— A Nissan Altima headlight lawsuit settlement has been reached after three car owners alleged 2013-2018 Altimas have halogen headlight assemblies that delaminate and lose their reflective surfaces.
According to the Nissan class action lawsuit, the headlights become too dim to drive safely at night, and although a settlement has been reached the headlight bulbs are not covered by the agreement.
In addition, only 2013-2018 Nissan Altima cars equipped with halogen bulbs are affected, not cars manufactured with Xenon or LED headlights.
The halogen bulbs aren't included in the lawsuit settlement because the alleged problem is the reflective assemblies that fail to reflect the low-beam lights.
The Nissan Altima headlight lawsuit alleges the headlights are so dim that drivers have been pulled over by the police, a problem Nissan has allegedly known about since 2013. The plaintiffs claim Nissan has refused to offer free replacement parts which can cost up to $1,200.
According to court documents, the settlement includes current and former owners and lessees of 2013-2018 Nissan Altima cars.
Nissan denies the vehicles are defective and denies all allegations of wrongdoing, but the automaker says it decided to settle the case to save on the time and expense of prolonged litigation.
Nissan Altima Headlight Lawsuit Settlement Agreement
The settlement must still be approved by the judge, but the current Altima agreement includes the following.
Headlight Assembly Warranty Extension
Nissan will extend the terms of the Altima warranty for the halogen headlight assemblies (not the bulbs) by 36 months subject to the same terms and conditions of the original new vehicle warranty.
Reimbursement For Nissan Altima Headlight Assemblies
Nissan will reimburse 2013-2018 Altima customers for parts and labor paid by customers for qualifying repairs involving the replacement of headlight assemblies.
The full amount will be reimbursed if the replacement was performed by a Nissan dealer. If the replacement was performed by a non-Nissan repair facility, Nissan will reimburse costs for parts and labor up to $1,200 per replacement pair.
If the Nissan Altima customer paid for parts but not labor, Nissan will reimburse costs for parts and shipping.
Outside the Extended Warranty
If the extended warranty period of 72 months has expired but your Nissan headlights are dim, Nissan will provide a one-time free replacement of the headlight assemblies.
"Specifically, you must submit an 'Out-of-Warranty Claim Form' within 65-days of the Effective Date, and then you must have the replacement completed by an authorized Nissan dealer within 6 months after that 65-day deadline." — Nissan Altima headlight lawsuit settlement
Nothing is official until the judge approves the settlement at an upcoming final fairness hearing.
Attorneys representing Altima owners are expected to receive $2.5 million.
Affected 2013-2018 Nissan Altima customers may learn more at AltimaHeadlightSettlement.com.
The Nissan Altima headlight lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee: Suarez, et al., vs. Nissan North America, Inc.
The plaintiffs are represented by Spragens Law PLC, and Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP.