NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Nissan Altima. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
The contact's brother owned a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while her brother was driving at an undisclosed speed from a stop sign, another vehicle in the left lane crashed into the contact's brother's front driver's side. The air bags did not deploy. No warning light was illuminated. The contact's brother received medical attention for a concussion and had back and neck pain. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and was not yet deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
The vehicle is a Nissan Altima experiencing a low-beam headlight failure. The headlights have become extremely dim and no longer provide adequate illumination of the roadway at night. Visibility is severely reduced, making it difficult to see lane markings, pedestrians, and obstacles ahead. The vehicle and headlight assemblies are available for inspection upon request. This condition creates a serious safety risk because nighttime driving visibility is significantly compromised. The headlights are so dim that safe operation of the vehicle after dark is difficult, increasing the risk of a crash involving pedestrians, other vehicles, or road hazards. The vehicle was inspected by a Nissan dealership, which confirmed the headlight problem. However, the dealer has refused to repair the issue under the applicable safety recall due to a missed deadline (March 2022). We first became aware of the recall in March 2023 and have been attempting to resolve the issue since that time. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership but has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. There were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or other alerts indicating a headlight system problem prior to the failure. The primary symptom has been the gradual dimming of the low-beam headlights over time until they became too dim to safely illuminate the road.
Right side rear lower control arm failed while driving due to excessive corrosion. I nearly lost control of the vehicle as the right rear wheel is no longer properly aligned. If this had happened on the highway it could have killed us. Dealer service dept, Nissan service campaign department and nissan consumer affairs department all insisted my VIN does not qualify for repairs detailed under nhtsa reference P9324 and all refused to look up the reference number. The bulletin seems clear that Nissan has responsibility to address my issue.
The car feels unbalanced and shifting is bad
My 2013 Nissan Altima SV is subject to NHTSA safety recall 16V-244 for a defective hood latch that can corrode, bind, or fail. I brought my vehicle to a Nissan dealership to have the recall performed. The dealership refused to complete the recall repair and attempted to charge me, stating they could not access the hood because the hood release cable is broken. The hood release cable failed as a result of the defective hood latch binding, which is the subject of the recall. Because the recall defect prevents normal hood operation, the dealer claims the recall cannot be performed unless I pay for repairs. Nissan Consumer Affairs and a regional specialist are relying solely on the dealership’s statement and have declined to authorize recall-related repair, effectively leaving the safety recall unremedied. This is a safety recall, and I believe Nissan is failing to provide the required no-cost remedy and is refusing to perform the recall due to a condition caused by the recalled part.
Passenger airbag light on. I don’t even drive the car much. Out of no where it turned in.
Shifter Lock does not release when brake is pressed. Unable to shift out of Park. Need to manually press the shift relesae override to shift.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the RPM became elevated, and the vehicle started accelerating unintendedly. The contact immediately depressed the brake pedal and entered a parking lot where the vehicle lost automotive power, and the engine shut off. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 52,073.
Tire Pressure light is on but no issues with air pressure.
Rear suspension links rusted out. Repair place says there is a lot of rust issues that will take a lot of work to fix. Excessive rust seems to be issues with Nissan.
Heard a loud pop noise from the rear of the car while backing up, steering was unstable while driving. Looked under the car and discover the right rear control arm is broken.
Both of my rear lower control arms on my 2013 Nissan ALTIMA sedan have rusted thru and cracked. It has been reported on Nissan Service Campaign P9324, dated October 25, 2019. Unfortunately, I have been told my VIN is not included in the P9324 campaign. But both of my lower control arms are rusted through and cracked and I do live in New Hampshire, one of the salt states listed in the campaign. My car is at the dealer and I have been told that I cannot drive it anymore until it has been repaired.
Shift sticks in Park position. Intermittent problem happening often.
