any warning or warning lights appear. I was told by Nissan dealership I had transmission failure related to the CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). I now need a new transmission which costs $5,000.00. This is an ongoing issue with Nissan and CVT Transmissions. I would like to see Nissan make it right for their consumers that purchased their 2013 Nissan Altima and other models/years only to have the transmission fail due to faulty CVT transmissions that Nissan is aware of and will not take responsibility for or do anything to help. Year after year they continue to use the same faulty CVT transmission. They have extended the original warranty of 5 years/60,000 to 10 years/120,000 for 2003-2010 Nissan models with the CVT transmission due to this problem yet refuse to help the consumers of newer Nissan models. This is not right and it is not fair. They have deceived their consumers by having the knowledge of the CVT transmission failures yet still continue to use them.
Suspension, Feb 3, 2023
- The passenger rear lower suspension link became corrode and separated at the bushing joint area. The car is available for inspection. - Loss of control as the back of the car started moving from side to side and off the side of the road. - Nissan opened a case# [XXX] and noted that my car is not covered by issued service bulletin (P9324) and recommends that I get it repaired. - This happen without warning, I feel lucky that nobody was seriously hurt. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Suspension, Jan 26, 2023
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Rear subframe is rusted out and has holes in it. Yes it is avaialble for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Loss of control and not safe to drive with a broken rear subframe. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Gandrud Nissan in Green Bay, WI has inspected it. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No symptoms prior to the failure and then top of driver side rear tire pointing inward to the car. This seems to be a common issue from others with the same 2013 Nissan Altima in areas with road salt usage. The vehicle is 9 years old and has 106,800 miles on it. Rest of the car appears rust free and solid. I am the original owner of the vehicle and it gets washed regularly. I will be getting additional pictures from Gandrud Nissan, as now I only have the 1 picture which is not ideal. Gandrud should have the car repaired before February 3, 2023.
Exterior lighting, Jan 22, 2023
Nissan is not supplying headlight assemblies to dealers in a timely manner (settlement of class action lawsuit for dimming headlights) yet is selling them as OEM online. I have been waiting 10 months or more for them to come into my dealer. The only response is that the supply chain is the problem. These headlights have been gradually been dimming for years due to the deterioration of a coating inside the projection beam lens. A class action lawsuit settlement has Nissan obligated to replace the complete assembly if one registered with the the class last March - September. This is on going issue and a safety issue. The lights are too dim and do not light up the road adequately. I had a close call with wildlife (deer) because you cannot see well.
Exterior lighting, Jan 19, 2023
Nissan is not supplying headlight assemblies to dealers in a timely manner (settlement of class action lawsuit for dimming headlights) yet is selling them as OEM online. I have been waiting 8 months for them to come into my dealer. The only response is that the supply chain is the problem. These headlights have been gradually been dimming for years due to the deterioration of a coating inside the projection beam lens. A class action lawsuit settlement has Nissan obligated to replace the complete assembly if one registered with the the classs last March - September.
Air bags, Jan 18, 2023
This vehicle has never been in an accident and the driver air bag light came on. Per dealer it was the air bag modular and the who driver seat. Needed to be replaced. I called Nissan and they wouldn’t cover the replacement, because this part is only covered up to 50,000 miles. I’m very concerned and disappointed this is a safety hazard and should have been covered we are talking about air bag which saves lives. While in the dealership getting my car repaired another customer came in with the same issue. Can you please investigate Nissan before the faulty air bag modular they are placing on their cars? I can see the part going out on vehicles involved in accidents , it doesn’t make sense on non-accident vehicles.
Power train, Engine, Jan 18, 2023
doing 55 or 60 the car goes into limp mode and wont let me go more then 35 to 45 at times its a safety hazard as cars almost ran right into the back of my car if nissan dont fix the issue i will hire a lawyer and sue nissan its not worth losing my life or the life of others in my car GET THIS ISSUE TAKEN CARE OF NOW....i have called nissan in mansfield about this issue 3 different times ive emailed nissan and still to this day they have not reached out to me
Exterior lighting, Latches/locks/linkages, Jan 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the hood inadvertently opened. The contact lost control of the vehicle but was able to pull over, close the hood, and continued driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. Additionally, while driving, the headlights failed to produce adequate lighting. The contact used the high beam headlights while driving. The contact stated that it was difficult to see people and objects on the roadway. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V315000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Power train, Dec 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, he heard abnormally loud sounds coming from the transmission. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road, turned off, and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle responded as needed and the contact continued driving. However, the contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
Exterior lighting, Nov 29, 2022
Low beam headlights too dim to be usable at night. Service center confirmed it is a known delamination issue of the reflective coating, for which a class action lawsuit was previously filed and settled. Have been waiting for over 6 months for the "back ordered" parts to come in so it can be fixed.
Exterior lighting, Nov 16, 2022
The Low Beam headlight do not project properly. The problem is delamination of the headlight assembly. See "Suarez vs. Nissan North America Inc. Nissan will not replace the headlights in a timely manner. A claim was filed on 1/31/22. Assemblies must be replaced by 9/23/22. Nissan is delaying the repair because of "supply Chain Issues". Numerous owners haven't had the replacement occur by the due date. This makes the car difficult to operate, requiring the use of the high beams at all times. This is a safety issue, and should be a recall to protect all drivers.
Exterior lighting, Nov 16, 2022
The low beam exterior lights are simply totally ineffective and provide little illumination at night. This is an ongoing issue and has yet to be corrected by Nissan. Car is not able to be driven safely at night.
Suspension, Nov 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while his son was driving at 35 MPH, he noticed that the rear passenger's side tire was not rolling smoothly. The contact stated that upon arriving at his destination and parking the vehicle, his son noticed that the rear passenger's side tire was pushed in. The contact's son was able to drive the vehicle to his residence. The contact stated upon inspecting the subframe, he noticed that the subframe was severely corroded and an unknown part had detached. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rear passenger's side lower control arm assembly was fractured due to severe corrosion and the rear driver's side lower control arm was severely corroded. The independent mechanic replaced the rear passenger's side lower control arm. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under Nissan Technical Service Bulletin Number: P9324 as the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 119,393. The contact stated that they also had the driver side rear suspension control arm repaired. A request to Nissan for a reimbursement of both repairs was requested.
Power train, Nov 4, 2022
CVT Failure yes it is available for inspection at this time. I was driving down Massachusetts Route 114 and slowed as approaching a traffic light the car shook and sputtered and shut off and could not get it to move as cars behind me were speeding up behind me the car would start again but shut off when placed in gear could not move from the middle of the road. Yes my safety and the people speeding up behind me were at risk. The dealer has confirmed that the CVT transmission has failed this is a known Nissan problem. No warning until the time it happened the engine light came on as it died. Nissan should be required to recall this known part failure instead of placing lives in danger.