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.
Be warned: the 2014 & 2015 Nissan Altima appears to share these same problems.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
27 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
33 / 0
Average Mileage:
24,216 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
I have a 2013 Altima that was part of the airbag recall. After taking the car to the dealership for the recall I noticed that sometimes the airbag still shows to be off when my wife is on the passenger side. I called the dealer and was informed that the passenger needs to weigh 115 lbs. My wife borderlines that weight. However, if the law states that a passenger must weigh 80 lbs to ride in the front of a vehicle, the 115 weight set by Nissan gives me reason for concern. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Air bar passenger light that air bag is off goes on when passenger 110 pound adult sits in passenger side. Brought car in to dealer October 28th 2014 for software update, as of October 30th 2014 problem still exists dealer said it is passenger's biometrics that is the problem not the car, solution is unacceptable, have no confidence. Dealer is Chevy chase Nissan, bethesda md adviser [xxx] turner 240 395 4069, 240 395 4048. Read this problem occurs in other vehicles but is not identified for my VIN number. Lighting is checked off because warning light goes off. I have pictures taken yesterday of warning light going off while adult passenger is sitting in passenger sear. Please note that problem existed since August and was not picked up until I read the NHTSA website this week. This a constant recurring problem that exists every day. Problem must be addressed to prevent fatality in the event of an accident with no air bag being deployed for passenger.
My passenger air bag light indicating that the air bags are off keeps coming on. I went to have it fixed when the first recall came out but it is still coming on saying my air bags are off.
For over a year this vehicle has had an issue where the airbags will turn themselves on and off. No matter if there is a person in the passenger seat or not. The seat can be empty and the airbags warning indicator light will randomly come on and off. The same is true when there is a person in the seat. The vehicle was repaired numerous times right after purchase, it was fixed for the safety recall for this problem and it has been repaired numerous times since. The problem continues. Nissan corporate has refused to re purchase this obvious lemon and has said they will continue to attempt to fix it. Since they have been unable to identify the problem... they now have resorted to blaming the dealers. Search vimeo for 2013 Nissan Altima airbag light and you will see the video of this issue.
I took my car to the Nissan dealer near my home for the safety recall on the front passenger air bag not working properly. They performed the software "fix" which was issued by Nissan. Approx. A week following this "fix" my 155 pound son was riding in the front seat and once again the light illuminated stating the passenger air bag was off even though my son who is 6 feet tall and well over 100 pounds was clearly sitting in the seat. I have not reported this to the dealer because I already know they have done all they can. This is however very bothersome to me as I hear this "fix" in fact fixed nothing at all for many people. I have 2 teenagers and an 8 year old and would appreciate being able to safely Transport my family in my brand new car. This is my 2nd Nissan Altima, I thought I was buying something safe and reliable for my family.
- Newark, CA, USA
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Front passenger air bag warning light stays on with adult passenger in seat. Indicates "air bag off" continually even though there is an adult weighing more than 120 lbs. In passenger seat. Recall service for "ntb14-027 OCS reprogram" had been performed by Nissan dealer on this vehicle on June 18, 2014.
Passenger airbag light is stating that it is off, when the seat was occupied by an adult. There was a recall issued and the car was taken to the dealership to have this fixed. The recall did not solve the problem. It has been taken to the dealership multiple times since the recall to have the problem corrected. I have video evidence of the last time it happened. The dealership ([xxx]) states that Nissan can not do anything further. The Nissan 800 number stated the same. Both want to push the issue to the other with no one providing resolution. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owned a 2013 Nissan Altima. While at a stop, another vehicle crashed into the rear of the contact's vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The rear driver side passenger sustained a head and hand injury that required medical attention. The driver also sustained a head injury that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the passenger air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions for the air bag sensor failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure had not been repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 350.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the front passenger seat air bag deactivated intermittently, even when the seat was occupied. The warning indicator was illuminated. The failure occurred several times. The dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was unknown.
