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.
I have had this vehicle for a few years, this car only have 118,333 mile on it, it stop working on me in the middle of the road. The dealership said the transmission went out in the vehicle but I’m not sure how that was possible. I could pay the price for the vehicle to be fixed with them because it was very pricey but didn’t know that many people with this year model have had the same complaints with the transmission. They never stated that the car had a recall about the transmission, I feel this is not right and something was hinted from me.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while attempting to shift from park(P) to drive(D), the gear shift lever failed to move as needed. The contact stated that the gear shifter also failed to shift to reverse(R). The contact stated that she had to move the shifter back and forth until the gear shifter responded. The contact stated that the failure had become a recurring failure. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the shifter assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 91,756.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
- 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).
My son was driving on the highway when all of a sudden the car would no longer excel when he pressed on the gas. He immediately moved over in traffic to get to the side of the road and just barely made it before the car completely stopped moving. He was very lucky that he reacted in the way he did being a new driver on the road. This could have been EXTREMELY bad if he didn't think to move over and in the correct direction to make it all the way through traffic around him. The transmission is the component that failed. The issue was inspected and confirmed by the dealer and replaced. No warning lights came on when this issue occured.
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.
My car will not got out of gear without pressing the shift lock release button.
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.
My power steering somehow had a slow leak which caused steering wheel to lock on while driving. Also, when I turn it sounds like a clucking sound like something is wrong with my power train. When I drive my accelerator seems like it be taking its time to catch up to speed. I've done did so much mechanical work to this car and it seems like nothing is working.
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.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, he noticed a burning smell coming through the A/C vents. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that unknown frontal air bag had deployed under the hood and burned; however, the mechanic could not repair the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to another mechanic who informed the contact that they could not repair the vehicle. An unknown dealer was contacted but provided no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH and approaching a stop light, the vehicle started shaking violently. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic replaced the wheel bearing, performed an alignment, and replaced the tires; however, the failure persisted. On another occasion, while accelerating, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle started operating normally. The vehicle was taken to any independent mechanic, but no failure was found. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 100,000.
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
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.
headlights are dim, nearly running a person in the cross walk
Highlights are to dim too travel after dark. There has been a settlement, however Nissan is not suppling dealerships with enough lamps to match demand. This should be a national recall and treated as much.
Headlights on my 2013 Altima are dangerously dim. I filed several complaints with NHTSA several years ago about this problem but nothing was done. A few months ago I received a notice from the SUAREZ V NISSAN SETTLEMENT ADMINISTRATOR stating that my vehicle qualified for free replacement headlights as part of a class action suit settlement stemming from defective headlights on 2013-2016 Nissan Altimas. The notice said my vehicle would receive free replacement headlights if I: 1. SUBMIT AN OUT-OF-WARRANTY CLAIM FORM BY MARCH 26, 2022 2. TAKE MY ALTIMA TO AN AUTHORIZED NISSAN DEALER BETWEEN MARCH 27, 2022 AND SEPTEMBER 23, 2022. I fulfilled both of those requirements but the dealer still refuses to replace my headlights. They say they “tested” the headlights and they seem “ok”. I asked for a clarification of the “test” procedure. They said they spray “bubbles” on the headlights, turn them on and observe how bright they look. There is nothing quantitative, nothing measured — just a subjective “look” and that’s it. How can Nissan get away with this phony test. I see many complaints on this website from others that have been duped by Nissan regarding this issue. The lights on my Altima are so bad that I avoid driving at night. When I do have to drive at night, the headlights are so dim that they only FAINTLY illuminate about 25 feet in front of me. The lights are so dim that other drivers flash their lights at me, thinking that I just have my parking lights on. This is an obvious safety issue that many, many Altima owners have to put up with. As a result of the class action suit, Nissan agreed to replace the defective headlights but they are now playing games with a made up, phony test and not fulfilling their promise to replace these dangerous, defective headlights. SHAME ON NISSAN. Why doesn’t NHTSA enforce this recall? Your website says “Our mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce economic costs…” YOU NEED TO DO YOUR JOB!!!!
THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PULLING TO ONE SIDE AS I DROVE TO WORK. AFTER I PARKED MY CAR I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND SOMETHING FELL OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. THE REAR LOWER LINK HAD BROKEN IN HALF AND THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE TIRES BENT IN. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO UNIVERSAL NISSAN. THIS WAS A RECALL AND NISSAN WANTS TO CHARGE ME FOR PARTS AND LABOR.
