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2018 Nissan Altima: headlights failing or too dim

8 of the 226 complaints about the 2018 Nissan Altima describe headlights failing or too dim.

owner complaints
8
of this car's complaints
4%
recalls
0
Is there a fix? 19 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Headlights failing or too dim by model year

What owners say

Filed Dec 31, 2025 · Lights · IA

The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, the halogen headlights failed to function as intended and were dimmed, which reduced the visibility of the roadway. There was no warning light illuminated. Â The vehicle was taken to a collision center, where the headlight assembly and bulbs were replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact learned that the headlights on Nissan vehicles were experiencing failure due to a delaminating reflector defect. The contact learned that the heat from the halogen beams was causing heat damage to the reflective surface. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Sep 4, 2025 · Lights · MO

The headlights on my 2018 Altima SL are INCREDIBLY dim. I have tried two different LED manufacturer's bulbs with the same result. It is beyond dangerous to drive my car at night. Sadly, my floodlights are FAR brighter than my low beams. There are countless complaints for this issue over the past few years. It sounds like their solution was less than desirable for most customers. This should be an actual recall to ensure that the Hundreds of thousands (probably more) of the 2013- 2018 Altimas on the road are safe for the drivers as well as the cars around them. This issue is ridiculous and MUST be corrected.

Filed Jul 22, 2025 · Lights · FL

The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the headlights on the driver's and passenger's side of the vehicle had identical stress fractures. The fractures allowed water to enter the headlight housings. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case for the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that the headlight assembly replacements were not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Jun 24, 2024 · Lights · LA

The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights were not functioning properly. The contact stated that the headlights were very dim. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Sep 12, 2022 · Lights · 86,000 miles · PA

The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn on a dark road, the low beam headlights were significantly dim, causing the contact to miss her turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring. Additionally, the contact stated that the low beam headlights were being blown very quickly. The driver's side low beam headlight was replaced twice and the passenger's side low beam headlight was replaced once within the past 6-months. The contact received an unknown notice from the manufacturer for the repair of the parts. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the low beam headlights needed to be replaced; however, the parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

Filed Apr 13, 2021 · Lights, Visibility · 44,000 miles · MD

Low beam headlights are not effective in seeing at night. Known issues in nissan altima models where headlight assembly reflective parts becomes foggy and distorted/melts due build up of heat from halogen light bulbs located in the assembly. Creates dangerous road conditions not only for the driver but for others as well. Nissan continues to ignore the ongoing issues and has yet to issue an alternative to correct the problem.

Filed Dec 15, 2019 · Lights · 48,000 miles · KY

My headlights are awful I can't see at night because the lights project on the ground and I have to have the lights on bright just to see there should be a recall on this issue.

Filed Jul 9, 2019 · Lights · LA

Low beam headlights are dangerously and inadequately low, not allowing driver to see roadway at night while driving. Low beam headlights project only approximately 50 feet; therefore, for any speed over 45 miles per hour it is I'm possible to see far enough in front of vehicle.

Questions about the 2018 Nissan Altima headlights

Is headlights failing or too dim a common problem on the 2018 Nissan Altima?

8 of 226 owner complaints about the 2018 Nissan Altima (4%) mention headlights failing or too dim. The model year with the most reports is 2013.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2018 Nissan Altima?

There are 0 recalls and 19 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2018 Nissan Altima

Airbag light 23CVT failure 12Won't start 12Backup camera 10Adaptive cruise 8Jerking 7Check engine light 6Transmission failure 6Hesitation 5

All model years of the Nissan Altima

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