CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2013 Nissan Altima has multiple problem trends including the CVT transmission, and now that this model is out of warranty, it earns our "Avoid Like The Plague" badge.

Owners complain about vibration and transmission failure related to the CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), a whining noise from the power steering pump, and constant windshield problems that appear to be the result of poor design.

Be warned: the 2014 & 2015 Nissan Altima appears to share these same problems.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
56,164 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Nissan Altima brakes problems

brakes problem

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2013 Nissan Altima Owner Comments (Page 2 of 2)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #11

Jun 132014

Altima

  • 34,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The brakes make noise all the time even with new brake pads and rotors, the emergency brake like turn on while I was driving on the freeway so decided to park the car to check the emegency brake was not on, it turned off after the car rested for 2hrs. Also when I reverse the car then put it in drive there is a slight delay to accelerate

- Fontana, CA, USA

problem #10

Jun 272015

Altima

  • 45,000 miles
I have been to the dealer several times with the complaint of the car constantly drifting left and right and not being able to control the handling of the vehicle. It often feels like you are driving on three wheels and the stability shifts. I do not feel safe driving the car as I don't have full control, nor do I like having my son in the vehicle and try to avoid freeways but it pretty much drifts at all speeds. I have spoken to the service manager, service director, and regional manager at Nissan North America but they claim to not be able to reproduce the issue. However, every time I get in it I feel vibrations and experience weird whining noises as well as the drifting and bouncing all over the roads. I have also experienced where I'm trying to slow down and it seems like the car speeds up and when trying to speed up the car is sluggish. Nissan really needs to take ownership to fix the issue before someone loses their life!! this is ridiculous to have to deal with these issues for a newer car that people are still paying for!!

- Laveen, AZ, USA

problem #9

Jul 102015

Altima

  • 23,000 miles
I was driving to work at approximately 5:30 am and took exit 10B off of I85 North. Went to reach down to get my coffee and hit the grass which in turn slung me into the guard rail. This is not the first time this has happened. This wreck done 10,000 dollars of damage to my car. The steering is very touchy. This has happened several times. My air bag light on the passenger side does not work either. I have taken this car in because it does act right when you accelerate but I was told there was nothing wrong with my vehicle. I have also took it in for a leak and they told my it wasn't leaking it was a 2013 and it was to new. But there is a spot in my driveway and I am the only one that parks there.

- Kings Mountain, NC, USA

problem #8

Mar 102015

Altima

  • 35,859 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Tie rod lose with so few miles how could this of happened. I have never heard of this ever before and am seriously going to watch out for problems. Our dealership was excellent in finding it with their inspection. I can only praise the dealership and service department. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Madison, WI, USA

problem #7

Jun 152013

Altima 4-cyl

  • 1,000 miles
My 2013 Nissan Altima wanders lt and rt on the interstate at speeds from 65-75 mph. It is even more noticeable with winds 10+ mph. You have to grip the steering wheel tight with both hands if you don't want to wander into other lanes or off the road. This problem is even multiplied when it is raining, if feels like the car is hydro-planing. It is scary and dangerous. After researching this on google I found multiple sites where 2013 Nissan Altima owners are experiencing the same thing. I only have 9,000 miles on this car and feel like it is dangerous to drive on the interstate. The dealership says they are looking into it, we all know they are not going to admit to anything. What should my next step be?

- Easley, SC, USA

problem #6

Jun 182013

Altima 4-cyl

  • 10,000 miles
When I drive my car in the city, sometimes it will goes "numb", in other words doesn't response to my commands when speed is 30mph+RPM is 2K or speed is 20mph+RPM is 1.5K.(only at these two unique combination, e.g. is the speed is 30mph+rph is 1.5K, the issue will not occur). Either applying gas or brake doesn't work as I when my car is functioning normally. The duration of this "numb" issue is usually abt 10-15 min, and often happens when I use my car from cold start.(but that usually happens after a warm-up of 5min and being on the road for abt 10-15min). When the issue happens, I feel like something is controlling my car instead of me and my car doesnt listen to me, e.g. my car was going downhill smoothly and all of a sudden it goes numb, I was trying to make the speed lower than 30 mph but wasn't able to, luckily it finally slow down when I applied a hard brake that make the vehicle almost stopped. The operation and safety issue annoys me. Sometimes it gave me sudden pause on the road(20-30 mph speed). I have took my car to dealership 4 times since June 2013, my transmission system got reprogrammed 2 times. 12/30/2013, I was driving on the high way and the brake light came on, after that my car started operating weird (feels like lack of power). Took my car to dealership the next day and got transmission reprogrammed, plus some parts changed (I don't know what they exactly changed). Almost everyday, I experience my car goes "numb" out of nowhere, and had to live with it being unable to control my car when it happens because Nissan blames the "cold" weather in California and my sensitivity in driving.

