CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2012-2017 Nissan Versa has an expensive CVT transmission failure defect that shows up plainly in our complaint data from the earlier model years in this 2nd generation Nissan Versa.

In late 2019, the CVT defect was subject to a class action settlement. However the settlement only covers transmission repairs up to 7 years after purchase or 84,000 miles (whichever occurs first).

Because many owners commonly drive 20,000 miles/year or more, Versa owners experiencing CVT transmission problems may find they are not covered by this settlement due to the mileage limitation.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
38,174 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2015 Nissan Versa fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2015 Nissan Versa Owner Comments

problem #12

Feb 022018

Versa

  • 40,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When taking off the transmission belt slips all the time so I try to ease into the gas as gently as possible. When A/C is running the car has almost zero acceleration and has a stuttering or stumbling issue that causes issues until I hit 3000 3500 RPM then seems to gain power. I have issues on the highway with the transmission seeming to slip out of engagement of the belt when speeding up to pass. When slowing down for a light, if the light turns before I come to a complete stop and I go to reapply pressure to the gas pedal, if I dont gently apply the gas the transmission belt will slip and cause the car to shutter. Im not sure what is causing this issue, but I have had since I purchased the car around 40000 miles, a cricket chirping noise that in the beginning was always at 2000rpm and no wheres else in the RPM range. Now it has gotten worse to where I seem to hear the chirping noise anywhere around 1500 RPM to 2250rpm range. As well I have had the radiator fan quit working causing the motor to over heat pretty bad but the head gasket didnt fail luckily. I have also had the entire time I have owned the car, an issue with the A/C when it starts up the clutch basically cluncks on or makes an awful noise kicking on and while the A/C would run before the fan failed, the air would start smelling very very bad. It smelled like chemicals of some sort and it would make me very natious to the point I would have to turn the A/C off and living in the desert in tucson, Arizona this does not make for a very good comfortable ride at all.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #11

May 152020

Versa 4-cyl

  • 47,555 miles
The car don't runs good!, have problems with the transmission only have 47,677 miles, O think have warranty!

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #10

Nov 062019

Versa

  • 50,000 miles
Sometimes stepping on the gas pedal does absolutely nothing. This has happened several times since owning the car. You can press the gas pedal all the way to the floor and it won't do anything at all. I took it in to have the Nissan dealership to look at it and they totally blow me off denied that anything was going on there was nothing wrong with the motor they said. You have to just let off the gas pedal and wait a few seconds and then it'll finally move the car when you press the gas pedal. This could cause a serious accident because when you press the gas pedal to go somewhere and it doesn't go anywhere I could leave you stranded sitting in the middle of the roadnot sure if it's this is related to the whatever's causing that problem but when the car is in drive and you're sitting at a red light the car vibrates really bad sometimes you can step on the brake let off of it and step back on it and rpms will go up but sometimes the rpms will drop down to below 600 that's when the engine starts vibrating real bad. I've tried to get the Nissan dealership to address the issue several times they ended up tell them it was an aftermarket motor mount it was not a Nissan part so I changed it for a genuine Nissan part they charge me over $600 and it did not fix the car it's still vibrated. When the car is in park just sitting in a parking lot somewhere the car runs perfect the rpms are fine and there's no vibration whatsoever but as soon as you put it into drive it starts vibrating. It has also almost went dead several times to over the last year I just started knocking, sputtering real bad and it almost goes dead and shuts the motor off. This has happened at red lights for pulling out of parking lots on city streets. It's almost gone dead just sitting at the red light when the car starts sputtering.

- Athens, GA, USA

problem #9

Mar 112020

Versa

  • 75,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving down the highway, in traffic, 30 - 35 mph, outside temp 88 degrees, ac was on, full gas tank, highway I-35 downtown dallas in the middle of rush hour, the car abruptly stopped while driving and turned off. The steering wheel did not respond, brakes did not respond, all warning lights came on, the car coasted to a stop. I put the car in park, waited 10 seconds, cranked, gassed it and it started back up. I took the car to O'riely's auto parts in cedar hill 30 min. Later to run a diagnostic test which came back that the battery, starter, alternator were functioning normally.