Front end suspension need replacing confirmed by Nissan Dealership when rear suspension recall was done. Loud noise when in reverse or backing out with or without acceleration, transmission mount defect.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop sign, the vehicle accelerated to approximately 15 MPH and then unexpectedly decelerated. The contact attempted to depress the accelerator; however, the vehicle lost automotive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Fuel System: Car hesitates and cut off after pumping fuel.\n' + 'Outer Tie rods torn rubber, vehicle never been realigned, but tires were worn on both front sides. \n' + 'Takata Air bag light has been on for over 2 years.\n' + 'Transmission over heats. Engine cuts back between 45 and 60 mph on the freeway. So we stop and allow it to cool off.
When I was driving on the road my rear control arm broke. I didn’t realize at first what was actually broken until I looked under the car later on and it looked like my control arm eroded over time and just snapped my wheel was shaking so bad my vertigo started. I do have a recall on the lower suspension link. As well as two other things that are not shown here. ALTIMA HOOD LATCH NTB21-055 ALTIMA LOWER LINK NTB19-082 ALT RGE CVT P0776 NTB16-121
The hood flew open upon entering the freeway. Could not see anymore going 60 mph. Had to pull over and bend the fenders back to close the hood. Afraid this will happen again. The latch was recalled before this happened and the dealer sprayed it and said it was safe to drive which it was not. They said nissan would not cover any repairs that are now needed to the hood and fenders.
Air bag light is on again. This car has had other recalls / complaints for airbags before. Airbags are safety , to protect drivers and passengers. This needs to be addressed.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the dealer had previously repaired the vehicle under Voluntary Service Campaign: P9324 (Rear Lower Link); however, the failure recurred after the repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became loose. The contact experienced a loss of vehicle control, causing the vehicle to sway from left to right. Additionally, there was a knocking sound coming from the rear of the vehicle while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but no cause of failure was found. The vehicle was then taken to several independent mechanics who replaced the U-joint, steering column, calipers, shocks, and rear brakes, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 50-55 MPH, the transmission suddenly failed, and the vehicle started losing power while decelerating. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road from an off-ramp. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.
None
Rear suspension control arm broke while making a turn. Heard a loud snap, couldn't see anything wrong so I proceeded to turn onto the road, heard what sounded like a blowout and felt like the tire was about to come off. After looking it up, I see that this to be common with 2013 so I called Nissan to find out if a recall was ever issued and it has not been which is very concerning. This happened when I was traveling less than 10 mph, pulling away from my home.
Air bag light comes on.
I was mailed a recall for a warning light for the passenger air bag. It covers a time period of 15 years. I had the warning light come on as described in the mailer for the recall that was sent to me ( the original owner of a 2013 Nissan Altima ) and I set up an appointment with the dealership to have it repaired. No sooner did I leave after dropping off the vehicle that the dealership called to inform me that my VIN is not part of the recall even though it is clearly on the mailer. I for the life of me cannot understand how such an important safety issue can be excluded when the exact problem they listed is now occurring.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the hood slightly opened and was flapping. The contact pulled into a gas station. The vehicle was taken back to NTB Tire & Service Center, where the hood was forcefully pushed closed. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V315000 (Latches/Locks/linkages). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 68,420.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed with an air bag wiring failure. The contact was informed that the air bag wiring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
The exterior lighting is extremely dim. It is an issue driving at night. I’ve had to pull over to make sure the lights were actually on. Please, please issue a recall to help prevent possible fatal crashes. I see that there are numerous complaints regarding this issue and it should be addressed as quickly as possible.
The steering wheel locked up and it caused the car to hit a concrete barrier.
The headlights are very dim and it's very hard to see when it's dark outside
Power train gives out when car warms up. I’ve had fluids checked for the power train and Everything was fine. When on high way power train would either jerk tremendously or just give out. It almost caused me to wreck one day ass there was a truck behind me who nearly avoided rear ending me because the car completely slowed down.
