2013 NISSAN ALTIMA Exterior Lighting Problems

416 NHTSA complaints on file

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Exterior Lighting Issues in the 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA

416 exterior lighting complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA. Of these, 9 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, and 1 resulted in injury.

416
Complaints
9
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

All Exterior Lighting Complaints

#11682803 |
The exterior lighting is extremely dim. It is an issue driving at night. I’ve had to pull over to make sure the lights were actually on. Please, please issue a recall to help prevent possible fatal crashes. I see that there are numerous complaints regarding this issue and it should be addressed as quickly as possible.
#11634095 |
The headlights has a recall but the dealership told me if the previous owner didn't fix it, it didn't do me any justice. I have to drive with bright lights on at night because the headlights are pointed at the ground but not up ahead to see what's in front of me. It's very hard to see. I haven't had the car a year and I really love my car. The $1,600 to fix, is what the Nissian dealership in my town quoted me. I am a single mom with elementary aged kids, driving them to school, it's still little dark.
#11623399 |
The headlamps are so dim, you can't even see the road at night. This is a well known issue to Nissan that the headlamps for this make and model are defective. The headlamp assemblies need to be replaced and this should be a recall. There was a civil lawsuit and I, like many others, tried getting the headlamps replaced during the acceptable time period, but my Nissan dealership was not able to get the parts in time. Looking online, this happened to the majority of people and people weren't able to get the proper repairs needed at no fault of their own. This is a major problem that Nissan needs to address. NHTSA also has a responsibility to be pushing Nissan on this recall. My automotive repair company said they've never seen so many complaints with the NHTSA without there being a full recall. It is an extreme safety hazard...
#11623221 |
The headlights are very dim and it's very hard to see when it's dark outside
#11623191 |
Delamination of headlight units has left low beam use unsafe. Seeing more than 20-25ft ahead of vehicle is impossible at night. There was a class action suit for this issue but I was not notified and now the window for replacement had passed. This seems like it should have been a safety recall. I attempted to get relief from Nissan but was stonewalled. Not even a discount on replacing the units.
#11593259 |
The lights are positioned too low to the ground and they are not bright enough. I end up having to keep my high lights on when driving at night because the visibility is very poor otherwise. Dangerous
#11590455 |
The headlights on my 2013 Nissan Altima SL are dangerously dim. The car was purchased used in July, 2022 and has been driven daily by my son since then. While driving with him recently on his way home college I was driving and could barely tell that the headlights were on while driving at night through the un-lit Interstate in Virginia. The extremely low light level was alarming to me as I could not see well without using the high beams which was not always possible due to surrounding traffic, and I was constantly nervous that the others on the road may not be able to see my vehicle. Nissan is fully aware that there is an issue. In response to a class action lawsuit in 2022 they agreed to replace the headlight assemblies for those that filed a claim within a certain timeframe. The lawsuit pointed to a delaminating...
#11586077 |
Nissan never informed me of the head light recall in 2022 and as a result I've been driving on dim lights which is quite dangerous. This week I took it into a Nissan dealership in Anderson, SC to get them repaired and it cost $1500! They informed me it should have been covered under the recall but that it's expired. This is unacceptable. Nissan is responsible to inform it's car owners of all recalls and the fact that they didn't should not enable them to get away with making people pay for these recall repairs.
#11577818 |
I bought this car and the light bulb is replaced. It is the actual halo type plastic head lights that are defected. If I take to dealer can they fix it. I saw issues with the same thing on the Internet.
#11571198 |
Headlights
#11561002 |
I was never informed of a voluntary recall on the headlamps of certain Nissan Altimas, my wife said it was difficult to drive at night, I installed LED lights with little change. I found out after Nissan had a voluntary recall that the head light assemblies had issues, mainly de-lamination of the chrome in the reflector assembly on the low beam light. Dealer said they would replace them unless I paid over $2000. I found non OEM light assemblies, had them installed, and took the old assembly apart and I was shocked to see the degrading of the entire assembly and material deposited on the lens making it cloudy, not clear at all. I documented all this, and really do think it is a serious safety issue since many of these cars are now on the used market, and many of the owners buying on that market may not have...
#11555737 |
The dim headlights dont work right so u cant see driving. It is very dangerous it could cause a accident. So you have to drive with your brights on so that you can see and then that could also cause accident because you're blinding the people coming towards you
#11544870 |
Headlights are dangerously dim, contacted manufacturer and were told that we missed the settlement on this issue. We purchased this vehicle after the settlement so of course we missed it. My son drives this car to and from college two and a half hours away. I cannot understand why nothing is being done. When he drives at night, he has to have high beams on and even then, they are not the brightest. I know we are not the only ones, I have researched it and seen countless complaints about the headlights.
#11542517 |
