Nissan Altima Owners Are Suing Over Dim Headlights

by Gabrielle DeSantis

As expected as mechanical failures can sometimes be, they’re certainly not pleasant. But even more infuriating is getting pulled over in your Nissan Altima because of a mechanical problem out of your control. Nissan Altima owners are experiencing a bizarre phenomenon regarding their prematurely dimming headlights. And in some cases, it’s causing drivers to get pulled over by patrol. This particular concern has happened enough that a group of Nissan Altima owners is taking their complaints to court. 

The dim headlight problem infuriating Nissan owners

CarComplaints.com recently reported a new lawsuit targeting Nissan. The suit alleges that the low-beam headlights eventually grow dimmer, to the point that night driving can be dangerous. The group of Nissan Altima owners also claims the lights are so dim that many have been pulled over by police for improper lighting and visibility.

Adding insult to injury, Nissan Altima owners are frustrated because they’re feeling forced to avoid driving at night for fear of poor visibility causing an accident. And in some unfortunate situations, these faulty headlights have already been responsible for some Nissan Altima-related crashes.

What the lawsuit is claiming

Other lawsuit details are pointing the finger at Nissan as claimants allege the automaker knew about the problem with the prematurely dimming headlights since 2013. And despite knowing about the mounting concerns, Nissan failed to warn Altima owners about the potentially hazardous situations. 

Another pillar of the lawsuit claims Nissan also refused to provide replacement parts on the company’s dime. Nissan Altima owners were stuck with the $1,200 bill to replace both headlight assemblies. The plaintiffs, in this case, are seeking settlement reimbursements for past headlamp replacements, as well as free replacement assemblies and an extended warranty.

Which Nissan Altima models included in this lawsuit

Headlights.com has been recommending a change of headlight assembly to Nissan Altima owners since last year. It’s apparently been an ongoing problem for a while now. According to the lawsuit, any Altima model from 2013 to 2018 can experience problems with the halogen headlights.

The suit claims the heat from the bulbs is corroding the seal around the unit in which the reflector cups or bowls are housed. Since the halogen bulbs create far more heat than traditional bulbs, including LED or Xenon varieties, the reflective coating vaporizes, causing a premature dimming. This knowledge, the plaintiffs allege, places the responsibility of the failing headlights on the design, making it Nissan’s burden to address.

What you can do if your Nissan Altima has headlight problems

There are three claimants who are part of the lawsuit suggesting a basic replacement of the headlight bulb isn’t going to remedy the dimming. The assemblies require complete replacement to avoid complications and failing unit seals. They also claim it’s impossible to remove the haze or film that ends up damaging the reflector cup.

If you have a Nissan Altima within the indicated model years and are experiencing issues with your headlight assembly, you can join the suit. Spragens Law PLC, Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP is the firm representing the Altima owners. The lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court in Tennessee and is titled Suarez et al., vs. Nissan North America, Inc. 

Nissan Altima owners really love their sedans. But there may be problems with the headlight assembly that can be potentially dangerous. Before you buy a used Altima, check to see if the headlight unit has been replaced. And if you own one of these cars with faulty dimming headlamps, you can explore your options with the law firm representing others in the same boat.

RELATED: Why the IIHS Is a Big Fan of the 2021 Nissan Altima

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The Mazda CX-5 Packs in Safety Features for Under $30,000

by Gabrielle DeSantis

What’s not to love about the 2021 Mazda CX-5? It’s a compact SUV that gets 25/31 mpg and up to 227 hp. It’s also an IIHS Top Pick+. The Mazda CX-5 safety features include everything you need, and then some. As a bonus, it’s under $30,000. 

2021 Mazda CX-5 | Mazda

Is the 2021 Mazda CX-5 safe?

The interior of a 2021 Mazda CX-5.
2021 Mazda CX-5 | Mazda

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 is an IIHS Top Pick+. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety doesn’t take these awards lightly, either. Every car that earns a Top Safety+ Pick award must get a good in all of the crash tests, roof strength, and head restraint tests. The vehicle must also score an advanced or superior in available front crash prevention for both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian systems. In addition, they must get an acceptable or good rating for their headlights. 

