CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2013 Nissan Altima has multiple problem trends including the CVT transmission, and now that this model is out of warranty, it earns our "Avoid Like The Plague" badge.

Owners complain about vibration and transmission failure related to the CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), a whining noise from the power steering pump, and constant windshield problems that appear to be the result of poor design.

Be warned: the 2014 & 2015 Nissan Altima appears to share these same problems.

8.2

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
10,150 miles
Total Complaints:
11 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (9 reports)
  2. replace the back up camera (2 reports)
2013 Nissan Altima accessories - interior problems

accessories - interior problem

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2013 Nissan Altima Owner Comments

problem #11

Nov 012018

Altima SL 4

  • CVT transmission
  • 62,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

For years, after the warranty expired, the camera went dark most of the time.

- Davidson J., Altamonte Springs, US

problem #10

May 102017

Altima SL 2.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 18,000 miles

Took it in under warranty few months before warranty was going to run out. Back up camera screen would shake and have lines through it or go blank now work. Not very clear or sharp. Brought Altima in for a few problems. They did replace the camera and also called me to pick up the car its ready when I got the car they left my trunk apart they didn't put it back together after installing new camera.They left the old camera in the box in the trunk as well I hope it was the old camera. Must have been the old one this camera works better. Then they had the nerve to call me and ask me to bring the old camera back so they could have credit from Nissan I put the trunk back together after myself I showed it to sales manager. He gave me a free carwash card. Service dept was close.Thats was Nissan Perrine, FL on US1 not impressed!

- Lou E., Miami, FL, US

problem #9

Mar 012015

Altima SL 3.5L V6

  • CVT transmission
  • 23,000 miles

Car still on warranty, and problem was never fixed, dealer always says that may be some glitch, because they couldn't find any problems with camera and wires.

- Andriy B., Chicago, IL, US

problem #8

Aug 152014

Altima SL 3.5L V6

  • CVT transmission
  • 7,185 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

After spending thousands of dollars for a car you would expect every to work as advertised. The car has the worst backup camera I have ever seen. I brought it to the dealer and he agreed to replace the camera. Nothing changed, and they broke something else that cause a Malfunction error message. Well after having the car for 12 yes 12 Days, I finally picked it up today. Guess what the backup camera is no better then when they looked at it 3 weeks ago. I think if we can get enough folks together, we should file a class action suit against Nissan for a known faulty product that they refuse to find a fix.

- Angelo A., Lexington, KY, US

problem #7

Apr 302013

Altima LS 4 Cilinder

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25 miles

The worst back-up camera ever. Friend has a Hyundai, great camera... Chevy economy, great camera.

Friends get in my car and I'm embarrassed. Spoke to dealer, nothing they can do about it. One of the features I truly wanted. Car cost over $31,000. What a shame..

- jumo, Venice, FL, US

problem #6

Oct 172012

Altima SL

  • Automatic transmission
  • 0 miles

BACK UP CAMERA IS INEFFECTIVE DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS. WORKS ONLY IN THE SHADE OR AT NIGHT. COMPLAINED TO LITHIA NISSAN IN FRESNO, CA AND THEY IGNORED THE COMPLAINT.

- Louis G., Fresno, CA, US

problem #5

Aug 092012

Altima SL 3.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 4 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The backup camera in this car is just plain awful. It's dark and very unclear and the edge of the screen is covered so I can't even read the information on the bottom of the screen. I can see that there are words there but most of them are covered you can barely see the very top of them. Nissan really did a rotten job with the camera on this car. I traded in an Infiniti M35, which had an excellent camera, because of all the hype about how wonderful the technology was in the new 2013 Altima. I got the SL 3.5 with all the upgrades and extras but now I'm wishing I had kept my 2006 M35. I've had several problems with the altima, the MIL light came on after I had it a couple of months, the Brake light comes on for no reason, I can hardly ever get Pandora to work with my Android Galaxy S4 phone. Paying nearly $35,000 for a car you expect it to work they way it was advertised. My husband and I have been buying Nissan cars and trucks since 1983 and we have never had any complaints. I've always recommended Nissan to friends and family but I would NEVER recommend one of these new Altimas. I've had my car barely a year and I'm already thinking about trading it in for a used M35. Very disappointed in the quality of this car.

- Regina B., Newnan, GA, US

problem #4

Apr 062013

Altima SL 2.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 93 miles

My backup camera is very dark at day light at night almost dont see anything. vent to dealer, they said nothing can be done. I think is because lens have tinted plastic cover. its undeveloped. I think lots of things on this car is undeveloped like a warning sound u hardly can hear an so on.

- Vik Z., Maple, Ontario, canada

problem #3

Feb 012013

Altima SL 2.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 1,000 miles

Well After paying $30,000 on a new vehicle I would expect my options that i paid for to work. So while driving EVEN in clear weather my blind spot monitoring system will either light up like there is a car in my blind spot or it will not come on when there is a car there. When it is raining it will do it every time. So i took it in to the service department at brown Nissan in Fairfax, Virginia(I have had many problems with them one being the loaner car they gave me the horn did not work and i almost got into 2 accidents while having it) along with the many other issues i was experiencing. They told me there is nothing they can do because the owners manual says that this will not work properly. Really? your telling me that your salesman told me that this is a top of the line feature that came from Infiniti works and works great to sell me the car but then the owners manual that no one reads until after purchasing the vehicle says it does not work then what did i pay the $30,000 for this vehicle for? This is unacceptable. This is a feature you advertise on your vehicle and yet it does not work and you will not stand behind it? if that's what it is then give me back my money that i spent for this extra feature.

- dynarider84, Reston, VA, US

problem #2

Jan 282013

Altima SL 2.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 100 miles

Same problem, I have problems seeing the screen because of lighting outside. I am tired of the dealerships comparing the issues wrong with other new vehicles, just because Nissan put faulty devices in all of their model that does not make it that they are operating properly! come on. 2 broken units does not mean they are working fine it means you have 2 faulty units.

- dynarider84, Reston, VA, US

problem #1

Mar 052013

Altima 2.5SL 4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40 miles

I purchased the 2013 Altima which had a Rearview Monitor - Back Up Camera. As I drove the car after purchasing it, I noticed when I put the car in reverse the Rearview Monitor was very dark and very hard to see the image on the screen - not from the weather since the image on the screen was still dark when the sun was shining. I brought it back to the dealer and they checked it out and an hour later their answer was - You got what you got. They could not improve the camera. As a matter of fact they brought out another 2013 model same color and model and showed me that in that car the camera was as bad as mine. Nothing they could do.They did say they checked a different 2013 model Nissan and the camera was fine. Just seems to be that model - color and car - that I purchased that has a camera that is so dark it is virtually useless. You got what you got. I called Nissan Customer Service and polite though they were - after 3 weeks and 3 different people - the results were they said they had never heard a complaint like this before but would put it on file. There idea of checking into it they said was to call my dealer and asked what the problem was and what could be done. I called Customer Service for assistance not to have them call my dealer and repeat to me what I had already been told.You got what you got. There must be a fix to this since other Nissan models have a back up camera that is both useable and seemingly correct. Having a factory Nissan tech check into this might have been a possibility but only the tech at the dealership checked out the problem.

Has anyone else had this problem - and more importantly - a solution? This back up camera flaw makes the purchase of my Nissan a very poor choice!. With service like this so far I would never purchase another Nissan though this is my second one. Probably my last!

- rjoly, Athol, MA, US

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