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:
28 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
34 / 0
Average Mileage:
24,071 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 seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2013 Nissan Altima Owner Comments (Page 7 of 26)

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problem #381

Oct 252018

Altima

  • 42,000 miles

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

Seatbealt light is on when no one is one is seated there. Had to take the car to dealership and after charging me $154.99 they recalibrated light and performed zero point calibration. I have the invoice if needed. Why do we have to pay for safety issue?

- Plano, TX, USA

problem #380

Dec 012014

Altima

  • miles
Driver and passenger seat airbag showing disengaged while occupants in the vehicle. No airbag dash notification on for driver and passenger seat.

- Marshall, MN, USA

problem #379

Nov 302018

Altima

  • 52,000 miles
Takata recall. One recall performed, second airbag light shows on dash soon after first airbag replaced. Diagnostics on November 30 shows all electronics problems with driver side airbag. Cost estimated minimum from $651+ tax to $3427.92+ tax. This failure is not due to misuse. It is a recall problem. See attached diagnostics and repair estimate attached. Request this be replaced under recall.

- Ft Walton Bch, FL, USA

problem #378

Apr 072018

Altima

  • 37,000 miles

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

Air bag warning light constantly on after two resets due to recall. Dealer says it is not due to the recall but that is

- Piscataway, NJ, USA

problem #377

Oct 222018

Altima

  • 144,000 miles
Within the last month (October 2018) my airbag indicator light on the dashboard has come on and stays on constantly. This indicates that the airbag may not deploy in a crash, and could possibly mean the difference between life and death. The light came on with no warning, the vehicle has not been in an accident of any kind. This has to be a malfunction.

- Lucama, NC, USA

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problem #376

Jan 012016

Altima

  • 60,000 miles
Passanger side air bag no longer works, the air bag says its off and malfunctioned. Will not show when someone is sitting inn the seat. Thus never setting the passanger air so if you get into an accident it would not deploy. When the air bag malfunctioned it was sitting in the driveway we turned it on and the light came on and has never went out.

- Spanaway, WA, USA

problem #375

Oct 012018

Altima

  • 50,000 miles

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

My "vehicle was previously recalled to reprogram front passenger occupant classification system (OCS) electronic control unit (ECU). " I took my car in for the recall to have it taken care of, but now I'm still having issues with the OCS. Currently, the driver side airbag light is on, indicating that it is not functioning properly. In addition, while the car was in motion and I was sitting in the passenger seat, the passenger side airbag light was lit up. This indicated that the airbag was off, despite the fact that I was sitting in it. After taking the car into the dealership, I was informed that I needed a new OCS control unit as well as two OCS sensors. I informed them of the previous recall on the OCS; however, they said this was a separate issue, so I was going to have to pay around $700. Nissan originally said in a letter that, "if at any time within the next 15 years, the OCS system in your vehicle does not perform as described above, we urge you to please schedule an appointment at your nearest Nissan dealer. The dealer can check the OCS system in your vehicle and, if needed, perform a one-time retrofit to the OCS system free of charge. " since the OCS is still having issues after the original recall, I thought it was imperative to report this huge safety issue. I was informed that the airbags might not deploy if I were in a car accident, which could cause unnecessary injuries or even death. Clearly there are still unresolved issues with the OCS that need attention.

- Waukegan, IL, USA

problem #374

Oct 182018

Altima

  • 90,000 miles
Takata recall. Brought my car into the Nissan dealership in buena park California to deal with the airbag recall. I brought my car in with the air bag light not on and after the dealership worked on the car I received my car with the light on. I explained that the light was never on that they should fix the problem. Steve let me know there's nothing they can do claiming there was a previous problem and now they are trying to charge a fee.

- La Mirada, CA, USA

problem #373

Jul 112017

Altima

  • 86,000 miles
Takata recall. Had my car in the dealer for the airbag recall. Ever since the car passanger light stays on even if I sit on it and im 180lbs and the dash airbag light came on several weeks of the recall service. Now I took the car back to the dealer and they don't want to honor the problem. They say its related to a different issue than what they did. They want to run a diagnose charge me for it and for the repair costs. The car is unsafe and I don't think I should be responsible since the car airbag system indicators were working correctly before I took it.