What safety features does the Mazda CX-5 come with?

A gray 2021 Mazda CX-5 against a white background.
2021 Mazda CX-5 | Mazda

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 comes with all of the advanced safety systems recommended by Consumer Reports. These features include forward collision warning, which alerts a driver to something in the vehicle’s path, as well as pedestrian detection. Pedestrian detection can tell when there is a person in, or about to be in, the path of the SUV. Additionally, some pedestrian detection systems can alert the driver to a cyclist. 

The Mazda CX-5 comes with automatic emergency braking for both the city and highway. It also has an available system that works in reverse. The Mazda CX-5’s braking system will apply the brakes if necessary. 

The Mazda CX-5 also comes with lane departure warning and lane keeping assist. When the CX-5 is traveling faster than 37 mph, the lane departure warning sends visual and audible signals to the driver. Lane keeping assistance will make minor adjustments to the steering to keep the SUV in its lane. 

What other safety features does the 2021 Mazda CX-5 come with?

A dark colored Mazda CX-5 splashes through a puddle in the city.
2021 Mazda CX-5 | Mazda

In addition to these features, the CX-5 comes standard with blind spot warning, which detects objects in the driver’s blind spot and sends a chime and warning light in the side mirror and driving display. 

Rear traffic crossing works in conjunction with the rear camera, both of which come standard. Rear traffic crossing will send an audible and visual warning when a vehicle is approaching the rear side of the SUV. 

The Mazda CX-5 also comes with anti lock brakes, as well as traction and stability control. Daytime running lights come standard in the CX-5. 

The Mazda CX-5 has additional safety features too: automatic cruise control will help you keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. An adaptive lighting system helps you see around corners at night. And driver attention alert will send a warning if it detects that the driver is inattentive to the road. 

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 starts at $25,370. With all of the safety features it has to offer for under $30,000, as well as the IIHS Top Safety Pick+, the Mazda CX-5 is a great choice for someone looking for affordable safety in an SUV.

RELATED: This Crossover Comes Packed With Safety Features For Under $30,000

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The Only Sedan to Give the Toyota Camry Competition in Q1 Was Another Toyota

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Another quarter has gone by, and surprise surprise, the Toyota Camry sold extremely well. This isn’t actually too surprising, since customers and critics seem to agree that the Camry is the best sedan on the market right now. What’s interesting, however, is the fact that the only other sedan to give the Camry any competition seems to have been the Toyota Corolla.

The Toyota Camry and Corolla did great 

When it comes to the best-selling cars in America, the top dogs are pickup trucks, and according to Car and Driver, that’s still true. The next most popular segments are the SUVs, and as far as sales in Q1 are going, that is still true. Sedans typically aren’t selling well nowadays, but that’s not the case for the Toyota Camry or the Corolla whatsoever. 

In fact, according to Car and Driver, the seventh best-selling car in the first quarter of 2021 is the Camry, as it sold about 78,000 units. The smaller Corolla, meanwhile, wasn’t far behind, as it came in at eighth place with about 72,000 units sold. While those are some impressive rankings, more importantly, both cars saw an increase in sales compared to Q1 of 2020. 

What’s also impressive is the fact that, after the Corolla, the next best-selling sedan in Q1 of 2021 was the Honda Civic, which came in at 14th with almost 56,000 units sold. The Civic’s sibling, the Accord, was the next best-selling sedan at 18th place, with just over 46,000 units sold.

Toyota simply dominates the sedan market

The 2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid | Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

Despite sedans going out of favor, Toyota continues to do very well in this segment, and it’s really not surprising. After all, Toyota has, over the course of many years, earned a reputation for making safe, reliable, and affordable cars. While the Camry and the Corolla may have their issues here and there, by and large, they both live up to that reputation.

As a result, for customers that don’t need or want a big SUV or truck, a sedan is usually the way to go. And, as far as sedans go, due to how well-known and well-respected Toyota’s sedans are, they naturally become the front-runner when it’s time to shop around for a car. 

