30 complaints reported

2016 Nissan Altima Exterior Lighting

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
30
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

May 2026

This vehicle has unusually dim lights that have gotten worse over time, the local dealership told me I missed the recall on the headlight assembly

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2016
Dec 2025

Headlight lowbeams are dim. Replaced with new bulbs, no improvement. Headlight lens are crystal clear from being clear vinyl wrapped when purchased new.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2025
Nov 2025

Unknown

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2025
May 2025

Head lights very dem and I have replaced with new and still can not see far with lights on

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2025
Nov 2024

Nissan issued a notification of a safety issue with dimming headlights caused my a manufacturing issue. It's not a recall, however an extension was provided to address the concern. The problem is the letter is not clear when that extension starts, it indicates it's began January 2022 and is covered for an additional 3 years, however per Nissan the start date was the end of the manufactures warranty. I have a vehicle driven by my son that has dim headlights. This is a safety defect, created by the manufactures flaw, and should be covered by Nissan. Both headlights would need to be replaced and they should be held accountable for their safety issue.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2024
Oct 2024

The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the headlights failed to properly illuminate the roadway while driving. The contact stated that the headlights were very dim. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who replaced the headlights; however, the failure persisted. The contact learned of a Class Action Lawsuit regarding the poorly illuminating headlamps. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the lawsuit was no longer active, and the remedy would not be provided. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2023
Jan 2024

I am concerned about the safety of my headlights. I haven't had my car long but noticed how dim the headlights were in comparison to my other car. I frequently would drive my old car with the fog lights illuminated due to wildlife concerns. My Nissan, though ten years newer, has lighting that is way worse. Sure enough, an animal ran out across my part that I could barely see. I looked into replacement bulbs when I stumbled across a class-action lawsuit regarding dim headlights. However, since I recently bought this car used, I apparently have no recourse. This is most definitely a safety issue. Furthermore, if the issue is due to the projector lens, then the repair should be made at Nissan's expense. Additionally, several people say that changing the bulbs do not help. I haven't had my car looked at by anyone because they just want to change the bulbs. How do you fix headlights when charging the bulb isn't the fix? How am I going to be able to see at nighttime? There needs to be a recall for these lights. It is a safety issue. It cannot be fixed by a consumer by changing the bulbs.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: May 2024
Dec 2023

The headlights on the Nissan Altima are dangerously dim. In dry weather the only way to see at night is with the high beams on. When it is raining even that doesn't help. I paid several hundred dollars to have the bulbs replaced at a Nissan dealer and they advised they likely will not help. At no time did the Nissan dealer tell me that there was a recall on the headlights, so I found this out too late to be included. We have purchased four Nissans through the years, and this will likely be the last due to how unsafe this is. Nissan needs to fix this.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2021
May 2023

#1. Both headlights are very dim on low beam, even after bulb replacements. High beam seems more dim than other autos I have driven in the past. I usually have to drive with my high beams on if possible #2. When in reverse, my screen to view the rear view camera doesn't show a clear picture like my previous Nissan. Sometimes when first shifting into reverse the video loses its complete picture for about 2-3 seconds. I have cleaned lens and tried to adjust screen to no avail.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2021
Apr 2023

Low beam light is dim.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2022
Mar 2023

The low beam headlights is very dim. It is almost impossible to see using that and driving at night. Whatever reflecting coating nissan put inside of the low beam headlight has faded away causing the light to not reflect properly and thus providing little to no light when you try to use the low beam headlights. This is extremely dangerous because this significantly reduces the visibility when you are driving at night. The car does not give you any warning about how dim the light. I have not gotten into an accident yet mostly because I avoid driving at night because of these dim headlights. I replaced the headlights on my car and that seems to have done almost nothing to help with visibility.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2023
Jan 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, the headlights were extremely dim. The contact used high-beam headlights to see the road ahead. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the headlight bulbs; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2022
Jan 2023

The headlights are extremely dim and unsafe to drive on the road at night. We first began noticing it a few months ago and it looks like there was a settlement online for this exact reason, but we didn't find out about it until the aforementioned few months ago, well past the settlement window. This is a safety issue and needs to be addressed with a proper recall as, looking around online I'm seeing reports of not just it being a safety issue, but I'm seeing people actually being cited for the lighting being insufficient for it passing inspection. This should be ranked right up there with the vehicle being undrivable during nightfall. It apparently is not fixed with a bulb replacement and it has to do with the makeup of the lighting housing materials melting or becoming deteriorated over time.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2023
Oct 2022