While driving at 35mph on a city road the car hood flew up open & smashed into the windshield despite their supposed fix of hood latch spring being replaced & assembly lubricated by the Nissan dealership in Aug 2021 due to a Nissan hood latch recall (NHTSA recall 16V-029) in response to a class action lawsuit. At highway speeds, this would have seriously compromised human lives. In this case, neither the primary hood latch lever or fuel door release lever had been pulled open by the driver just prior to the incident; yet the hood flew open without warning. (Hoods have primary latches located inside the vehicles, then secondary latches located under the hoods. Primary hood latches in the cars are located too close to the fuel door latches that might cause drivers to accidentally unlatch the hoods instead of the fuel doors. Then once the primary hood latch is pulled in the Altima, the secondary latch under the hood fails to hold the hood down, allowing the Altima hood to open while driving.) No warning lights or messages came on. The car was not drivable & was towed to the Nissan dealership where it is currently pending repairs estimate $5234.58. At this time, Nissan Motors accepts no liability for this incident; clearly shifting the blame again. Nissan Motors has issued multiple (2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2022interim) hood latch recalls in response to this problem in various Nissan models 2013-2018, the most recent in 2022 (still in progress). Design and manufacturing defects allegedly cause the hoods to open while driving at any speed. According to the Altima class action lawsuit, Nissan blames the problems on multiple sources but still can’t properly repair the cars. The Altima hood latch systems are allegedly not strong enough to perform in real-world conditions and aren’t up to industry standards used for more than 100 years. The return springs are also allegedly too weak, as are the locking systems which prevent the hoods from securely latching.
Loud whining noise when I turn the wheel
Airbag sensors are failing and Airbag warning light is on
Airbag sensors are failing and Airbag warning light is on
The headlights have failed inspection at the dealership because the low beams are too dim. Nissan said their is not a problem although I found out there is a class action lawsuit regarding the headlight issue. This is something they are aware of but are unwilling to fix the problem. This is a safety risk because when driving at night you are unable to see and other cars might not see you due to the headlights not working properly. When it is raining you are unable to see and other cars can't see you which could cause an accident. The dealership has confirmed the issue and told me to contact Nissan and they are not willing to fix the issue. I did receive a warning last night because of my headlights not working properly. There are not any warning lights but considering a class action lawsuit [XXX], et al. v. Nissan North America, Inc., there should be a recall as my car is not the only car that has this problem. Please get a recall done on this as soon as possible as this is a safety risk not only to myself but all drivers on the road at night. Please do something before this causes lives of others. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, while slowing the vehicle for traffic ahead, the vehicle started to shake with the steering wheel jerking to the left and the right. The contact was able to slow the vehicle however, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failure occurred constantly. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the CVT transmission and front and rear suspension needed to be replaced. Additionally, the contact was informed that the drive train and bearing needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.
Headlights are extremely dim. No usable light, even though the headlights are not old.
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.
I’m currently overseas in Germany and do not have any manufactures capable of making repairs until I arrive back in the states oct 15 2022.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a faulty driver's side air bag. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
My driver seat airbag light is on red on the dashboard. I have not had any accidents. It's a safety issue, not safe. If I have an accident, the bag will not depoly and a risk to my life. I called Nissan today and they said the air bags are only under warranty for 3 yrs or 60,000 miles. That is not acceptable as compared to other car makers and their warranties. Some car airbags last 10 years or the life of the car. Nissan customer service said, the car is not under the recall list. My car model has had several recalls. Case #46890272. Nissan consumer affairs said, sorry not covered. What if a life was lost. The cost of replacing airbag vs. safety of customer's life seems to be not important. I took the car to Nissan dealer and in order for them to look at the air bag light on, they had me pay $189.95 for a diagnosis to let me know the whole seat needs to be replaced. Unacceptable, I have not heard "full drivers seats replaced new. My car has no other problems. I have had for 9 years with 77,000 miles. Thank you for logging my complaint of the driver air bag.
Airbag light ON displayed in Dashboard suddenly . Dealer not able to find the diagnosis code so it was reset and then after a month it came back again .
The airbag light came on and I took it to the Nissan dealership and they reset it. A month later the light came back on and I took it back to the dealership now they say they can't reset it, it have to be replaced with a part that cause $2400 that I don't have. There was a recall on this problem but my vin# is not on the list as for many more which was stated that not all vin#'s were included at the beginning. I feel that Nissan should honor this recall especially in these trying times of our economy.
When Adult sits in passenger seat, the passenger (Air bag off)light is on. Which means the Air bag is off and will not deploy in a accident. When a heavy weight adult sits in the seat, the light turns off. Sensor might be bad in seat. My wife is 140 lbs. light stays on when she sits in the passenger seat .
