Free Preview
#BS-2013-NISALT-73F42013 Nissan Altima
Based on reports from 1,000 owners and 12 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 1,000 complaints, 46 crashes, 12 fires, and 12 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.6x the class average. This is the worst model year for this vehicle.
Top reported problems
cvt shuttering vibration hesitation running roughly
179 complaints • Severity 8.4/10
dim low beams
93 complaints • Severity 9.1/10
transmission stopped working
73 complaints • Severity 9.3/10
Preview: What's in your full report
Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $1.20
Mechanic Inspection Checklist
303 owners reported airbags issues — failures commonly reported around 15K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (535 reports) • Median: 15K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Airbags (303 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2013 Nissan Altima: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Airbags Issues
Airbags complaints account for 30% of all reports filed for the 2013 Nissan Altima, with 303 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 15,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 15K-mile mark.
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 17% of all reports filed for the 2013 Nissan Altima, with 166 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2013 Nissan Altima, with 81 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2013 Nissan Altima, with 75 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2013 Nissan Altima. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (12 recalls)
SUSPENSION
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Altima vehicles manufactured from May 10, 2012, through July 26, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with transverse link bolts and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to proper specification.
AIR BAGS
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, Sentra, and Infiniti JX35 vehicles. 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.
TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE
Nissan North America is recalling certain model year 2013 Altima vehicles manufactured March 21, 2012, through March 26, 2013. The spare tires may have been significantly over- or under-inflated.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. 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.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 6, 2012, to February 28, 2013. 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.
+ 7 more recalls in the full report
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
This is the worst model year for the Nissan Altima according to owner complaint data. The biggest problem area is engine.
2013 Nissan Altima vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)
This vehicle
1,000
Class avg
378
2.6x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,000 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 12 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Nissan Altima Model Years
2013 Nissan Altima: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Nissan Altima?
Is the 2013 Nissan Altima reliable?
How much does it cost to fix 2013 Nissan Altima problems?
Does the 2013 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
What mileage do Nissan Altima problems start?
What’s in the full report?
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
How is this different from Carfax?
What if the report isn’t useful?
Get the Full 2013 Nissan Altima Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,000 owner reports. Know before you buy.