The headlights are really dim .. can barely see when driving at night .. I took it to the dealership and it says it failed inspection but im out of warranty extension .. there was a class action lawsuit for this problem and nissan replaced the headlamps for free instead of a 1,200 $ fix .. but I literally bought the car March 23rd of this year , not even a month ago and had no idea about any of this until it was too late to get it fixed with financial help .. since I just bought the car is there any way to get any help with this or maybe I can get lead in the right direction because I do not have $1,200 for the headlights but they are bad .. I even got pulled over the other night because I had to ride with my high beams on and got a ticket ! please help just bought car and it is very scary to ride at night .. and due too I work in a restaurant and I am a closer I have to .. please help as to safety is a big factor here and i currently dont have that $ due to i just bought this car but need it fixed asap as to need to be safe .. http://www.altimaheadlightsettlement.com/ I fall into one time replacement for out of warranty (4)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2022
Aug 2022

The safety of the vehicle and individuals are put into a potentially dangerous position due to the knowledge that Nissan has concerning the headlamps of Nissan Altima. This is a known issue that the headlamps are defective and are dimming due to deamination, they have already settled a class action case of Suarz v. Nissan North America, Inc. My car is affected by this issue but I never received notification of the settlement. If this is a know issue and has been settled once already and poses a danger to the general public why has there not been a recall on this issue? The lights on my car were inspected by a certified Nissan dealer and failed inspection, I had reached out to Nissan about having this issue resolved and they have denied any remedies to correct this and make it safe. What needs to happen for this to rise to the level of have Nissan recall and fix this know danger?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2022
Jul 2022

Head lights have become dim to the point of even with bright lights on it’s difficult to see. I read of a head lamp recall and contacted the dealer. I was informed there is a recall on the Altima head lights which did not include my vin number.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2022
Jun 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights failed to illuminate as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the headlight bulbs; however, the failure recurred several times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
May 2022

I had just purchased this vehicle from Dans dealers auto sales about a week ago and was brought to my attention that the headlights are filled with condensation and a good amount of water that burnt out my left turn signal and could possibly end up burning out my other lights. This could cause an accident if I didn't find out sooner because I was unaware my left signal was out.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2022
Mar 2022

The head lights are very dim and are melting so they can’t be just replaced. I can not hardly see at night because of this but I don’t hardly drive at night but if I have an emergency I need to be able to see at night. I have two children a baby and a 8 year old. Thank you for your time. Have a wonderful day and please be safe.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2022
Mar 2022

Low beams are extremely dim after bulb replacement. Dealership confirmed known issue. I hit debris in roadway due to low lighting causing damage to my undercarriage. No lamp warnings.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2021
Dec 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph when the head lamps had failed. The contact stated they now had to drive with the high beams illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who were unable to identify a failure. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who stated that the way the head lamps were made the halogen head lamps lacked a sealant to protect the head lamps from the heat of the vehicle causing them to fade over time. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact back to the dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 109,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2021
Dec 2021

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT SHINE TOO WEAK . i REPLACED BULBS AND NOTHING IMPROVED. i SPOKE WITH REPAIR FACILITY AND SAID HEADLAMPS MUST BE REPLACED DUE TO KNOWN ISSUE INVOLVING PROJECTOR IN HOUSING FAILING. ONLINE REASEARCH CONFIRMS KNOWN ISSUE. i ALMOST CRASHED INTO PEOPLE AND A CAR TONIGHT DUE TO ISSUE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2021
Sep 2021

HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN DIM FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. THIS MAKES DRIVING AT NIGHT DIFFICULT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE MAGNIFIER AND THAT CHANGING THE BULB WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Dec 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM AND HI-BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE ILLUMINATION WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE THE BULBS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE LIGHT BULB REPLACEMENT FAILED TO SERVICE CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NISSAN OF MOBILE (1015 EAST INTERSTATE 65 RD SOUTH, MOBILE, AL 36606, (251-476-7800). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING ASSEMBLIES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TO FIX THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Dec 2020

AT NIGHT TIME CAN SEE NO MORE THAN 10-15 FEET AHEAD WITH LOW BEAMS HEAD LIGHTS DO NOT PROJECT LIGHT FAR ENOUGH OR BRIGHT ENOUGH REGARDLESS OF BULBS LUMINOSITY

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 NISSAN ALTIMA, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2020

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Nissan Altima has 30 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.