This class action complaint claims that halogen-headlamp-equipped 2013–2018 Nissan Altimas (the “Class Vehicles”) have a flaw that causes the internal reflecting surface of the headlamp to deteriorate, which causes the low beam headlights to fade.
Nissan North America, Inc. (“Nissan”) has consented to a class action Settlement despite vigorously disputing all charges of misconduct and culpability. All genuine Nissan replacement parts have been produced with a new design from December 2018.
It is only a synopsis on this page. For further information, click the sections above. To all current and previous owners and lessees of Class Vehicles, the Settlement offers the following sorts of relief:
(1) Headlamp replacement reimbursement before October 25, 2021: Prior to October 25, 2021, you may make a claim for compensation if you spent money replacing your headlamps because they were dimming. The reimbursement claim submission deadline is April 25, 2022. For further information about reimbursement, see the FAQs.
(2) 3-Year Extension of the Manufacturer’s Warranty Covering Headlamp Dimming Due to Delamination: Nissan will offer a 3-year extension of the manufacturer’s warranty covering headlamp dimming due to delamination, for a total of 6 years of coverage, starting on the Settlement’s Effective Date, which is anticipated to be on or after January 20, 2022. The same conditions that apply to the normal warranty also apply to this transferrable warranty. Bring your Class Vehicle to a Nissan Authorized Dealer during the extended warranty term to receive replacement headlamps.
(3) The choice to get an immediate replacement from a licensed Nissan dealer and receive payment: You can pay out-of-pocket for replacement headlamps from an Authorized Nissan Dealer and submit a claim for reimbursement if you are currently inside the 6-year extended warranty period and do not wish to wait until the Effective Date of the settlement. The deadline for reimbursement claims is April 25, 2022.
(4) One-Time Replacement for Class Vehicles That Are or Will Be Outside the Extended Warranty as of the Effective Date: If your Class Vehicle will not be covered by the extended warranty on January 20, 2022, you will be eligible to receive a single set of headlamps as soon as the settlement is finalized.
Class members who are not covered by the 6-year extended warranty will receive a special postcard notice from the claims administrator when the Settlement becomes effective. Members of the class are thus notified that they have 65 days to submit a form requesting free replacements. After that, a six-month opportunity will open up for you to get free replacement headlamps from a Nissan dealer. Keep a look out for the postcard notice anytime after January 20, 2022, as this is time-sensitive.
In This Article...
Is the 2014 Nissan Altima subject to a headlight recall?
On July 26, 2021, United States District Judge William L. Campbell, Jr. approved the agreement and stated that it is “fair, reasonable, and adequate for Altima drivers.” The settlement only applies to Nissan Altimas with halogen headlamps from the 2013 to 2018 model years. Xenon or LED headlamps are not included by the settlement. You can read more about the exact models covered and uncovered by the agreement here.
For eligible Altima drivers, the following relief is offered:
- For owners whose vehicles are still covered by the six-year extended warranty, Nissan will pay for an immediate headlight replacement from an authorized dealer, and
- reimbursement for headlamps that need to be changed because of fading before October 25, 2021;
- For Altimas that are or will be outside the extended warranty period as of January 2022, a single headlight replacement from an authorized dealer.
- an addition of three years to the guarantee covering headlamp dimming brought on by delamination, raising the total warranty time to six years;
Owners and lessees of Nissan Altimas who meet the requirements can submit a claim for out-of-pocket costs associated with headlamp replacements here. (Note: According to the settlement website, the online form will be available on or around August 12.) The application for reimbursement must be submitted no later than April 25, 2022.
Drivers of Altima vehicles who are past the six-year extended warranty period will receive a postcard notice from the administrator once the settlement goes into effect informing them that they have 65 days to complete a form asking for free headlight replacements. After that, a six-month window will open up for customers to get free headlamp replacements from a licensed Nissan dealer.
Even if you don’t take any action, you will still be covered and receive a three-year extension of the warranty on your Altima’s headlamps.
On the settlement website, you can find answers to frequently asked issues.
Why are the headlights on my Nissan Altima dim?
The low-beam headlights on 2013–2018 Nissan Altima vehicles are allegedly too dim for owners to drive at night, according to a class action lawsuit.
The Nissan Altimas’ halogen headlights feature reflecting parts that are supposedly flawed. Headlights lose their brightness when the reflective surface ages. When this occurs, police may stop moving vehicles to check the headlights.
Nissan is accused of being aware of the headlight issues since at least 2013, but failed to alert customers. Nissan doesn’t provide free replacement parts; instead, customers must pay up to $1,200 for costs associated with the headlamp assemblies.
The reflector cup inside the assembly supposedly cannot survive the heat produced by the halogen light bulbs and loses its capacity to reflect, which is why customers claim that changing the headlight bulbs does not solve the issue.
