Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here.
Owners have filed 2,309 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Nissan Altima, and it carries 12 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 389 | 17% |
| Air bags | 372 | 16% |
| Power train | 364 | 16% |
| Suspension | 215 | 9% |
| Unknown or other | 143 | 6% |
| Structure | 79 | 3% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 51 | 2% |
| Engine | 44 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 40 | 2% |
| Power train | 34 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Driver side rear lower control arm broke/rusted through. Was able to get the vehicle home prior to an catastrophic incident. See pictures attached. Warning light came on the dash at the time of the brake of the contro
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the cruise control activated, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated. During the failure, there were no warning ligh
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
Front passenger door lock actuator fails to unlock door when driver's, passengers or key fob to unlock is activated. All other doors (3) work as they should. This creates a safety issue as the door must manually be unlo
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The headlight housings metallic coatings for reflectivity are failing and reduce the efficacy of the headlights. There has been a class action lawsuit against Nissan for this but many, like myself, were not notified. T
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
Rear left wheel busted off of car while driving. Flew up into the back end of car totaling the vehicle. We were very lucky no one was hurt.
NHTSA complaint: Wheels
The contact's friend owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that when the vehicle was parked, the check engine warning light illuminated and remained illuminated for an extended period. The vehicle was taken to tw
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Headlights are extremely dim almost always have to drive with my high beams on at night since the lights are so dark. Have tried replacing bulbs on my own but lights are still dim. No warning or anything were ever shown
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop sign, the vehicle accelerated to approximately 15 MPH and then unexpectedly decelerated. The contact attempted to
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the 2013 Nissan Altima. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant
Risk: If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014, to August 12, 2016, and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured June 4, 2015, to August 19, 2015. An incorr
Risk: 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.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECU and update the OCS software free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-72
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified the agency on July 31, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2016 Nissan Maxima vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to August 18, 2015. On October 14, 2015, Nissan expanded the recall to cover an additional 41,388 vehicles, including cert
Risk: 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.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer ring between the fuel tank and the fuel sending unit. The recall began on September 28, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service
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
Risk: If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted)
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
| Reliability | 39 | below average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 59 | average |
| Maintenance | 82 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 75 | good |
| Performance | 50 | average |
| Efficiency | 54 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 2,309 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and exterior lighting is the most reported area with 389 of them (17%). There are 12 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 39/100 (below average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density, adjusted for how many were sold so a popular model is not penalised for having more owners.
AVOIR scores its longevity 59/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2013 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip, because the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here. Its overall ownership score is 63/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.