The headlights are so dim it is dangerous. I had been riding with the brights on because of the dimness of the lights. I was almost in a serious accident due to the lack of visibility resulting from faulty headlights—even with the brights on. These are dangerous.
#11540225 |
It was a recall on the headlights and Nissan said the recalled expired. The previous owner passed away. You can’t see anything at night without driving with the high beams on I had the bulbs changed an it’s dim lighting. This is a safety issues that’s putting me and other people lives in danger.
#11539610 |
Headlights so dimmed you cannot see at night. Without using my high beams. I have all ready received 3 verbal warnings for driving with high beams. My understanding there was a recall I missed out in due to lost mail I assume but Nissan refuses to fix it and trying to charge me $2000 for there safety defect. I cannot afford to get this fixed out of pocket and it’s a safety issue. If it’s a recall that’s a safety issue it should be a Nissan repair.
#11529675 |
Both front head lights (low lights) are very dim; right headlight may require re-wiring due to constant burning out of head light (low lights) and turning signal light. Measures have been taken by owner to address the situation by careful step-wise cleaning of headlight covers. After cleaning of headlight covers, there was significant fogginess still noted as having a film like appearance. This film appeared to be on the inside portion of the head lamps. Visibility was not improved after cleaning headlights. Night time driving visibility is significantly affected, leading to issue of safety while driving. Passengers have noted inability to distinguish whether headlights are turned on or off while driving at nght. Issue has been brought up to multiple nissan car dealerships who refuse to further inspect or acknowledge the issue of defect in the 2013 Nissan Altima. The issue has previously been brought up in the case of...
#11526720 |
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.
#11515126 |
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.
#11503048 |
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.
#11502633 |
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 8 months 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 classs last March - September.
#11500803 |
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the hood inadvertently opened. The contact lost control of the vehicle but was able to pull over, close the hood, and continued driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. Additionally, while driving, the headlights failed to produce adequate lighting. The contact used the high beam headlights while driving. The contact stated that it was difficult to see people and objects on the roadway. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V315000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
#11495338 |
Low beam headlights too dim to be usable at night. Service center confirmed it is a known delamination issue of the reflective coating, for which a class action lawsuit was previously filed and settled. Have been waiting for over 6 months for the "back ordered" parts to come in so it can be fixed.
#11493742 |
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.
#11493806 |
The Low Beam headlight do not project properly. The problem is delamination of the headlight assembly. See "Suarez vs. Nissan North America Inc. Nissan will not replace the headlights in a timely manner. A claim was filed on 1/31/22. Assemblies must be replaced by 9/23/22. Nissan is delaying the repair because of "supply Chain Issues". Numerous owners haven't had the replacement occur by the due date. This makes the car difficult to operate, requiring the use of the high beams at all times. This is a safety issue, and should be a recall to protect all drivers.
#11490436 |
why hasn't nissan replaced these headlight parts.we can't use the car at night as there isn't enough light to see safely,.NO EXCUSE fo0r this.
#11488847 |
Nissan got sued for Altima headlights that would dim after a certain amount of time. They reached out to everyone affected and offered to replace their faulty headlights. They even put a campaign (recall?) on the affected cars. I went to the dealership which performed a test and determined that both my headlights were faulty and were dimming and I'm eligible for a replacement. They placed an order for parts in May 2022, it is now October 2022 and Nissan still hasn't shipped the parts to the dealer. Every time I call, the dealership says the parts have not arrived and there is nothing else they can do. Its been 5+ months since my dealership visit and I've been driving with dim headlights around rural country roads in Texas which don't have streetlights or lane markings It puts me and the passengers in my car (kids) at a huge safety...
#11488005 |
Headlights have become so dull that it is a hazard driving at night. Altima was taken into dealership on 3/30/22 and was found to qualify for headlight replacement under the lawsuit settlement in case Suarez v. Nissan North America, Inc. We were told it would take about six weeks for parts to arrive. Six months later and several calls to dealership, still no parts and no idea when they'll arrive. Our daughter had hers replaced last week by a non-Nissan auto repair business.
#11487604 |
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....
#11487079 |
Both of my headlamp lights are very dim to the point I can't see well with them at night. This has been for a long time, and extremely dangerous as I've almost had accidents. The police has stopped me several times and given me warnings to have it fixed, but it is too expensive for me . It was inspected by the dealer and failed the inspection.
#11486235 |
The low beam headlights have failed. Confirmation is confirmed at Olympia, Washington Nissan. Our safety at night was compromised as well as other drivers. This was such a gradual problem that we were unaware of it until approximately march of 2022. A lawsuit was filed in 2020. We were not informed and told we did not qualify. We have paid the dealer to replace the low beam. It likely will not be done until December of later of this year.
#11485924 |
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.
#11484829 |
