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.
Steering, Jun 1, 2022
My Nissan's right passenger side lower rearward control arm broke as I was driving and I lost control of the car and steered to the side of the road. I was lucky no car was near me or it would have been tragic. Nissan should be forced to recall all the cars with this faulty part before life is lost.
Exterior lighting, May 31, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the headlights were significantly dim, affecting the driver’s visibility of the roadway. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that sometimes she drove with the high beams activated to make the roadway more visible, even though it was distracting to oncoming drivers. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed that the headlights needed to be replaced under Nissan Lawsuit Settlement Service Campaign Number: PC861. However, the dealer informed the contact that the parts for repair were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Exterior lighting, May 28, 2022
The headlights Are Defective. You can Not see the road at night at all! I Have a Claim with the Suarez Vs Nissan Lawsuit Settlement, which was approved by final order of the Courts. Nissan was ordered to replace the 2 Defective Headlamp Assembly. Nissan Refuses to comply with the Order of the Court! Nissan is breaking the Law! Help! Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Suspension, May 19, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle was vibrating. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the control arms and rear suspension needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000.
Other or unspecified, May 19, 2022
2013 Altima 3.5 SL. the passenger door handle popped and wont open from the inside, you have to roll the window down and open it from the outside, if you cant get out of your car in an emergency it is a life or death situation.
Latches/locks/linkages, May 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while merging onto the freeway at approximately 35 MPH, the hood latch became inoperable, and the hood inadvertently unlatched, raised up, and struck the windshield, causing the windshield to shatter. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with a defective hood latch. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V315000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Power train, May 16, 2022
I key system error. Engine control module malfunction. Car loses power when accelerating, not safe when driving on road. Car will not start up at times.
Suspension, May 16, 2022
My 2013 Altima rear control arm broke as my daughter pulled into our driveway. Nissan dealership says my VIN does not have a recall on this part. Very very dangerous
Exterior lighting, Apr 25, 2022
NO INCIDENT...AVOIDING USING CAR AT NIGHT...HEADLIGHTS DANGEROUS...YOUNG GRANDDAUGHTER WITH GOOD EYESIGHT HAS COMPLAINED ALSO OF POOR HEADLIGHT NIGHT DRIVING...THIS DEFINITELY IS A SAFETY ISSUE...MANY DRIVERS WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO REPAIR WILL BE DRIVING WITH POOR LIGHTING
Power train, Apr 25, 2022
I was driving on a road that is 40 mph. I was getting close to a stop light that had been red and cars had not moved yet once the light turned greened. I started pressing my brake to slow down and my cars emergency brake came on by itself and I got stuck in the middle of the road. My cars brake light and battery light came ln and the car was stuck- could not change gears or drive . I had to turn the car on and off five or six times in order for it to finally I brake itself and let me drive very slowly. Got the car checked by two auto shops, one was Nissan and the other David’s Auto repair Service . David’s said code P17F1 and I would need a new transmission. Nissan said it was my battery , got my battery changed and the car kept doing the same thing , got inspected again by Nissan and they also got the same code and said I would need a new transmission. My car only has 107k miles - no other issues prior to this. I cannot drive my car now because it judders and brakes itself and it’s dangerous to drive
Exterior lighting, Apr 19, 2022
2013-2018 Nissan Altimas manufactured with halogen headlamps (“Class Vehicles”) have a defect that causes an interior reflecting surface of the headlamp to deteriorate, resulting in dimming of the low beam headlights. Took mine to Nissan of Lumberton and they said it passed there test they come up with. Still can’t see about 10ft in front of you and less than that when foggy or raining. Can’t drive with high beams on everywhere.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 16, 2022
We have a 2013 Nissan Altima that we haven't driven at night for over 4 years. There was a lawsuit over headlamp issue and plaintiffs won. So we filed our claim in Jan when we received postcard. We rec'd a ticket # and took it to our Nissan dealer after the April 1st, when allowed. They replaced the 2 recalls under our vin # but concluded our lights are fine. THEY ARE NOT! We can't see 2 feet in front of us at night. To prove this we drove it yesterday to our Good Friday Service at our church. We almost crashed. You can't see the lines on the road in front of you! We had to drive with our brights on and blind everybody. That's the ONLY way to drive it at night. I see on Nissan's webpage that there is a headlight recall dated 3/24/22 PC861 but you don't have a safety ID#. I figured that's why Nissan didn't honor that recall. I joined the Niisan club and there are MANY people that also were denied as headlights fine according to their "new bulletin" Nissan sent to all dealerships after the lawsuit was settled. Seems they are not honoring to replace the headlamps even though we can't see or drive our cars at night. I'm at a loss why your agency hasn't given this a safety issue. I don't know what to do. My husband was so angry to learn the dealership deemed our lights fine he started screaming at the management. They even ADMITTED our lights our dim but according to Nissan's co. Bulletin they don't meet the replacement standards. I guess we just wait to crash at night before it causes you to assign a safety ID #. I know we can't be the only ones complaining of being rejected. The Nissan dealership is on RT 19 in Wexford, PA.