Unsafe to drive due to transmission not registering lower gears when at complete stop, takes full minute before gears accelerate. I have unexpectedly stalled in the middle of traffic and was almost rear ended. Going under the legal miles per hour on standard roads causing delays in traffic and potential Fire Risk due to overheating because of transmission issues. Potential harm to myself and others by causing collisions. Big O's in Boise Idaho (208) 996-1306 has confirmed it is unsafe to drive 10/29/2024. appointment with Nissan dealership 10/30/2024 Check engine light has failed to appear. The closure of a class action lawsuit over CVT transmission issues in vehicles like the 2013 Nissan Altima, without a recall, poses significant safety risks. Without a recall, critical transmission problems such as stalling, power loss, or erratic shifting remain unresolved for many drivers. Financial constraints may prevent owners from paying out-of-pocket for expensive repairs, leaving unsafe vehicles on the road. Unlike recalls, which require manufacturers to notify all affected owners and provide free repairs, lawsuits end without ongoing accountability, meaning these safety risks can persist indefinitely. Additionally, future owners, especially in the used car market, may be unaware of the defect, unknowingly operating cars with hidden risks. The lack of consistent resolution means thousands of vehicles with potentially faulty transmissions continue to pose dangers not only to their drivers but also to other road users. A recall would ensure that all affected vehicles are inspected and repaired, but without one, the burden unfairly shifts to owners, compromising road safety on a large scale.
Delamination of headlight units has left low beam use unsafe. Seeing more than 20-25ft ahead of vehicle is impossible at night. There was a class action suit for this issue but I was not notified and now the window for replacement had passed. This seems like it should have been a safety recall. I attempted to get relief from Nissan but was stonewalled. Not even a discount on replacing the units.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the lower control arm frame on the driver's side was completely rusted and had detached from the vehicle. There was no warning illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 188,000. The VIN was not available.
While driving on a highway at 65 mph, the hood of the car completely opened. When attempting to close it, The latch that holds the hood wouldn't hold it at all. There were no warning lights, when I called the dealership they said that because there were no recalls on it currently, they couldn't do anything. The hood completely blinded us and dented the roof and sides of our car.
I was traveling straight and made an abrupt turn. I lost control of my car and struck a pole, then hit a brick building. None of the airbags in my vehicle deployed and I hit my nose on the steering wheel and sustained other injuries.
Upon driving, the Left control arm snapped in two. The car veered to the left but I was able to regain control fortunately. Ten minutes prior I had been on a major highway. Results may have been different in that regard. Firestone Complete Auto Care assessed it and quoted me up to $600.00 for repair. I researched the Control Issue only to discover that this was a common problem on 2013 Nissan Altimas. There were beyond numerous complaints in USA and Canada, and over a quarter million Altimas were repaired for this defect. My mechanic told me that the Right Control Arm had already been repaired prior to myself purchasing the vehicle in 2016, but the Left control Arm was not repaired. Apparently there was simply a "Campaign" regarding this defect and it was never considered a recall. I am wondering if there can be some reimbersement for the $673.51 I paid to get my car fixed. I would appreciate a reply. Thank you.
I have taken the car to 3 mechanics for 4-5 incidents knowing that the mechanics were indeed certified in professionally fixing the issue. I was driving the car and made a proper left turn, yielding to oncoming traffic when suddenly the vehicle was unable to accelerate. The other car was approaching and I pushed on the gas as hard as I could to barely get it to move out of the way, luckily avoid a collision. The car died and will restart and drive another 11 miles, repeating the process. No mechanic has been able to properly identify the cause. Please understand, I could be that "lies" to individuals in order to sell the car, but do I really want to put another person's life at such a faulty incident? Well, I recommend another recall on the issue, regardless of the cost because a little hood latch and a simple light compartment isn't anything like an unknown cause of malfunction stall towards driving in a hectic traffic.
The paint bubbles and chips off. Bad paint job on this vehicle.
