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2013 Nissan Altima

The Verdict

5 Total Klunk

The 2013 Nissan Altima has 2,304 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (958 complaints) and body (666 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 5/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Nissan Altima, consider the 2025 model year which has 99% fewer complaints.

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The 2025 has 99% fewer complaints

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5

Klunk Score: Total Klunk

Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Recalls 2

Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.

13V158000 TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE

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.

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.

Reported Apr 11, 2026

14V565000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

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...

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.

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 w...

Reported Apr 11, 2026

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
20005012426210
200158535695
20021872710871723
200317589059020
20047983414411
20054553110441982
2006300197037163
200719871928750
2008593841878872
20098063749312586
201014125985957
20118212404760
2012111168982127
201366638958199443
20142982150997183
20152582144886136
20161329116103192
2017107199756110
20187944651522
2019832949608
20206717394412
202120202072
202263452
2023104861
2024263363
202530111

By Category

Electrical
958
Body
666
Transmission
443
Engine
199
Brakes
38

By Severity

1
1162
2
1062
3
9
4
70
5
1

Worst Problems

Compare Against

See how the 2013 Nissan Altima stacks up against rivals.

Complaints

Body 1

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.

18d ago
Body 1

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 failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 281,000.

22d ago
Electrical 1

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 & repaired. Part failed with no notice. It may have failed earlier, but July '26 was the 1st I noticed.

1mo ago
Electrical 1

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 to do what is right here and force a recall.

1mo ago
Body 1

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.

1mo ago
Engine 2

The contact's friend owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that when the vehicle was parked, the check engine warning light illuminated and remained illuminated for an extended period. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanic shops, where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, where the check engine warning light was no longer illuminated, and the failure could not be replicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

2mo ago
Electrical 1

Headlights are extremely dim almost always have to drive with my high beams on at night since the lights are so dark. Have tried replacing bulbs on my own but lights are still dim. No warning or anything were ever shown

3mo ago
Transmission 1

The car feels unbalanced and shifting is bad

5mo ago
Transmission 1

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop sign, the vehicle accelerated to approximately 15 MPH and then unexpectedly decelerated. The contact attempted to depress the accelerator; however, the vehicle lost automotive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

5mo ago
Electrical 2

The vehicle is a Nissan Altima experiencing a low-beam headlight failure. The headlights have become extremely dim and no longer provide adequate illumination of the roadway at night. Visibility is severely reduced, making it difficult to see lane markings, pedestrians, and obstacles ahead. The vehicle and headlight assemblies are available for inspection upon request. This condition creates a serious safety risk because nighttime driving visibility is significantly compromised. The headlights are so dim that safe operation of the vehicle after dark is difficult, increasing the risk of a crash involving pedestrians, other vehicles, or road hazards. The vehicle was inspected by a Nissan dealership, which confirmed the headlight problem. However, the dealer has refused to repair the issue under the applicable safety recall due to a missed deadline (March 2022). We first became aware of the recall in March 2023 and have been attempting to resolve the issue since that time. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership but has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. There were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or other alerts indicating a headlight system problem prior to the failure. The primary symptom has been the gradual dimming of the low-beam headlights over time until they became too dim to safely illuminate the road.

6mo ago
Electrical 4

The contact's brother owned a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while her brother was driving at an undisclosed speed from a stop sign, another vehicle in the left lane crashed into the contact's brother's front driver's side. The air bags did not deploy. No warning light was illuminated. The contact's brother received medical attention for a concussion and had back and neck pain. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and was not yet deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

6mo ago
Body 2

Right side rear lower control arm failed while driving due to excessive corrosion. I nearly lost control of the vehicle as the right rear wheel is no longer properly aligned. If this had happened on the highway it could have killed us. Dealer service dept, Nissan service campaign department and nissan consumer affairs department all insisted my VIN does not qualify for repairs detailed under nhtsa reference P9324 and all refused to look up the reference number. The bulletin seems clear that Nissan has responsibility to address my issue.

6mo ago
Electrical 1

Passenger airbag light on. I don’t even drive the car much. Out of no where it turned in.

7mo ago
Body 2

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.

7mo ago
Electrical 2

Tire Pressure light is on but no issues with air pressure.

10mo ago
Electrical 1

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.

10mo ago
Transmission 2

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the RPM became elevated, and the vehicle started accelerating unintendedly. The contact immediately depressed the brake pedal and entered a parking lot where the vehicle lost automotive power, and the engine shut off. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 52,073.

11mo ago
Body 2

Rear suspension links rusted out. Repair place says there is a lot of rust issues that will take a lot of work to fix. Excessive rust seems to be issues with Nissan.

11mo ago
Electrical 1

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.

12mo ago
Body 2

Heard a loud pop noise from the rear of the car while backing up, steering was unstable while driving. Looked under the car and discover the right rear control arm is broken.

12mo ago

2304 total

1/ 116
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