Exterior lighting, Apr 14, 2022
The low-beam headlights on this Nissan Altima are so dim that it is dangerous to operate the vehicle at night. I have to use high-beams at all times. The reason is the coating inside the assembly de-laminated. This was litigated against Nissan in a class action suit, Suarez v. Nissan. The suit was settled earlier this year. As part of the settlement, I filed a claim and was authorized to take the car to my local Nissan dealer for replacement (Tacoma, WA). The dealer told me they would need to verify the lights were indeed too dim before replacing the assembly. After testing them, they claimed the lights passed and would not need replacement. This is an incredulous conclusion and I can only conclude they are willingly trying to avoid replacement, as there is no way these lights can be considered safe. Do we have any recourse? Is there an independent way to test the headlights to prove they are unsafe? Can someone at NTSB talk to Nissan? Is this even a condition of replacement, that the lights have to fail a test administered by Nissan itself? That seems entirely inappropriate. Thanks for any help you can provide, I can't be the only one going through this.
Power train, Apr 12, 2022
CVT- erratic shifting, shuddering .The same well known problems that Nissan knows about.
Steering, Suspension, Apr 6, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle jerked to the right with the traction control warning light illuminated. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the rear passenger’s side tire was tilted in. Due to the failure, the contact called a tow truck and it was discovered that the rear control arm had corroded. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who linked the failure NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V494000 (Steering, Suspension) and referred her to the dealer for assistance. The contact called the dealer and was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and a case was filed. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.
Exterior lighting, Apr 1, 2022
The headlight assembly is defective and gets very dim. Replacing the bulb does not fix the issue. Lights are so dim it is not drivable at night.
Suspension, Mar 30, 2022
Daughter was driving car, severe shake so she pulled over on the side of the road and called me. I got the car home and noticed the rear driver side wheel was misaligned and had a 45degree lean. I jacked the car up and noticed a rusted broken lower control arm. I began to research this part and noticed nissan had a recall for this on all 2013 model. Nissan P9324, you can see my control arm broke in the exact area as the recall control arms. I contacted Bussam nissan in my area and they stated that yes there was a recall for this year but they are not sure why it is not attached to my vin. My daughter couldve really been seriously injured and the car is not safe. I am only asking nissan to replace the proven defective part. I own a 2005 and 2007 altima and have never had this issue, 2013 is too new of a car for broken control arms. I have attached photos and the service bulletin
Exterior lighting, Mar 26, 2022
Nissan Altima 2013 extremely dim low light bean, specifically poor intensity of brightness and distance throw of light. Extremely dangerous to operate vehicle at night. Endangering occupants, other drivers, and pedestrians. I changed light bulbs twice using the brightest bulbs available. But noticeable improvement. Almost caused several collisions and pedestrian strikes on dark roads and street, especially in rain. Problem developed in 2016, about three years after purchase in 2013. Immediate recall is critical, replace headlamps before fatalities.
Exterior lighting, Mar 24, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed that the headlights were going dim. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Suspension, Mar 23, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, he heard an abnormally loud knocking sound coming from the rear passenger’s side brakes. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed that the rear control arms and the bolts attached to the frame need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 165,000. Consumer wanted to include a link to Nissan’s website where they say this is an issue but only in Canada due to high volume of salt being used. Wisconsin which is a state they say uses a high volume of salt.
Power train, Mar 21, 2022
While driving, the vehicle began to make a loud noise followed by shuddering. It was taken to the dealership and a code was returned that indicated a transmission failure. This same CVT Transmission was replaced in August 2017 and has been driven only 23,000 more. While Nissan is aware that their transmissions are defective, they offer no assistance outside of the limited warrant that only lasts 3 years. No warning light appeared.
Suspension, Mar 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle began to drive rough; the contact felt that the steering wheel was disconnected from the front wheels whenever the vehicle would drive over slight bump in the road. The contact stated that the Traction and Stability warning lights were illuminated. The contact drove to her destination and observed that driver’s side rear tire appeared to have separated from the rim. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the driver’s side rear control arm had fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Other or unspecified, Mar 17, 2022
My automatic vehicle is stuck in park- either the shift lock solenoid component or the actual assembly and/ore electric that activates the ability to move out of park is defective. If you use a tool and manually override shift lock you can move out of gear. There are thousands of complaints and videos online about this same issue. The fix is anywhere from 500 to 1k at a repair shop. This is an extremely dangerous condition as there is no way to ever quickly get out of the way - of anything- if your vehicle is in park.
Power train, Mar 16, 2022
Transmission shifter would not come out of park have put new transmission fluid in this car twice in 112,000 miles Had to replace whole shifter assembly 1300.00 been warned this CVS TRANSMISSION DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED EVERYONE INCLUDING DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS TRANSMISSION IS NO GOOD AND NEED TO CHANGE FLUID AND FLUSH EVERY 30,000 miles now … 300.00 to do it !!!! I’ve owned 3 Nissans never had anything like this
Air bags, Mar 11, 2022
Update from previous complaint. On 1/24/22 I took the car for passenger air bag malfunction/OCS malfunction, the problem when there is a passenger on the car or not the passenger air bag light stays off and seatbelt light was on all the time. I brought the customer initiative related to NHTSA RECALL 16V-244 letter to the nearest dealership Nissan Duarte and they only performed zero reset calibration and it did the job for about 4 weeks and now the air bag light turns on and off intermittently. I tried to have a passenger on the car and turned the car on, the air bag light turns off, when I restart the car with just me in the car, the air bag light stays on, I was able to replicate this problem over and over. Safety is definitely at risk for everyone in the car, as the air bag system is malfunctioning. I tried contacting customer service to honor their customer initiative related to NHTSA RECALL 16V-244 and have them perform service bulletin NTB17-006 OCS system retrofit to no avail. I tried contacting Sarah Jay at 615-725-7585 Nissan specialist waiting her reply. Please investigate car is approximately 67000 miles.