The lights are positioned too low to the ground and they are not bright enough. I end up having to keep my high lights on when driving at night because the visibility is very poor otherwise. Dangerous
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated that the wheels were misaligned and had detached. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a detached passenger’s side rear lower control arm due to corrosion. The contact was informed that the passenger’s side rear lower control arm needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact was advised that due to the corrosion, the driver's side rear lower control arm would soon need to be replaced as well. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 124,000.
Sometimes when I'm driving the car starts idling as if I'm going fast that's how it sounds and I'm making a turn and it's sounds like it's accelerated but it won't go as much as I step on the gas it will not go so I got to pull over to the side wait for a little bit turn off the car and let it sit and then I'll go back tomorrow and it's every time this light turns on the dashboard with a car with the swively lines
This car seems to have the same software issue as other altimas but the VIN does not record a recall. When someone is in the passenger seat, there is no dashboard confirmation and we are worried that the airbag might not deploy.
I have contacted 2 dealerships about fixing the recall and nobody will call me back to schedule to fix. All they say is they will talk to the shop manager, and I never hear back. Now the hood is constantly stuck or not opening.
The headlights on my 2013 Nissan Altima SL are dangerously dim. The car was purchased used in July, 2022 and has been driven daily by my son since then. While driving with him recently on his way home college I was driving and could barely tell that the headlights were on while driving at night through the un-lit Interstate in Virginia. The extremely low light level was alarming to me as I could not see well without using the high beams which was not always possible due to surrounding traffic, and I was constantly nervous that the others on the road may not be able to see my vehicle. Nissan is fully aware that there is an issue. In response to a class action lawsuit in 2022 they agreed to replace the headlight assemblies for those that filed a claim within a certain timeframe. The lawsuit pointed to a delaminating of the reflective materials inside the headlight assembly, so replacing the bulbs does not significantly raise the lighting output. Unfortunately the deadline for a free replacement expired prior to me purchasing the car. I contacted a local Nissan dealer on [XXX], 2024 and they indicated that the free replacement has long since expired and estimated that it would cost approximately $1,500 to replace the headlights. I then contacted Nissan corporate on the same date and received the same response. I honestly do not understand how this did not become a Safety Recall. The lights obviously do not produce adequate light levels to safely drive at night. This is worsened by the prevalence of ultra-brite HID Halogen and LED headlights on the majority of cars on the road today. Though Nissan “did not accept” liability in response to the class action lawsuit in 2022, Nissan did replace thousands of sets of headlights- admitting that they know the OEM headlights are an issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
OCS System for Passenger Airbag is not working properly. Went to two dealerships and they said it was not covered under the recall 16V-244. I spoke with Nissan Consumer Affairs and they said that the recall was addressed in the past but was not able to provide when and where. The dealerships I go to for servicing do not have any history of the OCS ever being repaired which means that it was probably repaired sometime with the original owner. Assuming it was actually replaced in the past, with replacement, the part is still failing and not having reached the 15 year mark for the car or the actual recall itself is alarming.
OCS not working, passenger airbag is off when adult is in seat. Apparently was recalled before but seeing that despite being “fixed” and the problem came back. Hard to get in contact with anyone at Nissan or the dealerships to take responsibility for it.
Front lower control arm bushings appear worn out with progressive clunking and severe shaking leading to unstable steering and unevenly worn tires
Nissan never informed me of the head light recall in 2022 and as a result I've been driving on dim lights which is quite dangerous. This week I took it into a Nissan dealership in Anderson, SC to get them repaired and it cost $1500! They informed me it should have been covered under the recall but that it's expired. This is unacceptable. Nissan is responsible to inform it's car owners of all recalls and the fact that they didn't should not enable them to get away with making people pay for these recall repairs.
I bought the car at 48, 750 miles at 71,000, transmission was sputtering and stalling. Extended warranty from Zurich paid for new parts in an old transmission. Now, car is at 106,000, transmission is shot, it is banging and knocking while driving.