🚗 AutoDefect IQ

2013 Nissan Altima problems, complaints & recalls

Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (436) · Exterior Lighting (379) · Air Bags (373)

🧭 Reliability snapshot

32 /100
⚠ Trouble year — compare other years

Compared against other Nissan Altima model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →

🛣️ Complaints by mileage

<25k miles: 421 complaints 421 <25k 25–50k miles: 245 complaints 25–50k 50–75k miles: 316 complaints 50–75k 75–100k miles: 337 complaints 75–100k 100–125k miles: 188 complaints 100–125k 125–150k miles: 92 complaints 125–150k 150k+ miles: 72 complaints 150k+

1,671 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.

2,314
Complaints
12
Recalls
370
Service bulletins
63
Crashes reported
9
Fires reported
1
Deaths

Safety recalls (12)

Latches/Locks/Linkages:hood:latch 2020-05-28 · campaign 20V315000 · 1,831,818 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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 Owner’s 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 app

Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification 2016-12-19 · campaign 16V911000 · 757 vehicles

Defect: 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

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification 2016-04-26 · campaign 16V244000 · 3,296,947 vehicles

Defect: 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 incorrec

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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 par

Latches/Locks/Linkages:hood:latch 2016-01-22 · campaign 16V029000 · 846,000 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification 2015-10-20 · campaign 15V681000 · 919 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Fuel System, Gasoline 2015-08-04 · campaign 15V486000 · 46,846 vehicles

Defect: 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 affect

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Latches/Locks/Linkages:hood:latch 2015-02-27 · campaign 15V116000 · 625,400 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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 expansi

Latches/Locks/Linkages:hood:latch 2014-09-15 · campaign 14V565000 · 220,423 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Electrical System:software 2014-03-25 · campaign 14V138000 · 989,701 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Tires:temporary/Emergency Spare Tire 2013-04-24 · campaign 13V158000 · 123,308 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: Tires that are significantly over- or under-inflated may fail without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Air Bags 2013-03-01 · campaign 13V069000 · 82,038 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Steering 2012-10-10 · campaign 12V494000 · 13,919 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Service bulletins (370)

Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.

Structure:body 2026-04-13 · NTB09-131C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

certification label and vin plate replacement service information because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “certification label” or “vin plate/label” may be needed. hint: certification label = fmvss (federal motor vehicle safety standards) label. these items may be availabl

Structure:body 2026-04-13 · NTB09-131C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

certification label and vin plate replacement service information because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “certification label” or “vin plate/label” may be needed. hint: certification label = fmvss (federal motor vehicle safety standards) label. these items may be availabl

Air Bags 2024-09-19 · NTB19-071D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

dtc b00a0-00 stored this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin. if you confirm dtc b00a0-00 (occupant detection sensor unit) is stored, and ocs zero point reset cannot be performed, (continued on the next page)

Power Train 2024-06-07 · NTB12-103I · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

cvt/tcm calibration data “write” procedure this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB13-107G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB13-027D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions

can communication – network diagnostic flow chart this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

Showing the 6 most recent of 370 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.

What owners report

2026-10-27 · Power Train · 168,000 mi

“the contact owns a 2013 nissan altima. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked; however, while attempting to move the gear shifter, the gear shifter failed to shift as intended. the contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed senso…”

2026-10-10 · Visibility:sun/Moon Roof Assembly

“i own a 2013 nissan altima 2.5 sv with approximately 130,000 miles. my vehicle has a serious water leak affecting both sides of the interior. rainwater enters around both sun visors, soaks the headliner, and runs down the windshield pillars even when the vehicle is parked. i believe the sunroof drainage system may be defective. i understand the veh…”

2026-09-21 · Structure:body

“on xxx, at approximately 5:00 a.m., my son was driving my 2013 nissan altima 2.5 sl (vin [xxx]) to work at approximately 55 mph when the hood unexpectedly flew open while the vehicle was moving. the vehicle had approximately 156,000 miles. the hood came up into his field of vision and significantly obstructed his view of the roadway, creating a se…”

2026-09-18 · Exterior Lighting:headlights · 173,000 mi

“the contact owns a 2013 nissan altima. the contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the headlights were very dim, making it difficult to see while driving at night. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with deteriorating headlight assemblies, causing the low-beam headlights to fail to properly il…”

2026-09-17 · Air Bags

“airbag and seat belt warning lights won't turn off one each on instrument cluster red, and one orangeyellow center of dash next to hazard lights button …”

2026-08-24 · Suspension

“driver side rear lower control arm broke/rusted through. was able to get the vehicle home prior to an catastrophic incident. see pictures attached. warning light came on the dash at the time of the brake of the control arm.…”

2026-08-20 · Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control · 281,000 mi

“the contact owns a 2013 nissan altima. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the cruise control activated, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated. during the failure, there were no warning lights illuminated. the cause of the failure was not yet determined. the manufacturer and the local dealer were notified of the failur…”

2026-08-01 · Exterior Lighting

“the headlight housings metallic coatings for reflectivity are failing and reduce the efficacy of the headlights. there has been a class action lawsuit against nissan for this but many, like myself, were not notified. the headlights are very dim and create a safety hazzard when driving in an area where high beams can't be used. ntsha really needs…”

2026-08-01 · Electrical System

“front passenger door lock actuator fails to unlock door when driver's, passengers or key fob to unlock is activated. all other doors (3) work as they should. this creates a safety issue as the door must manually be unlocked which during a panic situation may not be easily accomplished. i am in the process of having the mechanism inspected & repai…”

2026-07-20 · Wheels

“rear left wheel busted off of car while driving. flew up into the back end of car totaling the vehicle. we were very lucky no one was hurt. …”

Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.

Other Nissan Altima years