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:
9 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
47,658 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 lights problems

lights problem

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2013 Nissan Altima Owner Comments (Page 8 of 21)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #275

Jan 012017

Altima

  • miles

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

My low beams have been so dim I cant see when night driving. I have complained to Nissan corporation and they denied there was a problem, that they have never heard this complaint before even though it is all over the web. The dealership were the one that encouraged me to contact Nissan. They said it would be too expensive to fix. I have been driving on my high beams at night for the past couple of years because I cant get it resolved. I have the bulbs replaced twice to no avail. Apparently its the reflective material behind the bulbs that are defective. Thank you!

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #274

Aug 192020

Altima

  • 170,000 miles
Low beams too low with new bulbs. Dealer says I need new housing

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #273

Aug 122015

Altima

  • 25,000 miles
My Nissan Altima 2013 headlights are so poor that I cannot drive it at night. When I have to drive, I will either follow a car in front of me closely at night or use high beams. Degradation started to get worse by 3 year, I replaced with better bulbs and then with hids but still lighting is so poor that I only use this vehicle during day time.

- Hercules, CA, USA

problem #272

Aug 022019

Altima

  • miles

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

The headlights are a projector beam, and through the years I've owned the car, the headlights continue to dim, I have changed the light bulbs 3 different times since owning the car, never truly solving the problem. The heat of the bulbs create a film on the projector lens that hampers strong light to get through to the roadway. This is a dangerous hazard that is a defect of the automaker, as this is all factory equipment installed in the vehicle.

- Grand Rapids, MI, USA

problem #271

Jun 152020

Altima

  • miles
Headlights to car become dim because reflectivity material in light housing deteriorated and no longer helps project sufficient source of light onto the road ahead. Even with brand new, and appropriate replacement lightbulbs do not provide any sufficient light. Very dangerous and cannot see at dark and almost not drivable without using brights option. Can get stopped by police for assumption that headlights are not appropriately on for the safety of the road for the driver and other drivers.

- Cordova, TN, USA

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problem #270

Jun 012019

Altima

  • miles
The low beam headlights are very dim and makes driving at night extremely hazardous.

- Honolulu, HI, USA

problem #269

Jul 112020

Altima

  • 107,000 miles

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

The low beam lights are on but basically non existent. A few times I've even pulled over to check if they both were off/burned out... they weren't. I have replaced bulbs with no change to the brightness I do or do not get. Only option currently is to drive in the dark with high beams, potentially blinding on coming traffic then!!! this issue is the same whether driving or stationary and has been ongoing with no remedy found yet.

- Bloomsburg, PA, USA

problem #268

Jun 102019

Altima 4-cyl

  • miles
The headlights are super dim when I am driving at night. I have replaced my headlights twice now to the brightest lights you can buy. When I drive at night I have to turn on my bright lights because I am not able to see the road in front of me with the regular headlights on. It is not safe to drive at night due to the headlights being so dim. I have been dealing with this issue since I purchased the car last summer.

- Saint Joseph, MO, USA

problem #267

Jan 012019

Altima 4-cyl

  • miles
Low beam headlights are too dim and unsafe for night driving.

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #266

Feb 122020

Altima 4-cyl

  • 25,000 miles
The low beam headlights in my 2013 Nissan Altima are very dim. I changed the head lamps thinking that maybe the old lights had just aged and lost brightness. This did not make a significant change in the brightness. I researched on-line and found multiple reports that from 2013-2015 people with Nissan Altima's had similar complaints. The problem was concerning enough that during a routine maintenance of my vehicle I asked the dealer how much it would cost to replace the headlamp assemblies. It was around $1000. Yikes. Recently I had a 'near miss' that I partially attribute to the dim headlamps. I was driving on a local 2 lane road. There was a car coming in the opposite direction about 50 yards away. Suddenly a car behind that car pulled directly into my lane. To avoid a collision I immediately pulled the wheel right and went into a yard. I thought maybe the person had a heart attack and lost control of the car but when I looked back the person had swerved back into the correct lane. I thought maybe my lights were off but I checked and they were on. I've been driving for 35 years and have never had something like this happen before. Could have been somebody texting and driving? I would be interested to know if the 2013 Nissan Altima has a higher night time driving accident rate compared to other sedans. Regardless I think these headlamps are unsafe. I'm going to try to find a replacement headlamp and do the repair myself as I can't readily afford the $1000. This is the first time I have ever entered a complaint.

- Zionsville, IN, USA

problem #265

Apr 042020

Altima 4-cyl

  • 47,100 miles

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

Driving at night is a huge safety issue with my 2013 Nissan Altima sv. With the low beams on you cannot see the road ahead or any obstacles that might be ahead. These headlight should be a recall. Horrible design.

- Omaha, NE, USA

problem #264

Jun 302019

Altima

  • miles
Headlights very dim. Replaced bulbs multiple times but lights really not visible when driving at night or in rain.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #263

Jun 092020

Altima 4-cyl

  • 72,000 miles
Lighting on the 2013 Nissan Altima is a safety risk and potential liability waiting to happen. The visibility with the stock lights will limit your visibility and puts you and passengers at risk. This has to be corrected and taken seriously by Nissan. The light that is illuminating has to be out of code for a legal acceptable vehicle.

- Denton, TX, USA

problem #262

Feb 142019

Altima 4-cyl

  • miles
The low beam lights do not project light out at night. Even after replacing with the same type bulb or even high definition bulbs, none of them project light. I cannot see while driving with the low beams. I have to drive with my high beam lights on at night.

- Anderson, SC, USA

problem #261

Feb 012020

Altima

  • miles
Front headlights do not project out enough to be able to farther when driving causing a huge risk of an accident especially when you don't know the roads, you are not able to see what is ahead of you unlike other vehicles do, and when it rains it looks like you don't have your head lights on so you I have to drive with my high beams on and when passing other vehicles I have to shut the high beams off and I cannot see the road, I have gone off the road and almost crashed due to not being able to see, this is a huge problem for this I have owned a 2011 Nissan Altima and did not have this problem what so ever, there are so many complaints,

- Chicopee, MA, USA

problem #260

Jun 012020

Altima 4-cyl

  • miles
Head lights very dim can hardly see far down road.

- Stony Point, NY, USA

problem #259

May 222020

Altima 4-cyl

  • 127,000 miles
You can not use regular lights to see with this car at night. You may get a good foot of lighting in front of the car. Very dangerous. You could be driving down the highway and be surprised by a curb or going down a street at night with no lighting around you and hit something bc you can't see anything. The brights work wonders but I can't just go around blinding people...

- Bells, TX, USA

problem #258

May 012020

Altima

  • 149,000 miles
The headlights on my 2013 Nissan Altima are very dim. Had the bulbs replaced but having the same problem.

- Daly City, CA, USA

problem #257

Apr 172020

Altima

  • miles
Headlights very dim, cant see at night unless you use the brights, very dangerous, and passenger airbag remains off, common problem on a 2013 Nissan Altima.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #256

Dec 312019

Altima

  • miles
Terrible headlights. I have already changed couple low beam bulb in order to increase night vision, but the result didn't change much. I do not see any roads clearly when I drive night time so it's not safe at all.

- Rensselaer, NY, USA

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