Nissan Altima 2013–2018 problems by year and mileage
5th generation (L33)
NHTSA data through 24 September 20265,548 complaints, 3,509 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2013 Nissan Altima
Close- Median failure report
- 65,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 2,312
- Recalls naming this year
- 12
Most reported on the 2013
- Airbag system514 reports · median 14,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline505 reports · median 69,000 mi
- Exterior lighting442 reports · median 80,000 mi
12 recall campaigns name the 2013: Latches/locks/linkages — hood; Air bags — sensor; Fuel system, gasoline. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2014 Nissan Altima
Close- Median failure report
- 64,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 1,114
- Recalls naming this year
- 8
Most reported on the 2014
- Exterior lighting299 reports · median 80,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline209 reports · median 70,000 mi
- Airbag system208 reports · median 22,000 mi
8 recall campaigns name the 2014: Latches/locks/linkages — hood; Air bags — sensor; Fuel system, gasoline. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2015 Nissan Altima
Close- Median failure report
- 57,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 953
- Recalls naming this year
- 10
At least 40% of the complaints about the 2015 were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. The median here rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.
Most reported on the 2015
- Exterior lighting270 reports · median 68,000 mi
- Airbag system177 reports · median 30,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline161 reports · median 62,000 mi
10 recall campaigns name the 2015: Latches/locks/linkages — hood; Structure — emergency; Latches/locks/linkages — doors. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2016 Nissan Altima
Close- Median failure report
- 58,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 553
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
At least 40% of the complaints about the 2016 were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. The median here rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.
Most reported on the 2016
- Transmission and driveline235 reports · median 65,000 mi
- Engine86 reports · median 53,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise81 reports · median 45,000 mi
4 recall campaigns name the 2016: Latches/locks/linkages — hood; Structure — emergency; Latches/locks/linkages — doors. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2017 Nissan Altima
Close- Median failure report
- 55,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 391
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
At least 40% of the complaints about the 2017 were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. The median here rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.
Most reported on the 2017
- Transmission and driveline133 reports · median 66,000 mi
- Airbag system73 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise62 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2017: Latches/locks/linkages — hood; Structure — emergency; Latches/locks/linkages — doors. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2018 Nissan Altima
Close- Median failure report
- 36,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 225
- Recalls naming this year
- 2
At least 40% of the complaints about the 2018 were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. The median here rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.
Most reported on the 2018
- Problems owners could not categorise60 reports · median 37,000 mi
- Brakes48 reports · median 31,000 mi
- Electrical system37 reports
2 recall campaigns name the 2018: Latches/locks/linkages — hood; Back over prevention — sensing system. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. † marks a year whose median likely understates the mileage: much of its reporting came after 2020, when most complaints stopped recording an odometer reading. The 2013 reports latest and the 2018 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2013 has had 5 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2013–2018 Nissan Altima reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 60,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 120,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 3,509
- Recalls
- 16
Most reported
- Transmission and driveline22.8% of complaints · median 67,000 mi
- Exterior lighting19.5% of complaints · median 80,000 mi
- Airbag system19.4% of complaints · median 22,000 mi
Owners filed 5,548 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013–2018 Nissan Altima; the transmission and driveline leads with 22.8% of them, and half of the 3,509 that record an odometer reading came by 60,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 25,000 and 89,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2013–2018 Nissan Altima last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2013–2018 Nissan Altima, half of the 3,509 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 60,000 miles and 90% by 120,000 miles.
123 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 21 past 200,000 — each one proof that an Altima reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Nissan Altima 2013–2018 · 3,509 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 455 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 21 complaints (0.6%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 2,000
- 25%
- 25,000
- Median
- 60,000
- 75%
- 89,000
- 90%
- 120,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 455 | 13.0% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 120 | 3.4% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 106 | 3.0% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 102 | 2.9% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 88 | 2.5% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 103 | 2.9% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 115 | 3.3% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 118 | 3.4% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 121 | 3.4% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 131 | 3.7% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 136 | 3.9% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 117 | 3.3% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 175 | 5.0% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 154 | 4.4% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 170 | 4.8% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 127 | 3.6% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 163 | 4.6% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 139 | 4.0% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 116 | 3.3% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 103 | 2.9% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 117 | 3.3% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 72 | 2.1% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 57 | 1.6% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 52 | 1.5% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 62 | 1.8% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 45 | 1.3% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 49 | 1.4% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 20 | 0.6% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 33 | 0.9% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 20 | 0.6% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 33 | 0.9% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 11 | 0.3% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 8 | 0.2% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 10 | 0.3% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 11 | 0.3% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 4 | 0.1% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 6 | 0.2% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 5 | 0.1% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 11 | 0.3% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 3 | 0.1% |
| 200,000+ | 21 | 0.6% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Common Altima problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Nissan Altima 2013–2018
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Airbag system1,078 reports22,0003,500–57,000Airbag system: 1,078 reports, median 22,000 miles, middle half 3,500 to 57,000 miles.