Summary: This vehicle was recalled in late March 2014 to fix the problem of the passenger air bag light coming on intermittently, creating a safety problem for adults in the passenger seat. The car was serviced with the software fix. It failed to fix the problem. Both the dealership, dick smith Nissan on fernandina road, columbia, SC, and nissanusa state it cannot be fixed and "there?S nothing more they can do." Adult front-seat passengers, including a 160-pound male remain unsafe. Details: We saw the problem early in the lease and asked the dealer about it. We were told (1) the adult passenger is in fact unsafe while the light is on; (2) the problem was the owner?S weight (110) because sensors thought she was a child; (3) there was nothing that could be done because analysis of the data from the car"S computer did not indicate a malfunction, and they could not replicate the problem. We returned to the dealer two more times about this with the same outcome. Then the recall was issued, and the car was serviced with a software fix on 5/5/14. The problem recurred. Among other events, the light came on twice with a 160-pound man in the passenger seat. I have a photo of one of these events taken on Saturday evening, 9/13/14. We have tried to engage both the dealer and nissanusa in dialogue about fixing our car or getting another that is safe. Their response, echoing one another: ?the problem can?T be replicated, so it can?T be fixed. There?S nothing we can do." Conclusion: We have a car that is unsafe for any adult in the front passenger seat, and the problem is not fixable, and nobody will do anything about it. We should neither be stuck with a car already admitted to be permanently unsafe, nor bear the cost of getting rid of it.
The passenger airbag off light comes on sometimes when an adult is riding in the seat. The car was brought to the dealer service dept. 4 months after the purchase with this complaint. The problem occurred multiple times after with a total of four trips to the service dept. Including the recall for this problem. The problem is still happening. This isn't just an inconvenience but a serious safety issue. Either Nissan is ignorant of how to remedy the problem or they just don't care seeing as how this problem affects several Nissan models and also infiniti.
The air bag deactivated warning light came on while the passenger seat was occupied. The Nissan dealer had the car for about 30 minutes and said that it was fixed. The light continued on and off to come on for the next 8 months. I took it to the dealer and they said there was nothing wrong.... just fine with only one error code in the system and that was from the first time. The car is now home and the light has been on and off for periods of between 5 minutes and a few hours twice since. It clearly is not fixed and they had no suggestion for me except to bring it back when the light stays on for a long period (which it does not). Some service huh ?
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the passenger's seat did not acknowledge when a passenger was occupying the seat. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing but was unable to be diagnosed. The failure persisted. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign id number: 14V138000 (air bags, electrical system) but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the air bag and seat belt warning sensors illuminated. The dealer cleared the codes, but the failures recurred. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was repaired according to NHTSA campaign number: 14V138000 (air bags, electrical system); however, the remedy failed to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer numerous times, but the technician was unable to remedy the failure. In addition, the contact heard a loud noise while driving 25 mph and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 8,919.
My wife's vehicle was stopped on I-95 about a car length behind a minivan that had also stopped for debris in the road, a Toyota pickup truck hit the rear of her car at speeds in excess of 60mph pushing her car into the minivan in front of her at a speed of at least 30mph, the SRS airbag in her car failed to deploy and quite possibly the seatbelt as well. My wife struck her head on the vehicle's left side roof support beam and suffered a concussion, whiplash and other lesser degree injuries as a result. It is my understanding Nissan has had issues with SRS failures in 2013 Altima.
We have tried to have Nissan fix our passenger side airbag at least 3 times (one including for a safety recall issued) and the problem is still occurring. The dealership has replaced the sensor once and reprogrammed the computer system twice. The most recent time this occurred is the date above. The airbag is off when I am sitting in the seat and I am a 130 pound female. This doesn't happen every time I am in the passenger side but it could be off on a trip 15 minutes away from my house and on the way home it could be on. We have notified the dealership that this still occurs and we met with what they said was one of their "best technical experts" and were told that there is nothing wrong with our vehicle and they will do nothing about this problem because it is working to manufacturers specifications. They said it could be the way I am seated in the seat or the type of road we are driving on. We have multiple videos of me in the passenger seat, sitting upright, with the light on stating that my airbag is off.
With 130 - 140 lb passenger in front passenger seat, dashboard indicator signals that front passenger airbag will not deploy. Vehicle has been returned to dealer for recall service under NHTSA campaign number 14V138000, but this did not resolve the problem.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on several occasions where the failure was unable T be replicated. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA campaign id number: 14V138000 (airbags, electrical system) but the failure recurred. The contact noticed that the air bag light was indicating the air bag was off when a passenger was seated in the front passenger's seat. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 2,000.
My 18 year old son, weighing aprox. 135 lbs, 5'11", sitting in the passenger seat with his feet on the edge of the seat. I see the air bag indicator light go on. (indicating that the air bag is turned off.) this has happened at least 5 times. After 1st hearing about the recall for this same issue, I was expecting to receive a letter from Nissan. Didn't happen. Even though my car is exhibiting the same defect that has been recalled, I have been told that there is not an issue...
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Winston Salem , NC, USA