On the morning of XXX, while driving at approximately 15-20 mph, the traction control warning light illuminated on my 2013 Nissan Altima (approximately 80,000 miles). I drove the short distance home, and upon inspection found the right-rear wheel visibly tilted inward with noticeably lower ride height than the left-rear wheel, consistent with a fractured right-rear lower suspension link (lower control arm). The component shows signs of corrosion. The vehicle was originally purchased in [XXX], was later registered and operated for approximately five years in [XXX], where winter road-salt exposure is routine, and was subsequently returned to [XXX]. The vehicle was parked immediately and has not been driven since; it is available for inspection upon request. Safety was put at risk because the failure occurred while the vehicle was in motion on a public road. A separated rear lower link allows the wheel to move out of alignment, which can cause sudden loss of vehicle control, particularly at higher speeds. The failure ha not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center; the vehicle is awaiting tow to a repair facility. No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms appeared prior to the morning of XXX. I contacted Nissan USA Consumer Affairs regarding this failure. They checked the VIN, stated that service campaign P9324 is not open on this vehicle in their [XXX] system, performed no inspection or repair, and referred the matter to Nissan Canada. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2013 Nissan Altima: ball joint or control arm failure
222 of the 2,315 complaints about the 2013 Nissan Altima describe ball joint or control arm failure.
- owner complaints
- 222
- of this car's complaints
- 10%
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,300
- typical mileage
- 101,000
- recalls
- 1
Ball joint or control arm failure by model year
What owners say
Driver side rear lower control arm broke/rusted through. Was able to get the vehicle home prior to an catastrophic incident. See pictures attached. Warning light came on the dash at the time of the brake of the control arm.
Right side rear lower control arm failed while driving due to excessive corrosion. I nearly lost control of the vehicle as the right rear wheel is no longer properly aligned. If this had happened on the highway it could have killed us. Dealer service dept, Nissan service campaign department and nissan consumer affairs department all insisted my VIN does not qualify for repairs detailed under the federal safety agency reference P9324 and all refused to look up the reference number. The bulletin seems clear that Nissan has responsibility to address my issue.
Heard a loud pop noise from the rear of the car while backing up, steering was unstable while driving. Looked under the car and discover the right rear control arm is broken.
Fuel System: Car hesitates and cut off after pumping fuel.\n' + 'Outer Tie rods torn rubber, vehicle never been realigned, but tires were worn on both front sides. \n' + 'Takata Air bag light has been on for over 2 years.\n' + 'Transmission over heats. Engine cuts back between 45 and 60 mph on the freeway. So we stop and allow it to cool off.
Both of my rear lower control arms on my 2013 Nissan ALTIMA sedan have rusted thru and cracked. It has been reported on Nissan Service Campaign P9324, dated October 25, 2019. Unfortunately, I have been told my VIN is not included in the P9324 campaign. But both of my lower control arms are rusted through and cracked and I do live in New Hampshire, one of the salt states listed in the campaign. My car is at the dealer and I have been told that I cannot drive it anymore until it has been repaired.
When I was driving on the road my rear control arm broke. I didn’t realize at first what was actually broken until I looked under the car later on and it looked like my control arm eroded over time and just snapped my wheel was shaking so bad my vertigo started. I do have a recall on the lower suspension link. As well as two other things that are not shown here. ALTIMA HOOD LATCH NTB21-055 ALTIMA LOWER LINK NTB19-082 ALT RGE CVT P0776 NTB16-121
Nissan needs to do a recall on their rear suspensions. My 2013 Nissan Altima suspension has had some issue AFTER Nissan service bulletin for rear suspension was checked. I believe that the service bulletin that Nissan “did” or “checked“ was replaced with the same faulty parts or not checked correctly. Giving the same issue with the suspension. Prior to the rear suspension bulletin services, l had a control arm snap in half while driving. There was no knocking/ clunking sounds. Just one day it snapped and broke. While my car was being serviced to be fixed, it was at this time I was informed about the rear suspension links. After leaving Nissan that day, my car has STILL not been right to drive. Loose sterling , pulling, drifting- making it impossible to control vehicle. The rear suspension- links/ control arm/ ball joints need to be recalled and replaced.
Rear suspension control arm broke while making a turn. Heard a loud snap, couldn't see anything wrong so I proceeded to turn onto the road, heard what sounded like a blowout and felt like the tire was about to come off. After looking it up, I see that this to be common with 2013 so I called Nissan to find out if a recall was ever issued and it has not been which is very concerning. This happened when I was traveling less than 10 mph, pulling away from my home.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the lower control arm frame on the driver's side was completely rusted and had detached from the vehicle. There was no warning illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 188,000. The VIN was not available.
Upon driving, the Left control arm snapped in two. The car veered to the left but I was able to regain control fortunately. Ten minutes prior I had been on a major highway. Results may have been different in that regard. Firestone Complete Auto Care assessed it and quoted me up to $600.00 for repair. I researched the Control Issue only to discover that this was a common problem on 2013 Nissan Altimas. There were beyond numerous complaints in USA and Canada, and over a quarter million Altimas were repaired for this defect. My mechanic told me that the Right Control Arm had already been repaired prior to myself purchasing the vehicle in 2016, but the Left control Arm was not repaired. Apparently there was simply a "Campaign" regarding this defect and it was never considered a recall. I am wondering if there can be some reimbersement for the $673.51 I paid to get my car fixed. I would appreciate a reply. Thank you.
Front lower control arm bushings appear worn out with progressive clunking and severe shaking leading to unstable steering and unevenly worn tires
Service bulletins that may apply
- Strut and shock absorber replacement guidelines
- Rear Lower Suspension Link Warranty Extension Dealer Notification In October 2019, Nissan launched a...
- Rear suspension lower link if you confirm
- Suspension
- Clicking noise from front or rear axle during take-off/acceleration
- Voluntary service campaign 2013 altima sedan; rear lower link
- Voluntary service campaign 2013 altima sedan; rear lower link for ohio, vermont and wisconsin only
- Suspension
Related recalls
Suspension
- What is wrong
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Altima vehicles manufactured from May 10, 2012, through July 26, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with transverse link bolts and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to proper specification.
- Risk
- The affected bolts could become loose and fall out which may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the bolts to the proper torque specifications. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2012. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 12V494000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2013 Nissan Altima ball joint
Is ball joint or control arm failure a common problem on the 2013 Nissan Altima?
222 of 2,315 owner complaints about the 2013 Nissan Altima (10%) mention ball joint or control arm failure. The model year with the most reports is 2013.
How much does it cost to fix ball joint or control arm failure on the 2013 Nissan Altima?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,300 (median of 20 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2013 Nissan Altima?
There is 1 recall and 14 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2013 Nissan Altima
Headlights 428Airbag light 254CVT failure 176Stalling 158Transmission failure 130Jerking 102Check engine light 69Shudder 64Door locks 52Won't shift 46Hesitation 44Loss of power 36Grinding brakes 33No deployment 31Slipping 20Whining noise 20Won't start 19Fire or smoke 18Pulling 17Harsh shifting 16Key fob 14Knocking 12Sudden acceleration 10Sunroof shattered 10Engine failure 9Seat belt 9Windshield crack 9Warning lights 8Backup camera 7Power steering loss 7Brake failure 6Adaptive cruise 5Misfire 5Tire blowout 5
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