- Electrical system391 reports35,00010,000–64,000Electrical system: 391 reports, median 35,000 miles, middle half 10,000 to 64,000 miles.
- Engine439 reports58,00028,000–81,000Engine: 439 reports, median 58,000 miles, middle half 28,000 to 81,000 miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise617 reports60,00034,000–83,000Problems owners could not categorise: 617 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 34,000 to 83,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline1,266 reports67,00040,000–88,000Transmission and driveline: 1,266 reports, median 67,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 88,000 miles.
- Exterior lighting1,084 reports80,00051,000–103,000Exterior lighting: 1,084 reports, median 80,000 miles, middle half 51,000 to 103,000 miles.
- Suspension512 reports100,00076,000–124,000Suspension: 512 reports, median 100,000 miles, middle half 76,000 to 124,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 1,266 | 22.8% | 67,000 | 40,000–88,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 1,084 | 19.5% | 80,000 | 51,000–103,000 |
| Airbag system | 1,078 | 19.4% | 22,000 | 3,500–57,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 617 | 11.1% | 60,000 | 34,000–83,000 |
| Suspension | 512 | 9.2% | 100,000 | 76,000–124,000 |
| Engine | 439 | 7.9% | 58,000 | 28,000–81,000 |
| Electrical system | 391 | 7.0% | 35,000 | 10,000–64,000 |
| Body structure | 299 | 5.4% | 50,000 | 23,000–78,000 |
| Steering | 244 | 4.4% | 21,000 | 1,000–73,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 230 | 4.1% | 55,000 | 27,000–80,000 |
System by system, in words
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 60,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 22.8% of complaints (1,266 reports, 933 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 67,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 88,000 miles.
The exterior lighting accounts for 19.5% of complaints (1,084 reports, 545 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 51,000 and 103,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 19.4% of complaints (1,078 reports, 655 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 22,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 3,500 and 57,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 11.1% of complaints (617 reports, 331 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 34,000 and 83,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 9.2% of complaints (512 reports, 344 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 100,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 76,000 and 124,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 7.9% of complaints (439 reports, 288 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 58,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 28,000 and 81,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2013–2018 Altima
Transmission (cvt) 2013–2018
CVT8 shuddering, hesitation, surging and premature failure — overheated fluid lets the steel belt slip on the pulleys and shed metal debris. Class action settled for MY2013-2016 Altimas with warranty extension to 84 months / 84,000 miles plus repair reimbursement; Nissan set aside $590.5M to extend CVT warranties from 5 to 7 years across ~3M vehicles.
Hood Latch 2013–2015
Secondary hood latch corrosion could allow the hood to fly open while driving; recalled on 2013-2015 cars.
Before you buy a 2013–2018 Altima: the 3-minute check
Generated from 3,509 mileage-tagged complaints, 16 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 16 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check transmission (CVT) on 2013–2018 cars. CVT8 shuddering, hesitation, surging and premature failure — overheated fluid lets the steel belt slip on the pulleys and shed metal debris. Class action settled for MY2013-2016 Altimas with warranty extension to 84…
- Check hood latch on 2013–2015 cars. Secondary hood latch corrosion could allow the hood to fly open while driving; recalled on 2013-2015 cars.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 25,000 and 89,000 miles, with a median of 60,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the exterior lighting are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 67,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Altima problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi49% below | At 90k mi75% below | At 120k mi90% below | At 150k mi96% below | At 200k mi99% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 40,000–88,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Exterior lighting | 51,000–103,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Airbag system | 3,500–57,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 34,000–83,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Suspension | 76,000–124,000 | later | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 28,000–81,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 10,000–64,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Nissan Altima 2013–2018 · 3,509 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 49% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 75% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 90% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 96% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 99% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.6% of reports (21) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2013–2018 Nissan Altima recalls (16)
NHTSA records 16 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around latches and locks (5), the airbag system (4), the reversing camera and sensors (1). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
May 2020 · 2013–2018 · Latches/Locks/LinkagesCorrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is…
The 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.
