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2013 Nissan

Altima

Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L

Nissan Altima: best and worst years
2013 Nissan Altima
2013 photoTuxysoCC BY-SA 3.0via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Drivetrain
Front-Wheel DriveEPA, from EPA, last updated 6/22/2026
Transmission
Automatic (AV-S6)EPA, from EPA, last updated 6/22/2026

Engine & performance

Aspiration
Naturally aspiratedEPA, from EPA, last updated 6/22/2026

Efficiency

Smog score
5/10
Real-world MPG
25.9 mpg, reported by 2 driversabout 0.9 mpg above the EPA combined estimate
SmartWay certified
No

Dimensions & capacity

GVWR class
Class 1 (6,000 lb or less)NHTSA vPIC, from NHTSA vPIC, last updated 10/13/2026

Safety NHTSA record NHTSA, model year

Overall crash rating
★★★★★
Rollover rating
★★★★★
Stability control (ESC)
Standard
Forward-collision warning
No
Lane-departure warning
No
Recalls
12
Owner complaints
2,312 See on NHTSA
Reported injuries
48
Theft rate
1.8 per 1,000 produced (CY 2013 federal data)

Reported problems NHTSA record NHTSA owner complaints, model year

  • AIR BAGS17%
  • POWER TRAIN17%
  • EXTERIOR LIGHTING15%
  • SUSPENSION10%
  • UNKNOWN OR OTHER8%
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM5%

Source: NHTSA owner complaints, 2,972 total.

Nissan Altima: best and worst years

Federal investigations NHTSA record NHTSA defect investigations, model year

  • EA21002Openopened Sep 17, 2021AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

    Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  • EA19002opened Jul 29, 2019SUSPENSION:REAR

    Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure

  • PE18013opened Dec 1, 2018SUSPENSION:REAR

    Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure

  • EA15004opened Aug 31, 2015AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

    Occupant Classification System Failure

  • RQ15001opened Mar 18, 2015AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

    Occupant Classification System Failure

Known issues manufacturer service bulletins, model year

356 service bulletins filed with NHTSA for this model year

  • Apr 13, 2026STRUCTURE:BODYNTB09-131C

    CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides an application form for such replacements. · The “VIN Plate/Label” (metal plate or vinyl label) is a

  • Sep 19, 2024AIR BAGSNTB19-071D

    DTC B00A0-00 STORED This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. IF YOU CONFIRM DTC B00A0-00 (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR UNIT) is stored, AND OCS zero point reset cannot be performed, (continued on the next page)

  • Jun 7, 2024POWER TRAINNTB12-103I

    CVT/TCM CALIBRATION DATA “WRITE” PROCEDURE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

  • May 21, 2024ELECTRICAL SYSTEMNTB13-107G

    VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

  • May 21, 2024ELECTRICAL SYSTEMNTB13-027D

    CAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

  • May 21, 2024ELECTRICAL SYSTEMNTB10-066C

    CAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

  • Apr 30, 2024VISIBILITY/WIPERNTB17-019H

    WINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

  • Apr 30, 2024VISIBILITY/WIPERNTB13-028I

    REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

  • and 348 more

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).

Warranty manufacturer terms, by make

Basic
3 yr / 36k mi
Powertrain
5 yr / 60k mi
Roadside assistance
3 yr / 36k mi
EV battery
8 yr / 100k mi

Source: www.cars.com as of 2026-06

Information is gathered on a best-effort basis from public sources, may be incomplete or out of date, and is not purchasing or financial advice. Verify with the manufacturer or dealer before buying.