2013 Nissan Altima Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 442 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the 2013 Nissan Altima, 19% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 80,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “low beam” (38% of reports).
- 442exterior lighting complaints
- 80,000median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,350typical repair cost reported by owners
- 34%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Low beam: mentioned in 166 of 442 complaints (38%)
- High beams: mentioned in 109 of 442 complaints (25%)
- Headlights dim: mentioned in 73 of 442 complaints (17%)
- See night: mentioned in 52 of 442 complaints (12%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical exterior lighting repair on the 2013 Nissan Altima at $1,350, and half of them between $1,300 and $1,600.
Based on 49 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2017–2024), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 246 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 442 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Nissan Altima exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Altima | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2020 Altima | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2019 Altima | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2018 Altima | 13 | 6% | 46,000 |
| 2017 Altima | 18 | 5% | 51,144 |
| 2016 Altima | 42 | 8% | 85,000 |
| 2015 Altima | 270 | 28% | 68,000 |
| 2014 Altima | 299 | 27% | 80,000 |
| 2013 Altima | 442 | 19% | 80,000 |
| 2012 Altima | 5 | 1% | 6,250 |
| 2011 Altima | 2 | 1% | 16,720 |
| 2010 Altima | 7 | 2% | 20,024 |
| 2009 Altima | 9 | 1% | 40,971 |
| 2008 Altima | 9 | 1% | 40,000 |
| 2007 Altima | 4 | 1% | 34,000 |
| 2006 Altima | 9 | 1% | 117,500 |
| 2005 Altima | 13 | 1% | 48,250 |
| 2004 Altima | 6 | 2% | 85,000 |
| 2003 Altima | 17 | 2% | 77,500 |
| 2002 Altima | 41 | 4% | 60,500 |
| 2000 Altima | 2 | 1% | 20 |
| 1998 Altima | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1997 Altima | 4 | 4% | 80,000 |
| 1996 Altima | 4 | 4% | 40 |
| 1995 Altima | 1 | 1% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists exterior lighting for the 2013 Nissan Altima. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the headlights were very dim, making it difficult to see while driving at night. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with deteriorating headlight assemblies…
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. The headlights are very dim and create a safety hazzard when driving in an area…
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
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2013 Nissan Altimas have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 442 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the 2013 Nissan Altima (19% of the 2,313 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Nissan Altima exterior lighting?
No recall currently lists exterior lighting for this vehicle.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems start?
The median reported mileage is 80,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix exterior lighting problems on the 2013 Nissan Altima?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,350 (half paid between $1,300 and $1,600), from 49 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the 2013 Nissan Altima?
The most frequent phrase is “low beam”, in 166 of 442 complaints, followed by “high beams” (109).
Other 2013 Nissan Altima problems
- Air Bags problems (514)
- Power Train problems (505)
- Suspension problems (289)
- Electrical System problems (159)
- Engine problems (158)
- Structure problems (134)
- Steering problems (94)
- Latches/locks/linkages problems (60)
See all 2013 Nissan Altima problems or exterior lighting problems across all Altima years.