Most common 2013 Nissan Armada problems
Share of the 17 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Armada complaints by model year
Best Armada years: 2014, 2012, 2013. Years to avoid: 2025, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2004. Compare all years →
2013 Nissan Armada recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012-2017 NV Cargo and NV Passenger Van, 2013-2015 Titan and Armada and 2011-2012 Infiniti QX56 vehicles. Due to a manufacturing issue, the air bag inflator may not function properly or may rupture during deployment.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2020.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013 Titan and Armada vehicles manufactured February 22, 2013, through May 3, 2013. The affected vehicles have a brake master cylinder which may intermittently reduce the pressure supplied to the front brakes.
Remedy: Nissan has notified owners, and dealers will replace the master cylinder, free of charge. The recall began on October 21, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
What 2013 Nissan Armada owners say
Brakes
I was driving along in traffic at between 30-40 miles per hour following about 3+ car links behind, I went to make an emergence stop and had very diminished braking power and ended up hitting the back of another vehicle. I had this problem before (lucky not hitting someone) and took it to my Nissan deal where I was told there are no brake problems. I have since had the problem multiple times and my dealership cannot find the problem. I have expressed to Nissan USA that the problem sounds very familiar to the reports in their open recall "tem affected: service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder date announced: 10/21/2013 description of recall: Nissan north America, inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013 titan and Armada vehicles manufactured February 22, 2013, through May 3, 2013. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that the vehicle did not respond when the brake pedal was depressed and there was reduced braking power. The contact believed the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 13V451000 (service brakes). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the brake pads and rotors were replaced within the last twelve months. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer advised the contact to call NHTSA. The failure mileage was 50,000.
Air bags
On March 12, 2022 the supplemental air bag warning light came on in my vehicle. Nothing new has happened. When I looked in my manual that came with the vehicle it stated it needed servicing. It is flashing intermittently. If not checked and repaired it may not function properly. I have not received any recall on this issue, however, this appears to be a manufacturer issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Nissan Armada. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, she rear ended another vehicle. The contact stated the frontal driver's air bags did not deploy to full capacity. The contact stated her wrist was swollen, but did not seek any medical attention. A police report was not filed. The contact stated she continued to drive the vehicle but within a short distance had to stop due to the temperature gauge began to rise. The contact stated she was able to park on the side of the road. The contact stated smoke was seen exiting the hood. The vehicle was towed to her residence. The vehicle was seen by an independent mechanic whom stated that there was transmission fluid leaking. The radiator was replaced and the air bag was removed. …
Electrical system
The instrument cluster starts giving wrong signals which causes the car to either shutdown or not start randomly. for now a tap on the dashboard would help it start sometimes. it is a great safety hazard as if it shuts down on a dangerous road or if it wont start in dangerous areas, which happened with me multiple times while my kids were on the car, it could cause disasters. My car stayed at the dealer for 3 weeks, they were able to reproduce the problem, but they could not resolve the issue. they contacted the engineers in Nissan and no luck. the best they were able to do was guess it was the ecm. that is after they claimed it was the fuel pump and talked me into changing it, although I had a new aftermarket pump installed a month prior, and charged me over $1200 but after a search online I came across a video of an identical issue with a person who posted a video a year ago. …
Twice, while I thought the vehicle was in park, it began to roll. The first time I caught it right away and igrnored it. The second time was Tuesday March 11, 2014. I arrived and work and parked. It was dark. Put the truck in park, turned off the engine and lights; when I opened the door, I could hear the wind rushing by (I was parked in a parking lot (very slight decline.) anyway, got back in, slammed on the brakes, but still managed to hit the bushes (small trees) in front of me. Why am I able to shut of the car if it's not in park like it says?
2013 Nissan Armada engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 19 / 15 |
| 5.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD | 12 / 18 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Nissan Armada a good car?
Based on 17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Armada rates better than average: 68% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Armada at the same age. It is one of the best Armada years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Nissan Armada?
The brakes — 8 complaints, 47% of all complaints for this model year, most often about conventional › mechanical › linkage and cable. Next are the air bags (3) and electrical system (3).
How many recalls does the 2013 Nissan Armada have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2013 Nissan Armada, the most recent from March 30, 2020 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Armada?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2012 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2004. See the full Nissan Armada years comparison.
At what mileage do 2013 Nissan Armada problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 50% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.