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH at night, she noticed that the high beam headlights were significantly dim. The contact later received a notice for Nissan Service Campaign Number: PC861 for the halogen headlamps replacement. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed that the headlamps needed to be replaced; however, the dealer informed the contact that the parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
#11483761 |
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...
#11482893 |
In April 2022,I Took my vehicle down to the Tracy California Nissan dealership. I was part of the class section lawsuit to have my headlights replaced because they are so extremely dim and to also had a recall for the hood latch serviced. I was told that my headlights were just fine. That per Nissans instructions, the dealerships were to lightly clean the headlamp area, take it into a darkened room and measure the brightness of the headlights. The dealership refused to give me any information on what the parameters were for the headlight brightness testing. I was just told over and over again that my headlights are bright enough and did not qualify for replacement. Even after checking the brightness since they supposedly cleaned the headlights, there was no change. I still cannot drive the vehicle without the highbeams on. And even with the highbeams on the headlights are...
#11479033 |
Low beam headlights inadequate. Very obvious. Difficult to see at night. Nissan dealer does not want to replace under class action settlement. Headlight lenses are not hazy.
#11477524 |
Headlights are extremely dim. No usable light, even though the headlights are not old.
#11475303 |
Headlight's reflection material inside the housing and lens degrades and makes it harder to see while driving at night.
#11475140 |
The low beam lights are extremely dim and I can’t see at night.
#11473575 |
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact state while driving approximately 65 MPH at night, the headlights were dimmed making visibility very difficult. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who confirmed the failure with the headlights. The headlights were not replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The dealer related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V244000 (Exterior Lighting) however, neither the VIN nor the year, make, or model vehicle was included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 2,000.
#11472823 |
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.
#11471284 |
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.
#11466484 |
The headlights Are Defective. You can Not see the road at night at all! I Have a Claim with the Suarez Vs Nissan Lawsuit Settlement, which was approved by final order of the Courts. Nissan was ordered to replace the 2 Defective Headlamp Assembly. Nissan Refuses to comply with the Order of the Court! Nissan is breaking the Law! Help! Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
#11462077 |
NO INCIDENT...AVOIDING USING CAR AT NIGHT...HEADLIGHTS DANGEROUS...YOUNG GRANDDAUGHTER WITH GOOD EYESIGHT HAS COMPLAINED ALSO OF POOR HEADLIGHT NIGHT DRIVING...THIS DEFINITELY IS A SAFETY ISSUE...MANY DRIVERS WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO REPAIR WILL BE DRIVING WITH POOR LIGHTING
#11461411 |
2013-2018 Nissan Altimas manufactured with halogen headlamps (“Class Vehicles”) have a defect that causes an interior reflecting surface of the headlamp to deteriorate, resulting in dimming of the low beam headlights. Took mine to Nissan of Lumberton and they said it passed there test they come up with. Still can’t see about 10ft in front of you and less than that when foggy or raining. Can’t drive with high beams on everywhere.
#11460813 |
The low-beam headlights on this Nissan Altima are so dim that it is dangerous to operate the vehicle at night. I have to use high-beams at all times. The reason is the coating inside the assembly de-laminated. This was litigated against Nissan in a class action suit, Suarez v. Nissan. The suit was settled earlier this year. As part of the settlement, I filed a claim and was authorized to take the car to my local Nissan dealer for replacement (Tacoma, WA). The dealer told me they would need to verify the lights were indeed too dim before replacing the assembly. After testing them, they claimed the lights passed and would not need replacement. This is an incredulous conclusion and I can only conclude they are willingly trying to avoid replacement, as there is no way these lights can be considered safe. Do we have any recourse? Is there an...
#11459253 |
The headlight assembly is defective and gets very dim. Replacing the bulb does not fix the issue. Lights are so dim it is not drivable at night.
#11458459 |
Nissan Altima 2013 extremely dim low light bean, specifically poor intensity of brightness and distance throw of light. Extremely dangerous to operate vehicle at night. Endangering occupants, other drivers, and pedestrians. I changed light bulbs twice using the brightest bulbs available. But noticeable improvement. Almost caused several collisions and pedestrian strikes on dark roads and street, especially in rain. Problem developed in 2016, about three years after purchase in 2013. Immediate recall is critical, replace headlamps before fatalities.
#11455745 |
My passenger air bag monitor seems to have a shortage. If there is no one in the passenger seat it will show on the dash as being on or when no one is in the seat it will show on and then sometimes off. Most days there isn't any symbol on the dash when someone is sitting in the passenger seat. I never know if the passenger seat belt is on or off. My second concern is my exterior headlights, they are so dim that I have to use my bright lights to see the roads. I have basically tried to stop driving very early in the morning, or at night.
#11448344 |
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at night with the low-beam headlights activated, the illumination from the headlights was extremely dim, causing a visibility hazard for the driver. The headlight bulbs were replaced on several occasions, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced to fix the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 86,000.