- Grand Prairie, TX, USA

problem #372

Jul 272018

Altima

  • miles
Passenger seat is not detecting when an adult is sitting, the airbag icon is turned on and wont turn off, on both dashboard and in the console.

- Prospect Park, NJ, USA

problem #371

Aug 102018

Altima

  • 63,000 miles

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

Airbag light is on solid on dashboard symbol located in the middle shows airbag off on passenger side I was told my VIN is not listed on the recall list. This is a safety issue and needs to be resolved. Not after the fact if air bag may or may not deploy. I should not be charge for a diagnostic. When make, model and year has been recalled already.

- Mount Marion, NY, USA

problem #370

Oct 012016

Altima

  • 65,000 miles
The amber passenger airbag disabled light stays on with the red airbag system warning light flashing continuously flashing.all of the recall notices I have read don't include my car but the criteria seem to fit the recall notices.

- Murrieta, CA, USA

problem #369

Jan 052016

Altima

  • 33,000 miles
A/C has not worked properly till it just stoped. The ac blows air intermittent cold and hot. Compressor not working properly. Filled with freon but will not consistently blow cold. Headlights very dim. The lenses are clear

- West Palm Beach, FL, USA

problem #368

Apr 102018

Altima 4-cyl

  • miles
2013 Nissan Altima. Consumer writes in regards to seatbelt and airbag failure. The consumer stated the vehicle was in a violent accident where the driver's seat belt and airbag did not operate. The driver's head hit the windshield causing minor bleeding in the head.

- Coral Gables, FL, USA

problem #367

Jul 192018

Altima

  • 69,000 miles
Air bag light on in my car don davis Nissan wont look at it before I pay 100 and this is recall problem..meaning I have no working air bags..I can not drive car because its not safe..please help in solving this still owe 3 yrs on this car.I called and told them the problem..no help

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

problem #366

Jul 152018

Altima

  • 80,900 miles
Airbag light stays on even though passenger is in seat. Goes away after restarting engine

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #365

Jan 202013

Altima

  • 2,000 miles
I have been having problems with my driver side airbag light coming on and stays red no blinking since I purchased my Nissan Altima 2013 in November 2012. I have had it serviced for this problem at least 3 to 5 times at Nissan dealships. They reprogramed system and ran the codes. Last year 2017 in July the light came on again and taken sterling mccall Nissan houston, tx and they said code read sensor and the driver back seat module need to replace whole unit and not covered and so I got into my car the light was off and never came back on until now on Jun 23 2018 when I started my car up in my garage. No one has given me a concrete answer if there is default on my airbag light going on sometimes and then stays off. I have spoken with Nissan mfg more then one time and open up a case and they not wanting to resolve the problem they just tell me to go to dealership and close my case. I believe I have bad airbag or senor control uint. If you would like look into my mechanical history of my car.

- Rosharon, TX, USA

problem #364

Jun 192018

Altima

  • miles
My airbag sensor light is on and will not go off. This didn't occur until several months after, I had the passenger sensor light airbag detector worked on. With all the factory recall, I feel as if this need to be checked into. I would hate to have an accident and the airbags do not deploy if needed. My brother-in-law is a certified mechanic and he have repaired or towed several Nissan Altima that the airbag did not deploy during an accident,

- Bainbridge, GA, USA

problem #363

Jan 212017

Altima

  • 35,720 miles
Airbag light stays on, on dashboard. Acquired car in that condition from carmax southwest freeway houston, tx 77074

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #362

May 112018

Altima

  • 95,563 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. While driving 35-40 mph, the contact looked down and, by the time he looked back up, he had crashed into the rear of the preceding vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The police were called to the scene and a report was filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to pugmire Lincoln of marietta (1865 cobb pkwy S, marietta, ga 30060) where the dealer informed the contact that it would be a couple of days to determine if the vehicle was a total loss or if it could be repaired. Prior to the crash, the contact noticed that the passenger side air bag indicator was illuminated at all times, even when the passenger seat was occupied. There were no recalls associated with the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 95,563.

- Douglasville, GA, USA

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