- Berkeley, CA, USA

problem #5

Mar 212014

Altima 4-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This is another important complaint regarding security in the highway to put the other drivers in the danger of accident. This equipment is operated from the power supply of electricity such as battery. This equipment generates rf frequencies which can affect the mental stability of drivers. This rf devices originally are used for the purpose of expelling the pirates, riot, demonstration, gathering. It is a variation of sound cannon which is used to expel the pirates or mobsters. But when this equipment is acquired by criminal organization, religious cult groups, or espionage organization of foreign countries, it can be used as the murdering tools in case applied to the drivers. There are no definite regulations about the use of these rf weapons toward the drivers on the highway or street. It also can cause the accidents of terrorism, killing 10S of people and blocking the highway by such accident, and giving great chaos in the traffic and economic system. This rf attack can be detected by rf detection devices such as electromagnetic field (emf) detector impulse (www.soeks-usa.com/product/impulse/) or spectrum analyzer (www.aaronia.com/products/spectrum-analyzers). symptoms, which can be caused with this rf attack equipment (emf guns), are 1) headache 2) dizziness 3) making driver sleepy 4) paralyze the body muscles so that driver cannot use brakes or handle well 5) paralyze the brain's electronic neuron signal flow, so that driver cannot react to the danger during driving the use of these emf(electronic magnetic field) guns or devices or sound cannon to the driver, may cause critical danger to the security on the highway. This weapon makes the driver feel like just as he took alcohol or drug, and unable to react to the situation during the driving. Pls give me your email to submit more explanation.

- Gilroy, CA, USA

problem #4

Jul 092012

Altima 4-cyl

  • 100 miles
Within the first week of having the vehicle I noticed the car pulled to the left. Had the alignment fixed. 7 months later I had the car back in the shop because the passenger air bag light said the air bag was not turned on. This occurred with a 128 pound girl in the seat and on another occasion with a 215 pound man in the passenger seat. The dealership stated that there was no problem and that the air bag would deploy if necessary. Less than a month after that I still have the problem and now my elec. Stability did not start working till about 15 min of slipping around on snow while driving home from work. Ever since it finally came on the light now stays on the majority of the time and occasionally goes off but the roads have been both wet and completely dry when this occurs. Also now my steering wheel is tilted about 30 degrees to the left when I have my car driving on a straight away because my alignment has went completely off again but even worse than before.

- Newport News, VA, USA

problem #3

Jan 012014

Altima

  • 6,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving 70 mph, the traction control warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the brake lights needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 6,000.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #2

Sep 282012

Altima

  • 5,578 miles
Vehicle jerks at stops and takes off, rpms climbed on their own, vehicle won't start and was towed in, vehicle stall in moving traffic on a major interstate, and fan blower.

- Dundee, MS, USA

problem #1

Jan 212013

Altima 4-cyl

  • 100 miles
I first noticed it driving the car home from the dealership. I felt as though the front tires were moving in different directions at the same time and there is a metallic sound in the front end (can only hear when your next to barriers or bridges on the highway). The car drift is so bad I feel I will be pulled over for dui!!!! I was planning a trip that week to Texas with my grandchildren and I had already had an issue with the airbag light being on so I took the car back to the dealer to look at it, they couldn't get me in!!! I made my trip anyway and it was the scariest most dangerous trip I have ever made!!!! I was all over the highway on any straightaway, the slightest wind or another vehicle passing me would send me into the other lane. I finally was able to get the car into the dealer and advised them to take the car on the highway and listen for the noise as well at overpasses (when you have noise coming back at you) the rep came out and said that his tech could not find any thing wrong with the car and that it drives like all other Altima's! this is not true!! and they said they never heard the noise, which I find very hard to believe because I hear it all the time! the driverside front-end sounds like a 10 year old car when it hits a bump in the road or parking lot, like its shocks or something are bad... I am soooo disappointed in Nissan and with the Altima completely, what is the use having a beautiful car when it is a danger on the highway!!!!!!!!!! I will post on all websites about this car! it is dangerous!!!

- Aurora, CO, USA

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