What can happen. 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…
The free 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…
Sep 2019 · 2018 · Back Over PreventionThe lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti…
What can happen. The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners…
Dec 2018 · 2015–2017 · StructureIf the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of…
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles, previously remedied under recall number 17V-040. The door latch-lock cable may not have been routed properly in the rear door when the remedy was applied. As a result, the…
What can happen. If the rear passenger door opens while the vehicle is moving, the rear passengers have an increased risk of injury.
The free fix. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will secure the latch-lock cables in the correct position using the new remedy procedure, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019. Owners may contact…
Jan 2017 · 2015–2017 · Latches/Locks/LinkagesIf the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of…
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles. The rear door latch/lock cable on the vehicles may have been improperly routed. As a result, lowering a rear window may inadvertently cause that door to unlatch and open.
What can happen. If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.
The free fix. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will correct the rear door latch/lock cable routing, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at…
Dec 2016 · 2013–2015 · Air BagsIf the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a…
The 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…
What can happen. 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.
The free 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…
Apr 2016 · 2013–2016 · Air BagsIf the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an…
The 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…
What can happen. 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.
The free 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…
Jan 2016 · 2013–2015 · Latches/Locks/LinkagesIf the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could…
The 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…
What can happen. 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.
The free 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…
Nov 2015 · 2015 · Service Brakes, HydraulicIf the bolts were not properly tightened, the caliper may detach and reduce braking ability, increasing the…
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2015 Altima and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured October 6, 2015, to October 7, 2015. The affected vehicles have front brake calipers whose mounting bolts may not be properly tightened.
What can happen. If the bolts were not properly tightened, the caliper may detach and reduce braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will check the brake caliper mounting bolts, tightening them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 14, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan…
Oct 2015 · 2013–2015 · Air BagsIf the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be…
The 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…
What can happen. 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…
The free 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.
Aug 2015 · 2013–2015 · Fuel System, GasolineIf fuel leaks from between the fuel sending unit and the tank, it may increase the risk of a fire in the…
The 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…
What can happen. 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.
The free 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…
Feb 2015 · 2013–2015 · Latches/Locks/LinkagesIf the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could…
The 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…
What can happen. 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.
The free 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…
Sep 2014 · 2013 · Latches/Locks/LinkagesIf the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could…
The 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…
What can happen. 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.
The free 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…
Mar 2014 · 2013–2014 · Electrical SystemIf the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated.
The 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…
What can happen. 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)…
The free 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.
Apr 2013 · 2013 · TiresTires that are significantly over- or under-inflated may fail without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.
What can happen. Tires that are significantly over- or under-inflated may fail without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free 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.
Mar 2013 · 2013 · Air BagsIf the vehicle is involved in a crash necessitating airbag deployment and the passenger airbag is suppressed…
The 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…
What can happen. 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.
The free 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…
Oct 2012 · 2013 · SuspensionThe affected bolts could become loose and fall out which may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing…
The 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…
What can happen. 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.
The free 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…
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 5,548 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 224 (4.0%)
- Fires
- 32
- Injury reports
- 142
- Fatality reports
- 3
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Altima problems by model year
The 2013 drew the most complaints of this generation, 2,312, most of them about the airbag system, and the 2018 the fewest, 225. A typical year drew about 753.
That makes the 2013 stand out at roughly 3.1 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2,312 | 1,670 | 65,000 | Airbag system (514) | 12 |
| 2014 | 1,114 | 726 | 64,000 | Exterior lighting (299) | 8 |
| 2015 | 953 | 543 | 57,000† | Exterior lighting (270) | 10 |
| 2016 | 553 | 295 | 58,000† | Transmission and driveline (235) | 4 |
| 2017 | 391 | 165 | 55,000† | Transmission and driveline (133) | 3 |
| 2018 | 225 | 110 | 36,000† | Problems owners could not categorise (60) | 2 |
What Altima owners reported
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…
2013 · 173,000 miles · Exterior lighting
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with an electrical fault inside the air bag, and it was determined that the air bag inside the seat back needed to be…
2017 · 55,000 miles · Airbag system
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…
2013 · 281,000 miles · Throttle and speed control
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the driver's side headlight had become inoperable. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with an internal headlight failure, and it was determined that the headlight assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
2016 · 165,000 miles · Exterior lighting
Built from 3,509 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Altima generations
- Altima 1998–2001 242 reports with mileage, most about the engine and its cooling system
- Altima 2002–2006 3,301 reports with mileage, most about the engine and its cooling system
- Altima 2007–2012 3,144 reports with mileage, most about the steering
- Altima 2019–2025 147 reports with mileage, most about the electrical system