Other 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA Problem Areas

Air Bags 511 complaints Power Train 496 complaints Suspension 275 complaints Unknown Or Other 240 complaints Engine 157 complaints Electrical System 154 complaints Structurebody 104 complaints Steering 94 complaints Service Brakes 54 complaints Visibilitywiper 52 complaints Vehicle Speed Control 47 complaints Fuelpropulsion System 44 complaints Latcheslockslinkageshoodlatch 36 complaints Seats 36 complaints Wheels 35 complaints Electronic Stability Control Esc 31 complaints Seat Belts 28 complaints Exterior Lightingheadlights 23 complaints Latcheslockslinkages 22 complaints Structurebodyhood 13 complaints Structurebodydoor 11 complaints Structure 8 complaints Engine And Engine Cooling 7 complaints Suspensionrear 7 complaints Power Trainautomatic Transmission 6 complaints Fuel System Gasoline 5 complaints Visibilitywindshield 5 complaints Service Brakes Hydraulic 4 complaints Equipment Adaptivemobility 3 complaints Equipmentapplianceair Conditioner 3 complaints Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch 3 complaints Electrical System Instrument Clusterpanel 2 complaints Equipment 2 complaints Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking 2 complaints Lane Departure Blind Spot Detection 2 complaints Suspensionfrontcontrol Arm 2 complaints Suspensionfrontcontrol Armlower Arm 2 complaints Tires 2 complaints Visibilitydefrosterdefoggerhvac System 2 complaints Visibilityrearview Mirrorsdevices 2 complaints Visibilitysunmoon Roof Assembly 2 complaints Air Bags Air Bagrestraint Control Module 1 complaint Electrical System12v24v48v Battery 1 complaint Electrical Systemwiring 1 complaint Engine And Engine Coolingengineengine Control Module Ecuecm 1 complaint Equipmentelectricalnavigational Systemglobal Positioning System 1 complaint Exterior Lightingheadlightshighlow Beam Dimmer Switch 1 complaint Forward Collision Avoidance Adaptive Cruise Control 1 complaint Power Trainautomatic Transmissiontorque Converter 1 complaint Seat Beltsfrontwarning Lightdevices 1 complaint Seatsfront Assemblyhead Restraint 1 complaint Steeringelectric Power Assist System 1 complaint Steeringhydraulic Power Assistpump 1 complaint Structureframe And Members 1 complaint Suspensionrearaxlenon Powered Axle Assembly 1 complaint Suspensionrearshock Absorber 1 complaint Suspensionsubframemounting Bracket 1 complaint Tirespressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems 1 complaint Traction Control System 1 complaint Visibility 1 complaint
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