2013 NISSAN ALTIMA — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
2,969
Owner Complaints
12
Recalls
145
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA
The 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA has received a total of 2,969 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 15 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH, AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION. 145 technical service bulletins have been issued by Nissan North America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Air Bags (511 complaints), Power Train (496 complaints), and Exterior Lighting (416 complaints).
Recalls for the 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA
NHTSA has recorded 15 recalls for the 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA, potentially affecting up to 9,082,615 vehicles.
Recall 20V315000 — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
| 1,831,818 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an Owners Manual addendum card with instructions on how to lubricate and maintain the...
View full details →Recall 16V911000 — AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
| 757 vehicles affected
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...
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 16V244000 — AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
| 3,296,947 vehicles affected
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...
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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...
View full details →Recall 16V029000 — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
| 846,000 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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...
View full details →Recall 15V681000 — AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
| 919 vehicles affected
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...
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 15V681000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
| 919 vehicles affected
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...
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 15V486000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
| 46,846 vehicles affected
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...
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 15V116000 — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
| 625,400 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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....
View full details →Recall 14V565000 — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
| 220,423 vehicles affected
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...
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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....
View full details →Recall 14V138000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
| 989,701 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 14V138000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
| 989,701 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 13V069000 — AIR BAGS
| 82,038 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 13V158000 — TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE
| 123,308 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: Tires that are significantly over- or under-inflated may fail without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 12V494000 — SUSPENSION
| 13,919 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 12V494000 — STEERING
| 13,919 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA
2,969 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
Passenger airbag light on. I don’t even drive the car much. Out of no where it turned in.
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.
Tire Pressure light is on but no issues with air pressure.
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.
Safety Rating for the 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA
The 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA
Nissan North America, Inc. has issued 145 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
NTB22-040A — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN 2013 ALTIMA COUPE; FRONT COMBINATION LAMPS (HEADLAMPS) Voluntary Service Campaign ID # PC889 is no longer active. ï· Repair orders opened after this bulletinâs published date are no longer eligible for reimbursement under Campaign ID # PC889. ï· Discard all previous versions of NTB22-040.
PC889 2013 Altim — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Expiration Notification - Halogen Headlamp Voluntary Service Campaign ***** Dealer Announcement ***** On May 20, 2022 Nissan conducted a Voluntary Service Campaign (VSC) on 40 specific model year 2013 Nissan Altima Coupe vehicles to replace both the left and right front halogen headlamps. Customers that obtained approval by the Settlement...
NTB22-024A — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN 2013-2018 ALTIMA SEDAN; FRONT COMBINATION LAMPS (HEADLAMPS) INSPECTION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB22-040 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN 2013 ALTIMA COUPE; FRONT COMBINATION LAMPS (HEADLAMPS) INTRODUCTION Nissan is conducting this voluntary service campaign on certain specific model year 2013 Altima coupe vehicles, to replace both combination lamp (headlamp) assemblies (Halogen only). This service will be performed at no charge to the customer for parts or...
NTB15-014C — POWER TRAIN
ENHANCED DIAGNOSTIC LOGIC FOR CVT JUDDER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
REV 3 - 2013-18 — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
Halogen Headlamp Warranty Extension REVISED March 25, 2022 Please discard earlier versions of this bulletin. The announcement from February 23, 2022 has been revised to include the following: ⢠The following parts have been placed on parts restriction. Dealers may place a SVC order for the parts listed below via...
NTB22-007A — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2013-2016 ALTIMA AND SENTRA; REAR OXYGEN SENSOR VOLTAGE INSPECTION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
REV2 - 2013-18 A — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Halogen Headlamp Warranty Extension REVISED February 23, 2022 Please discard earlier versions of this bulletin. The announcement from January 25, 2022 has been revised to include the following: ⢠If a customer requests inspection due to a visibility concern, dealers should determine eligibility using the warranty extension page of Service...
2013-18 Altima H — COMMUNICATION
Halogen Headlamp Warranty Extension Campaign Summary: On or around October 25, 2021, current and former owners and lessees of certain 2013-2018 Altima vehicles received a postcard from a Settlement Administrator informing them of the terms of a proposed class action settlement that, subject to final court approval, could extend the...
2013-18 Altima H — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
Halogen Headlamp Warranty Extension Campaign Summary: On or around October 25, 2021, current and former owners and lessees of certain 2013-2018 Altima vehicles received a postcard from a Settlement Administrator informing them of the terms of a proposed class action settlement that, subject to final court approval, could extend the...
Showing 10 of 145 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the NISSAN ALTIMA
- 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA — 1,375 complaints
- 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA — 2,150 complaints
- 2010 NISSAN ALTIMA — 539 complaints
- 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA — 316 complaints
- 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA — 575 complaints
- 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA (current)
- 2014 NISSAN ALTIMA — 1,377 complaints
- 2015 NISSAN ALTIMA — 1,184 complaints
- 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA — 773 complaints
- 2017 NISSAN ALTIMA — 497 complaints
- 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA — 314 complaints
Other NISSAN Models
- NISSAN PATHFINDER — 10,111 total complaints
- NISSAN ROGUE — 9,608 total complaints
- NISSAN MAXIMA — 8,834 total complaints
- NISSAN SENTRA — 8,129 total complaints
- NISSAN MURANO — 7,410 total complaints
- NISSAN VERSA — 4,436 total complaints
- NISSAN FRONTIER — 4,425 total complaints
- NISSAN TITAN — 4,412 total complaints