On top of that, Toyota’s reputation also makes the Camry and the Corolla excellent picks for families looking to get a car that’s suitable for teen drivers. Since the Camry and the Corolla are so safe, and since they are so reliable, teens will generally have a great and safe time driving around in their Toyota.

An overview of the Toyota Camry and the Toyota Corolla

In many ways, the Toyota Camry and the Corolla are similar, but Toyota did make an effort to differentiate the two. For example, the Camry is a midsize sedan, while the Corolla is a compact sedan. As such, the Camry’s going to be roomier than the Corolla, but it’ll also cost a bit more. Right now, the Camry costs about $25,000, while the Corolla will cost about $20,000.

That being said, the Corolla does have a hatchback option that will improve its cargo capacity while the Camry doesn’t. In any case, both cars are very similar when it comes to things like safety, reliability, and fuel economy. For example, both are well-known for being reliable cars, and both are equipped with a ton of standard smart safety features.

That being said, since the Camry is bigger, its fuel economy will be slightly worse. However, both cars still have some great numbers. The Camry’s slightly worse fuel economy is probably because of its bigger and more powerful engine. The standard Camry gets over 200 hp, while the standard Corolla gets about 139 hp. 

RELATED: The 2 Best Used Toyota Camry Models Under $20,000 According to Consumer Reports

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The 2021 Kia Telluride Just Outranked the Ford Expedition

by Gabrielle DeSantis

As SUVs continue to battle for the top spot, things keep getting more and more interesting. The 2021 Kia Telluride just took down the 2021 Ford Expedition as the king. But what does the Kia Telluride have on the Expedition? 

The 2021 Kia Telluride vs. the 2021 Ford Expedition 

2021 Kia Telluride Nightfall Edition | Kia

According to the U.S. News, the 2021 Kia Telluride ranks higher than the 2021 Ford Expedition on their list of the best eight-passenger SUVs. The Expedition landed in third place, and the Telluride landed in second place. 

The Lincoln Navigator got the top spot, but it’s a little unfair to compare luxury options to more affordable competitors. But the Ford Expedition and Kia Telluride have quite a few differences that could make them slightly unfair to compare as well. But they both have eight seats, so let’s see why the Telluride beats the Expedition. 

Why does the Telluride rank higher than the Expedition? 

RELATED: The Kia Telluride Goes Too Fast for the Hyundai Palisade

The 2021 Kia Telluride serves as an affordable eight-seat SUV that provides tons of value. The base model begins at around $32,190. It optimizes interior space with enough room for adults in the first and second row. However, the third row isn’t as spacious as some of the other options on the list. 

The 2021 Ford Expedition ranks highly because it has plenty of space for adult passengers in all three rows. But it does have a higher starting price at around $49,025. It also provides plenty of cargo space. 

With the Telluride, you get a 3.8-liter V6 engine with 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, it can tow up to 5,000 lbs. It can tow small campers that generally weigh between 1,000 to 3,200 lbs. 

The Expedition comes with a 3.5-liter engine that pumps out 375 to 400 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, it can tow up to 9,300 lbs. So, it has an edge here if you have larger items to haul. 

But the Telluride does slightly better on fuel. It gets an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. The Expedition receives an EPA-estimated 17 mpg in the city and up to 23 mpg on the highway. 

Which SUV has better features? 

A red 2021 Ford Expedition against a white background.
2021 Ford Expedition | Ford

Edmunds describes the 2021 Kia Telluride as being incredibly comfortable. The seats are supportive with pillow-like headrests, the cabin is luxury quiet, the ride is mostly smooth, and the climate system performs well. 

Edmunds noted that the 2021 Ford Expedition is also comfortable. The seats are supportive and well-cushioned, the ride quality is smooth, and the cabin is quiet. However, the climate control system is a little weak. 

Both SUVs come with an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trim levels of the Telluride gain a standard wireless charging pad, and the Expedition includes a Wi-fi hotspot. 

The Kia Telluride also includes more standard safety features such as blind-spot warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-departure warning. These features are optional with the Expedition. 

Both of these three-row SUVs are excellent options to consider. While the Expedition provides more space and capability, the smaller Kia Telluride includes more value for the family to enjoy. We recommend test driving both options.

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