Model year guide

2013 Nissan Altima

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2013 Nissan Altima is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 5,218 on record.

2013 Nissan Altima at a glance

Safety recalls12
Owner complaints2,303
Overall safety5 / 5 ★
Combined28 mpg
Typical price$13,211

Free: specs, open recalls for that exact car, build sheet and fair price.

2013 Nissan Altima recalls 12

Air Bags:frontal NHTSA Campaign #15V681000 · 20/10/2015

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 classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front p…

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.

Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification NHTSA Campaign #16V911000 · 19/12/2016

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 incorrect Occupant Classification System (OCS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have been installed in the front passenger s…

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 1-800-647-7261.

Fuel System, Gasoline NHTSA Campaign #15V486000 · 04/08/2015

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 certain model year 2013-2015 Altima 3.5 vehicles equipped with a V6 engine manufactured March 30, 2012, to August 18, 2015 …

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 at 1-800-647-7261.

Electrical System:software NHTSA Campaign #14V138000 · 25/03/2014

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.

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.

Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification NHTSA Campaign #16V244000 · 26/04/2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these veh…

Fix: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi,…

Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch NHTSA Campaign #16V029000 · 22/01/2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 6, 2012, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.

Fix: These vehicles were previously included in recalls 14V-565 and 15V-116, however the previous remedy plan may not have been performed consistently to remove the safety risk. To correct this issue, Nissan will re-notify all affected owners and dealers will replace the hood latch with a new one, free…

Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch NHTSA Campaign #14V565000 · 15/09/2014

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.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will be instructed to modify the bend angle of the hood actuation lever to eliminate potential interference with the hood inner panel. In addition, dealers will clean and lubricate the latch joint as needed. If significant corrosion is observed, the latch as…

Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch NHTSA Campaign #15V116000 · 27/02/2015

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 1, 2013, to December 31, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will be instructed to modify the bend angle of the hood actuation lever to eliminate potential interference with the hood inner panel. In addition, dealers will clean and lubricate the latch joint as needed. If significant corrosion is observed, the latch as…

Air Bags NHTSA Campaign #13V069000 · 01/03/2013

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.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ODS sensors and replace them as neccessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.

Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire NHTSA Campaign #13V158000 · 24/04/2013

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.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and adjust the spare tire pressure, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 29, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Steering NHTSA Campaign #12V494000 · 10/10/2012

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.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the bolts to the proper torque specifications. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2012. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.

Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch NHTSA Campaign #20V315000 · 28/05/2020

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an Owner’s Manual addendum card with instructions on how to lubricate and maintain the secondary hood latch mechanism, free of charge. Owner n…

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A recall applies to a model year, but only a VIN check shows whether a specific car has had the repair done.

2013 Nissan Altima common problems

The most-reported problem areas from 2,303 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Exterior Lighting
Confirm all headlights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights work, with no moisture inside the housings.
Suspension
Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.
Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Wheels
Inspect wheels for bends, cracks and curb rash, and feel for vibration at highway speed.

2013 Nissan Altima safety ratings

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2013 Nissan Altima 4 DR FWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2013 Nissan Altima MPG & running costs

Combined28 mpg
City25 mpg
Highway34 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$2,225

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov, averaged across trims.

What's a 2013 Nissan Altima worth?

Low
$10,900
Typical price
$13,211
High
$16,100

From 5,211 comparable 2013 Nissan Altima listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2013 Nissan Altima costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$11,125
Depreciation (5 yrs)$6,250
Total$17,375
Per mile$0.23

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($13,211) with the same model 5 model-years older ($6,967), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2013 Nissan Altima trims & engines on record

Trims
2.5 · 2.5 S · 3.5 SL · 3.5 S · 2.5 SL
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl · 3.5L 6-cyl · 1.8L 4-cyl

2013 Nissan Altima vehicles on record

Other Nissan Altima model years

2013 Nissan Altima — frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Nissan Altima have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 12 safety recalls for the 2013 Nissan Altima. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Nissan Altima?

Based on 2,303 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are exterior lighting, suspension, power train.

What is the 2013 Nissan Altima safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2013 Nissan Altima an overall crash-test rating of 5 out of 5 stars (frontal 5★, side 5★, rollover 4★).

What gas mileage does the 2013 Nissan Altima get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2013 Nissan Altima at about 28 mpg combined (25 city / 34 highway).

How much is a 2013 Nissan Altima worth?

Comparable 2013 Nissan Altima listings run roughly $10,900–$16,100, typically around $13,211 (from 5,211 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.