2015 Nissan Altima · symptom sheet
Headlights too dim or fail
- 254owner reports
- 70,000median miles
- $1,000median quote
- 8involved a crash
Newest report Sep 18, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
270 of the 951 complaints on this car are about the exterior lighting. 254 of those describe headlights, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2015 Altima.
Tick what matches of 254 reports
Headlights on other Altima years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024.
What this problem usually is
Headlight complaints fall into two camps. In one, a headlight goes out, often more than once, or fills with moisture behind the lens. In the other, the lights work exactly as built and the owner still can't see the road at night because the beam is too dim or too short. Owners in that second camp often report a dealer telling them it's normal.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the headlight assembly (215 reports) and the bulb (83 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the exterior lighting covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
What owners paid
28 of the 254 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $880 to $1,300.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 50,000 and 95,400 miles, from the 117 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 5 service bulletins or notices for the 2015 Nissan Altima that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Halogen Headlamp Warranty Extension REVISED September 27, 2022 Please discard earlier versions of this bulletin. The announcement from April 12, 2022 has been revised to include the following: ⢠The claims information section has been updated with parts ...
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN 2013-2018 ALTIMA SEDAN; FRONT COMBINATION LAMPS (HEADLAMPS) INSPECTION Voluntary Service Campaign ID # PC861 is no longer active. ï· Repair orders opened after this bulletinâs published date are no longer eligible for reimbursement under Campaign ID # PC861. ï· Discard all previous versions of NTB22-024.
Halogen Headlamp Warranty Extension REVISED February 23, 2022 Please discard earlier versions of this bulletin. The announcement from January 25, 2022 has been revised to include the following: ⢠If a customer requests inspection due to a visibility ...
2013-2018 ALTIMA; FRONT COMBINATION LAMPS (HEADLAMPS) INSPECTION SERVICE INFORMATION Nissan is committed to providing the highest levels of product quality and customer satisfaction. Therefore, Nissan will provide a three-year extension of the manufacturerâs warranty (for a total of six years) covering headlamp dimming due to delamination.
1 more on the 2015 Nissan Altima page.
What owners wrote
“The low beam headlights are not bright enough to see clearly at night. Replaced both low beam bulbs with HID bulbs and they are still too dim to drive safely at night.”
Filed Oct 3, 2021
“Purchased vehicle used. Test drive prior to purchase was at daytime. The first time vehicle was driven at night the low beam lights were noticeably dim. Had to switch to high beams in order to adequately see enough to safely drive. Research indicates this is a know issue with this year model.”
Filed Sep 7, 2021
“In the dark, low beam headlights are too dim. I have to use high beams all the time, causing other drivers to have limited visibility due to high beams being on.”
Filed Aug 28, 2021
“The headlights were so dim that I basically could not see at night. Replacing the bulbs did not help. This is a significant safety issue.”
Filed Aug 25, 2021
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 8 of 254 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Airbag warning light or recall 177 reports
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 64 reports
- Doors, latches or locks fail 62 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 46 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 39 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 28 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 26 reports