Nissan Altima 2013–2018Common problems, reliability & repair costs

Symptoms: Shudder or judder under light acceleration, hesitation, a whining or droning noise, RPM flaring without matching speed ('rubber-banding'), jerking, and in later stages overheating and a limp-mode warning before total failure. The factory transmission cooler is widely blamed for letting the CVT run too hot.

Fix: Reman or replacement CVT, often with an upgraded cooler. Nissan extended the CVT warranty to 84 months / 84,000 miles (from 60/60k) on affected cars, and a class-action settlement provided further coverage — many units were replaced free. Out of coverage, a remanufactured CVT swap is the realistic fix and frequently approaches the car's value.

Sources: NHTSA TSB — Altima/Sentra/Versa CVT warranty extension, CarComplaints — 2014 Altima power train (205 complaints), Nissan CVT class action — BBB National Programs

Symptoms: A poorly painted secondary hood latch corrodes and stops engaging. If the primary latch is released, the hood can fly up at speed and block the driver's view. Over 1.8 million Altimas were recalled.

Fix: Covered by recall (NHTSA 14V-565, 15V-116, 16V-029, 20V-315 — Nissan re-recalled it because earlier fixes proved insufficient). Dealer installs a stronger release spring and warning label at no charge. Verify the remedy was performed; if corroded, the latch assembly itself is inexpensive.

Sources: Consumer Reports — Altima hood recall expanded, CarComplaints — hood-latch recall fix lawsuit

Symptoms: The engine progressively burns oil as piston rings wear — a quart every few thousand miles climbing toward a quart every 1,000–1,500 miles by ~150k. Low-oil light, blue smoke on startup, and engine damage if the level isn't watched.

Fix: Mild cases: monitor and top off — keep oil at the full mark and stay on short oil-change intervals. Severe cases need a piston/ring job or, more commonly given the labor, a used or reman long-block. The cheap insurance is checking oil monthly.

Sources: Go-Parts — QR25DE 2.5L timing/engine reference, CarComplaints — 2013 Altima engine

Symptoms: A metallic rattle from the front of the engine on cold start that fades after a few seconds as oil pressure builds. Caused by worn plastic chain guides and a weakening hydraulic tensioner. Affects both the QR25DE and VQ35DE.

Fix: Replace the timing chain kit (chain, guides, tensioner). It's labor-intensive on both engines. Catching it as a cold-start rattle is far cheaper than letting a guide break and the chain jump.

Sources: Go-Parts — 2003–2018 Altima timing chain kit guide, The Nissan Club — QR25DE timing chain slack

Symptoms: Clunks over bumps, a loose or wandering front end, and uneven tire wear. Front control-arm bushings and ball joints wear earlier than expected. A 2013 recall also covered loose suspension/transverse-link bolts.

Fix: Replace worn control arms (the bushings usually aren't sold separately) and follow with an alignment. Check the 2013 suspension-bolt recall was addressed by VIN.

Sources: CarComplaints — 2013 Altima suspension/wheels, Endurance — Nissan Altima years to avoid

Tools: Floor jack + jack stands, Socket set, Fluid pump / funnel, Drain pan, Torque wrench

1. Warm the car briefly, then shut off and safely raise and support the front.
2. Place the drain pan, remove the CVT drain plug, and let it fully drain; measure what comes out.
3. Reinstall the drain plug with a new washer and torque to spec.
4. Refill through the fill/charging port with the EXACT amount drained, using genuine Nissan NS-3 CVT fluid only — wrong fluid kills these transmissions.
5. Check level per the temperature-based procedure, then verify no leaks on a short drive.

Tools: Screwdriver

1. Open the glovebox, release the side stops to drop it down, and pull the cabin filter cover.
2. Slide out the old cabin filter and insert the new one with the airflow arrow pointing down.
3. Unclip the engine airbox lid, swap in the new panel filter, and re-clip the lid.

Tools: Floor jack + jack stands, Ball-joint separator / pickle fork, Socket + wrench set, Breaker bar, Torque wrench

1. Raise and support the front, remove the wheel, and locate the lower control arm.
2. Separate the ball joint from the steering knuckle with a separator tool.
3. Remove the control-arm mounting bolts (front bushing and rear bushing/bracket).
4. Install the new control arm, hand-start all bolts, then torque to spec with the suspension at ride height.
5. Reinstall the wheel, lower the car, and get a front alignment afterward.