Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Nissan Altima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the headlights became extremely dim. The contact stated that the headlights were no longer illuminated as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that failure occurred on several occasions and the high beam headlights had to be activated. The contact later received a notice for Nissan Service Campaign Number: PC861 for the replacement of the halogen headlamps. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed that the headlamps needed to be replaced; however, the dealer informed the contact that the failure did not meet the specifications to be covered under the Service Campaign. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the repair would be the responsibility of the vehicle owner. …
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact received notification of Voluntary Service Campaign: PC861 (Front Combination Lamps (Headlamps) - Halogen Only). The contact stated that the front headlamps failed to illuminate. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the Voluntary Service Campaign had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the Voluntary Service Campaign had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000. The contact stated that there isn't a failure mileage. While waiting for the parts to become available, the contact had become ill and had missed the deadline for the recall repairs. However, the contact claims that she was never notified that the parts were available or to come in for repairs. …
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the hood inadvertently opened. The contact lost control of the vehicle but was able to pull over, close the hood, and continued driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. Additionally, while driving, the headlights failed to produce adequate lighting. The contact used the high beam headlights while driving. The contact stated that it was difficult to see people and objects on the roadway. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V315000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the headlights were significantly dim, affecting the driver's visibility of the roadway. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that sometimes she drove with the high beams activated to make the roadway more visible, even though it was distracting to oncoming drivers. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed that the headlights needed to be replaced under Nissan Lawsuit Settlement Service Campaign Number: PC861. However, the dealer informed the contact that the parts for repair were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at night, she noticed that the low-beam headlights were becoming very dim. The contact stated that the failure occurred gradually and that no warning lights were illuminated. Over time, the failure occurred more frequently. The contact stated that it had become increasingly more difficult to see the roadway while driving because the headlights were extremely dim. The local dealer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to replace the headlight assemblies. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
I had been pulled over for not having my lights on but they were, then pulled over again while driving with brights on,(had to drive with brights on to see road), Another day, I had turned off my brights to avoid getting pulled over for having them on. When I arrived at my destination I could barely see the road & hit a parked car. It just so happened I was in front of my daughters house, my destination , & it was her car I hit. I cant drive at night which has caused many other problem. Headlights might as well be off while driving at night cause they look same on. & WORSE in fog cause you cant use brights to help see either.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH at night, she noticed that the high beam headlights were significantly dim. The contact later received a notice for Nissan Service Campaign Number: PC861 for the halogen headlamps replacement. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed that the headlamps needed to be replaced; however, the dealer informed the contact that the parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact state while driving approximately 65 MPH at night, the headlights were dimmed making visibility very difficult. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who confirmed the failure with the headlights. The headlights were not replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The dealer related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V244000 (Exterior Lighting) however, neither the VIN nor the year, make, or model vehicle was included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 2,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the headlights were dim however, there was no fog or coating on the headlight assemblies that could have caused the failure. The contact stated that other vehicles would either flash their hi-beam lights or sound their horn to inform him that his lights were not on even while the headlights were activated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated that the headlights needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at night with the low-beam headlights activated, the illumination from the headlights was extremely dim, causing a visibility hazard for the driver. The headlight bulbs were replaced on several occasions, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced to fix the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 86,000.
Headlight complaints in other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2013 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA has 442 complaints about the lights of the 2013 Nissan Altima, 19% of the model year's 2,313 complaints. The component named most often is headlights (24 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Nissan Altima headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for the 2013 Nissan Altima, though it has 12 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2013 Nissan Altima headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to lights problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.