- Midlothian, TX, USA

problem #8

Oct 012019

Versa

  • 73,200 miles
I was completely stopped about to pull out of a parking lot and as I turned onto a side road and got up to about 5-10 mph my car jerked twice and completely stopped and stalled and it wouldn't rev up or do anything. The lights and everything was on but the car wouldn't move. I had to completely turn the car off in the middle of the road and back on before it would go again.

- Yadkinville, NC, USA

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problem #7

Nov 032018

Versa

  • 45,000 miles
On both city streets and highways. Accelerator will stick and or clutch is not properly engaging as specific vehicle has a manual transmission. Causing the vehicles RPM to go up higher then recommended.

- Poncha Springs, CO, USA

problem #6

May 032018

Versa

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving during the day (it was over 95 degrees), all of sudden all the warning lights came on, the brake pedal locked up, the gas pedal didn't work, and the power steering wasn't working. I was able to pull it over. I turned it off and on twice, and everything was working fine. I'm taking it to the dealer to be checked out (the next day).

- Accokeek, MD, USA

problem #5

Apr 252018

Versa

  • 55,000 miles
Takata recall hello, I have a Nissan Versa 2015 model and have 55000 miles on its meter. I am having alot of problem with my car. I can feel all the gears changing while drive wether its on city or highway ( kind of feel like a sudden jerk in body). My engine oil is going bad at 3-4000 miles ( putting sythetic oil with gurantee 10-15000 mile). And if engine oil goes bad my car's pickup go less. It cant run over 15-20 mph. Happened with me twice, once in February 2018 when I had to tow my car and again happend on 25th April 2018 and I had to drive with emergency parking lights on to service center. My cars oil replacement sticker still shows 2000 miles more to run. And some mechanic said oil is all bad.after that I put an obd device in my car. And got some problem codes. Attaching image. Right now my car is in Nissan service center. And they didnt told me anything from last 3 days, that whats going on.

- Berkeley, CA, USA

problem #4

Jul 162017

Versa

  • 29,000 miles
While stuck in stop and go traffic I took my foot of the brake and my car stalled. No warning was given and my power steering turned off. I was able to turn my car back on and pull to the side of the road. After waiting for a few minutes to make sure it wouldn't happen again I pulled back onto the freeway. Within a few feet when taking my foot off the brake my car stalled again. I was rear ended and had to pull over to the side of the road again. The temperature was 101 at the time. When speaking to Nissan I was told to use premium gas and only fill up half a tank and was sent away without them looking at my car.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #3

Aug 042017

Versa 4-cyl

  • 21,330 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Versa. While driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle shut off without warning. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact smelled a fuel odor and heard a loud knocking noise when the vehicle was placed in drive. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (autonation Nissan in las vegas, Nevada). The contact was informed that the manufacturer advised vehicle owners to switch to a higher grade of fuel when such failure was experienced. Another technician at the same dealer was unable to duplicate the failure, but reprogrammed the computer system. The contact stated that while driving home, the vehicle felt like it was in neutral. The vehicle was turned off and restarted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that nothing could be done to assist if the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 21,330. Updated 11/02/17

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #2

May 152016

Versa

  • 22,000 miles
Vehicle is a 2015 Nissan Versa sv sedan vehicle fills with either exhaust fumes or gas fumes after long operation and driving. Vehicle will smell so strong that the passengers may be light headed or sick. Vehicle experiences issues always in high heat situations. Danger to anyone in it. Unknown component failures vehicle was assessed 4 times by 2 dealers and has not been able to reproduce issue during use.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #1

Aug 252014

Versa

  • 8 miles
Delayed acceleration and delayed deceleration. Throttle always reacts half-second behind pedal movements, causing difficulty pulling out from a stop, and shifting gears, in car with manual transmission. This causes car to stall regularly when pulling out in first gear, risking traffic accident!this abuses the clutch and well make it where incorrectly and will require clutch replacement longer sooner then expected lifetime.

- Amherst, MA, USA

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