Is the 2013 Nissan Altima a bad year?
2,314 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 505, 51× a quiet Altima year.
Consider selling
Half of all transmission complaints about the 2013 Nissan Altima were filed between 40k and 90k miles. You're at 70,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2013 Altima owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 70,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 505 (22%) | 40k–90k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Exterior lightingSTANDS OUT | 442 (19%) | 58k–113k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Latches and locksSTANDS OUT | 60 (3%) | 40k–95k miles · around this mileage | — |
| SuspensionSTANDS OUT | 290 (13%) | 80k–125k miles · ahead | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Engine | 166 (7%) | 24k–81k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Body structure | 134 (6%) | 25k–85k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Steering | 94 (4%) | 1k–82k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Visibility and wipers | 63 (3%) | 9k–70k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 49 (2%) | 12k–81k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Speed control | 48 (2%) | 29k–89k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Stability control | 31 (1%) | 28k–90k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Wheels | 36 (2%) | 74k–132k miles · ahead | Wheel bearing / hub assembly replacement (one wheel) $230–$750 |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 514 (22%) | 2k–50k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Electrical system | 158 (7%) | 13k–65k miles · mostly behind | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 70,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 2,314 complaints: 63 mention a crash · 9 mention a fire · 36 report an injury · 76 say the car was towed.
20 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
One of the main problems is failure to start or stop. The other is the noisy transmission. Not a very dependable car.
I own a 2013 Nissan Altima which I purchased new. The car has approximately 90k miles on it now. About 5 months ago the car beginning dying when putting it in gear and/or stopping while driving.
Since owning the altima. The transmission "Shutters and vibrates the car from a stopped position. If the car is parked and you start it put it in reverse or drive it will shake violently and shut off.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 70,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2013 Nissan Altima: 12
If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time. Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
An incorrect Occupant Classification System (OCS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have been installed in the front passenger seat. The incorrect ECU and seat combination may misclassify the front passenger seat occupant. If the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash. If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. 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.
The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult. If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated.
In the affected vehicles, due to an improperly installed o-ring that may not have been seated correctly at the time of assembly, fuel may leak during a crash from the area where the fuel sending unit attaches to the fuel tank. If fuel leaks from between the fuel sending unit and the tank, it may increase the risk of a fire in the event of a crash.
In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. 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.
In the affected vehicles, interference between the hood inner panel and the secondary latch lever, in combination with debris and corrosion, may cause the secondary hood latch to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. 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.
In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult. If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated.
The spare tires may have been significantly over- or under-inflated. Tires that are significantly over- or under-inflated may fail without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Sensors within the passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) may have been manufactured out of specification. This may cause the system to malfunction and permanently suppress the passenger airbag. If the vehicle is involved in a crash necessitating airbag deployment and the passenger airbag is suppressed, there may be an increased risk of personal injury.
These vehicles may have been equipped with transverse link bolts and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to proper specification. The affected bolts could become loose and fall out which may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Nissan: 195
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2013 Nissan Altima. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
DTC P17F0 or P17F1 stored in the TCM
Clicking noise from front or rear axle during take-off/acceleration
Enhanced diagnostic logic for CVT judder
NHTSA defect investigations: 5
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
Occupant Classification System Failure
Occupant Classification System Failure
Neighbouring years
2012 Altima: 426 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2014 Altima: 1,113 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Nissan Altima year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Altima years side by side
Other Nissan models: Nissan 350Z · Nissan 370Z · Nissan Armada · Nissan Cube · Nissan Frontier · Nissan Juke · Nissan Kicks · Nissan Leaf · Nissan Maxima · Nissan Murano · Nissan Pathfinder · Nissan Quest · Nissan Rogue · Nissan Rogue Sport · Nissan Sentra · Nissan Titan · Nissan Titan XD · Nissan Versa · Nissan Versa Note · Nissan Xterra. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2013 Nissan Altima a bad year?
2,314 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 505, 51× a quiet Altima year. At 70,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all transmission complaints about the 2013 Nissan Altima were filed between 40k and 90k miles. You're at 70,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Nissan Altima?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (505), exterior lighting (442), latches and locks (60), suspension (290), engine (166). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 40k–90k miles.
How many recalls does the 2013 Nissan Altima have?
12 recall campaigns list this model year: Latches and locks (NHTSA 20V-315), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-911), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-244), Latches and locks (NHTSA 16V-029) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.