2013 NISSAN ALTIMA Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2013 Nissan Altima. This model year has 2,302 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Airbag Malfunctions.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2013 Nissan Altima Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Airbag Malfunctions
Transmission / Drivetrain
Headlight/Taillight Failures
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2013 Nissan Altima. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag Malfunctions | 513 | 29 | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 505 | 8 | 1 | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 439 | 9 | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 288 | 2 | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 240 | 7 | 2 | — | |
| Engine Problems | 165 | 3 | 5 | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 158 | 8 | 4 | — | |
| Structural Problems | 133 | 10 | 2 | — | |
| Steering Defects | 94 | 4 | — | — | |
| Door Lock Issues | 60 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Brake System | 58 | 5 | 1 | — | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 52 | 2 | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 47 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 44 | 3 | 1 | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 37 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 35 | 2 | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 31 | 2 | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 29 | 2 | — | — | |
| Visibility | 12 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment | 7 | — | 1 | — | |
| Fuel System | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Lane Departure | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: AEB | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Traction Control System | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2013 Nissan Altima. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 400 most recent complaints of 2,302 total. View all on NHTSA ↗
The car feels unbalanced and shifting is bad
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 automotiv…
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 obsta…
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 lig…
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 campaig…
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 m…
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.
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 los…
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.
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 s…
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.
Fuel System: Car hesitates and cut off after pumping fuel.\n' + 'Outer Tie rods torn rubber, vehicle never been realigned, but tires were worn on both front sides. \n' + 'Takata Air bag light has been on for over 2 years.\n' + 'Transmission over heats. Engine cu…
Both of my rear lower control arms on my 2013 Nissan ALTIMA sedan have rusted thru and cracked. It has been reported on Nissan Service Campaign P9324, dated October 25, 2019. Unfortunately, I have been told my VIN is not included in the P9324 campaign. But both of my lower contro…
The hood flew open upon entering the freeway. Could not see anymore going 60 mph. Had to pull over and bend the fenders back to close the hood. Afraid this will happen again. The latch was recalled before this happened and the dealer sprayed it and said it was safe to drive which…
Front end suspension need replacing confirmed by Nissan Dealership when rear suspension recall was done. Loud noise when in reverse or backing out with or without acceleration, transmission mount defect.
Shift sticks in Park position. Intermittent problem happening often.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed with an air bag wiring failure. The contact was informed that the air b…
When I was driving on the road my rear control arm broke. I didn’t realize at first what was actually broken until I looked under the car later on and it looked like my control arm eroded over time and just snapped my wheel was shaking so bad my vertigo started. I do have a recal…
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2013 Nissan Altima.
Recalls for 2013 Nissan Altima
12 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2013 Nissan Altima. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2013 Nissan Altima — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2013 Nissan Altima reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2013 Nissan Altima has 2,302 NHTSA owner complaints, 63 crash-related, and 12 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Airbag Malfunctions (513 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Nissan Altima?▾
#1: Airbag Malfunctions (513 complaints). #2: Transmission / Drivetrain (505 complaints). #3: Headlight/Taillight Failures (439 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2013 Nissan Altima?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2013 Nissan Altima?▾
The 2013 Nissan Altima has 63 crash-related complaints and 9 fire reports out of 2,302 total NHTSA complaints. 48 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2013 Nissan Altima have any recalls?▾
Yes — 12 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2013 Nissan Altima. The largest issue: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2013 Nissan Altima?▾
The 2013 Nissan Altima has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Airbag Malfunctions issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Nissan Altima reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2013 Nissan Altima
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.