The projector cup’s reflecting coating burns off, leaving behind burned material that eventually covers the headlights’ lens and weakens the beam.
The reflector cup cannot be changed or the haze removed since the headlight assembly is sealed. The seals do not adequately guard against moisture, which can harm the cups.
What is headlamp delamination?
One response: Adnan Sami. The technique is the same for yellowing headlights when the headlight clear coat has failed in the extreme case of headlight delamination. Headlights will need to be compounded, polished, and sanded with sandpaper of various grits to restore their OEM “look”. Oct 21, 2017.
Why are the headlights on my projector so dim?
Headlights are most frequently plagued by dull, failing, or burned-out bulbs. Thankfully, the most straightforward fix for this is to simply change the bulb. Headlight bulbs must occasionally be changed, just like the lightbulbs in your home.
If you frequently drive at night or leave your headlights on throughout the day, headlight bulbs may need to be changed more frequently. For instance, if you drive at night for Uber, Lyft, or delivery jobs, your bulbs may need to be replaced more frequently. Additionally, burned-out headlights are a ticking time bomb for older automobiles that have never had bulbs changed.
How can you know when your headlights need to be replaced? You may check for a burnt-out bulb with a few easy steps in addition to detecting that your headlights are weaker than usual. Just park your car somewhere secure, and switch on your headlights. After that, get out of your car and make sure both of the headlights are on and bright. Bring your car in for a bulb replacement service when you notice that one or both lights are starting to dim.
New clear bulb
We have two quick repairs for you if your car’s headlight only produces about as much light as a flashlight with dead batteries.
Most do-it-yourselfers believe that their power feed or headlight switch is broken. But corroded ground wires are the main reason for dim headlights. See where the wiring harness joins to the car body by following it from the back of each headlamp assembly. Clean it as shown in the picture.
Another explanation is that as headlight filaments deteriorate, they leave a grayish-brown layer inside the bulb (See Photo). That coating can eventually cut visibility down by over 300 feet. Pull one of the bulbs out of your headlights to check the glass for any gray or brown residue if they aren’t as brilliant as they once were. Replace both bulbs right away if you find any to resume seeing more of the road.
How much does a 2013 Nissan Altima headlight assembly replacement cost?
Best in Automotive Repair Nissan Altima headlight bulb replacements typically cost between $195 and $239. While parts are priced between $139 and $168, labor costs are predicted to range between $56 and $71. Taxes and other fees are not included in this range, nor are your particular model year or geographic area taken into account.
A 2015 Nissan Altima has what kind of headlights?
I recently purchased a brand-new 2015 Nissan Altima SV, and as of the time of writing, neither the dealership nor an online database listed the headlight and fog light bulbs that the car used. We needed to disassemble the car to see what was inside the engine since we intended to replace the stock bulbs in the low beam headlights and the fog lights with LED or HID bulbs.
Here is what we discovered: Both the low beam and fog lights on this specific 2015 Nissan Altima SV were H11 bulbs. We ultimately chose two sets of the GTR Lighting H11 LED Headlight conversion kit, which can be obtained here. These don’t require any alteration to fit flawlessly in the stock headlight and fog light housings. All of them were plug and play. The lights were put in place, the wiring was zip-tied, and then they were turned on. All there was to it was that!
Here are images showing a contrast between the original LED bulbs and the new ones from GTR Lighting:
The completed lights are shown above, and as you can see from the images above, the LED headlight kits are twice as brilliant as the original lights.
What is the price of a new headlight assembly?
How you complete the work will affect your labor costs. often refers to the installation’s overall cost. The typical cost could range from $75 to $400 if you replace the full headlight assembly yourself. If you take it to a car repair shop, the headlight assembly replacement cost will be between $250 and $1,000. Most aftermarket auto parts stores estimate that the cost to replace a single high-intensity discharge bulb can be $100 or more, while the price to replace a whole headlight assembly ranges from $250 to $700. Depending on the type of headlight bulb you select for your car, the cost to replace a headlight unit might range from $15 to $200.
Headlight bulb replacement at AutoZone?
AutoZone can assist you in replacing a burned-out headlight bulb, but only if you bought the replacement bulb from their store and only if the procedure doesn’t involve disassembling the car.
While knowledgeable AutoZone staff members can assist you with a straightforward replacement, the store is not a substitute for a qualified mechanic. To execute a service, they won’t take apart or remove any of your car’s components.
Not all AutoZones will change your headlight for you, to add to that. You shouldn’t rely on your neighborhood AutoZone to assist you service your automobile because different locations may have different policies. Of course, you can always show up and inquire, but for your own protection, you should definitely have a scheduled mechanic appointment.
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