Adding another Nissan interior door handle quality gripe to the site here. Our 2013 Altima has had now 3 of the 4 interior door handles replaced. Had the first done by dealer, about 40 for the part and a 120 for labor (about 170 with tax). When the second one broke we got smarter and found the part online for 25 dollars and replaced that on ourselves. Recently did another (both fronts and pass rear now busted and replaced). Kind of like pros now with it, took about a half hour with the latest.

Each time we change one just baffled at the absolute garbage design and construction. But no recalls, no help from Nissan. You have a steel cable pulled on by a cheap piece of plastic handle,,, how does that design even get signed off on?!?!? Grrrrr. The good news is this terrible handle design is in many of their vehicles,,, wait, that isn't good news. :-|

Summary of main 2013 Nissan Altima issues we've experienced and added to this site... - No support from Nissan is our number one issue, never had vehicle issues like this before with so many problems. It can happen, have a dud/lemon, but to not get any support from dealers or corporate to help with a single issues time and time again after multiple confirmed visits with the same issues is terrible. - CVT surging easily the number one mechanical problem. - Interior door handles our number one interior quality problem, 3 of the 4 replaced within 50k miles. - Exterior front bumper cover popping off left and right sides by wheel our number one exterior quality problem. - Rear end suspension rattles (this was recently recalled - finally). - Headlights terrible. - Never seen a thinner steel used for body panels, garbage. - Keyless system frequent issues (must touch key to button, hit or miss... yes, batteries changed many times).

This was the first time it broke but it's no wonder at all because its 100% plastic. The casing surrounds and pulls the metal cable that opens the Altima doors. They knew this would ultimately prematurely fail and it does ...continually. 8 months later it happened again.

I am a 55 year old Female and I now do the repair myself. and I will when it fails again. The new door latch is only 15 bucks online however the dealer will screw you for labor on removing the door panel. it is really fairly easy to do and you will save $200 doing it yourself. There are several YOUTUBE videos that show you how to do the entire repair yourself.

Yes yet another issue on or about 10/01/2017, as I reached for the door handle to let myself out, what happens? The door handle is completely loose just swinging back and forth. Unable to get myself out, I have to role down the window just to be able to let myself out by the outside handle. If that wasn't enough, about 1 month later, yet another door handle does the exact same thing. Passenger side rear door handle. So I had got in the car to realize that I had left the keys in the house. I could not role the window down so I had to climb in the back seat just to be able to open the door and get out the back. What a dangerous situation, if their was a accident I would literally be trapped in the car. as well as my passengers Thank God it was fixed shortly after. I was a complete fight just to get the warranty to cover both handles they only covered the actual door lock, so I had to fight just to get the handles covered in the end of it all I had to pay $80.00 out of my pocket pus additional fees to pay for a rental car, Nightmare in Arizona

I have had to replace 3 door handles in my car. The passenger front handle broke 2 years after purchase but the vehicle had 44k so it wasn’t covered under warranty. Then at 4 years old 90k the driver door handle and the driver rear door handle broke a week apart from each other. It’s a safety concern to because it would be hard to get out of the vehicle if the battery/alternator were to die. Being that you have to roll down the window or have someone on the outside let you out. Another annoying face is that the part is not even $20 and Nissan charges $100+ per door to fix it.

This is the second door handle to break in a year. How embarrassing and annoying to have to open your driver side window to get out of your car? Since its a push button start, what I had to do to get out of my car was roll the window down, remember to unlock the door, open it using the outside handle, then roll the window back up. I'm wondering if I should just give in and purchase all new inside handles for this car! Pretty crappy design to have them start falling apart in such a new car. Very disappointed.

This is my third registered complaint to my vehicle since my purchase in March. I was visiting my niece in Florida. Upon leaving my niece condo, I told my mother to wait in a specific area so that I could walk to the car and drive up to decrease her walking distance. After I pulled up, I placed my car in park next to my mom. When I used the interior door handle to open the door, it was just a loose piece of metal or whatever it is in my hand (still attached to door). I was truly puzzled. I was just in my vehicle about an hour before. There were no previous signs that my door handle was coming apart. I had to roll my window down to open my driver door from the outside. Once outside I examined my exterior door to see if someone was possibly trying to break in. There were no signs of forced entry. This is annoying. Truthfully, CarMax is more annoying. Here is my timeline. July 18th -Door handle broke. July 19th- Called CarMax (on hold forever). Got an appointment on July 27th. They confirmed a warranty issue. Not sure if its manufacturer or CarMax warranty. Honestly, I don't care. CarMax said they will have to order the part. The part will not come in until Friday, July 29th. Friday, no phone call. Which means I will have to continue to roll my window down to open the door. Here it is August 1st. I contacted CarMax. I was on hold for entirely too long. I contacted CarMax corporate office. In less than a minute corporate transferred me in to the service department that kept me on hold forever. Of course I got the I was about to contact you blah, blah, blah. I was told the part came in and they can schedule me in on Friday, August 5th. After my rant I told him that I will be in tomorrow August 2nd. Why should I schedule an appointment four days later? Replacing the door handle takes less than 30 minutes. I am officially driving a jalopy with less than 40,000 miles. If you had to choose between the 2013 Nissan Altima and a bicycle, definitely the bicycle is the better investment.

I had the first door handle, the front door on the passenger side, break while my car was still under warranty and had it replaced. The back door handle broke on the passenger side in March and Benson Nissan said that there were no recalls and said they would check to see if my extended warranty would cover it and I never heard back from them. In the meantime, my kids had to have someone open the door from the outside so they could get out for school. That's the only side that you could get out on at the school. While searching for someone to fix the door handle after speaking to someone at Benson who told me it would be around $200 to fix the door handle, the drivers door handle broke a few weeks ago. I was furious because I had to roll down the window to let myself out. I'm too busy to be doing all of that. My car is a 2013, so WHY have I had to replace 3 door handles already. It seems that they are made of cheap plastic and they are not sturdy. Its not fair to pay a car note and then fix the car. This is why I purchased a brand new car so I would have these types of issues so soon! Before purchasing this new car, I had issues with a used Murano I purchased from Benson. I had nothing but a headache with that car so after a year, I traded to the 2013 Nissan Altima. I'm not sure if I will purchase another Nissan. To rectify this situation, I would like to be reimbursed for these new door handles or you could send me a coupon to get free brakes which is needed. I had to put the brakes on hold to fix the door handles. I've had several friends to purchase Nissan's since I've had my car and would like for you guys to standby your customers and make this right.

This appears to be a common problem with nissan's door handles because they use a cheap plastic part instead of metal, this is where the problem is as it breaks often I read but not usually at such a low mileage. The plastic piece holds the tension it seems. I am not a mechanic but was shown the piece that broke and what it does. Why don't they fix this problem. They certainly have hear about it many times. This dangerous for driver if was in a wreck/car on fire/under water/etc and you are unable to open door from inside. what will it take? A few deaths?

I have owed 3 other new nissans and had always thought they made good cars. But this 2013 altima is full of problems and a peice of sh*t as far as I am concerned. They have lost a loyal customer. I will NEVERr buy another nissan of any make or model. I hate this car, it just bleeds money every time I turn around.