The airbag light came on in my 2013 Nissan Altima randomly while in park. I had it checked at an official Nissan Dealership on the 28th of June 2022. The service center informed me that the right back seat assembly needed to be replaced (can provide documentation). I was informed that none of the airbags would be deployed if I were to get into an accident/ My vehicle has around 130,000 miles. It is a 2013, so this should not be happening in my opinion. I have a 2006 vehicle and I have had other vehicles that I have never had this happen. The repair itself will cost close to two thousand dollars. I bought the vehicle for this the safety features. I had airbag protection on all sides of each door to include the traditional airbag in dashboard and steering wheel. This problem is unacceptable for an over $20,000 vehicle. I have contacted to the manufacturer, and they refereed me to your website for further investigation. I hope that you find this, if applicable to be a nationwide recall on the airbags. Please urge them to recall this vehicle for this defective item, my safety is at risk. The airbag system is a must in a vehicle. Please contact me regarding this matter and I will submit documents or answer questions. Respectfully, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The rear suspension lower links on my 2013 Nissan Altima corroded and broke away from the joints on both sides. The rear passenger was affected in July 2022 and the rear driver side was affected in October 2022. Both incidents happened as I was backing out of my drive-way and the rear lower links literally snapped and broke away from the vehicle. After my Altima was at the body shop for the second time to replace the driver rear suspension lower link, we discovered a Campaign by Nissan that was entitled "Altima Rear Lower Link" and it affected 2013 Nissan Altima's (which we had) and the campaign went on to indicate that this was in states with high road salt usage. We live in Iowa so that covered our state for high road salt usage and the campaign went on to say that under severe corrosion conditions, one of the rear lower suspension links may corrode and separate at the bushing joint area. This happened to both sides of my Altima's rear lower link suspension as there was severe corrosion. We tried to file a claim with Nissan to get reimbursed for our towing expense and expense of having my Altima repaired but were denied reimbursement stating our VIN # didn't match any listed on this campaign even though we had the exact same make, model, year and conditions surrounding the campaign that caused the rear suspension lower link to snap away from the joint area. This isn't just something common to happen to vehicles and with Nissan refusing to reimburse us for a known issue on the exact same make, model and year of the car is frustrating. There could have easily been human error in not including our VIN# in this campaign. Way too many coincidences for Nissan to not even consider looking into our issue and including our VIN# in this campaign.
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failed while operating the vehicle, resulting in the car swerving and becoming temporarily uncontrollable. No accident resulted, but had a car been in the lane adjacent to mine, there certainly would have been a collision. I am grateful this did not occur on the highway at higher speeds. Mechanics found that the right rear suspension control arm failed and was heavily corroded. The left rear suspension control arm was also highly corroded and had stress fractures, requiring replacement. See attached photos. I will request that the mechanics save the parts for inspection by the NHTSA. No potholes or curbs were hit, and this suddenly happened while driving on a well paved road in Virginia. The car has 95,430 miles on it, and has been parked indoors for the past 5 years, and largely driven in the Northern Virginia and D.C. Metro Area. There were no warnings before this occurred.
The headlights are so dim it is very dangerous. We have to drive with our brights on just to see. Therefore, we try not to be out in the dark. Which isn't right.
Prior passenger airbag recalls on this year and model vehicle which have previously been “fixed”. However for the past 4 weeks, “passenger airbag off” light remains illuminated regardless of passenger being seated with vehicle seat belt latched. As well, the airbag red light is illuminated on driver dashboard continuously which results in none of the vehicles’ airbags being deployed in the event of a collision or serious collision. This is a huge safety concern for myself as a driver and all occupants of the vehicle.
The low beam lights are extremely dim and I can’t see at night.
Our headlights on dim were barely visible on the road and was glad to see a recall on this exact item. I understood the dealership would repair the problem. I took the car into Anderson Nissan in Lake Havasu City, Az (some 60 miles from my house). I was told the tech inspected the lights and said they were ok and did nothing. They are not safe an as I said above barely visible at night. Can you check that recall, Anderson Nissan kept the paper work. If you can send someone to check the lights and you'll see what I mean.
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.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while her grandson was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. The vehicle then lost motive power and stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 144,000.
My headlights have been dangerously dim for about a year now. According to the dealer is not a simple bulb replacement situation. They are telling me that I need to replace both headlamp assemblies and the cost will be about $1300 total. ($650 per headlamp). It is extremely difficult to drive at night with these dim headlights. A significant safety issue. Yes. Not yet. No warning lights or messages.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026