2016 Nissan VERSA NOTE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2016 Nissan VERSA NOTE has 42 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (24% of all complaints), specifically: first year of owning vehicle. i was in the freeway and shifted gears - and nothing happened. the car engine reved, but no gears. i took it in for repair to dealership. dealership said it was under warranty, no charge. a year later i'm on the freeway i push clutch in and it bottoms out and cannot eng.

2 crash reports 2 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

10 complaints

24%

• FIRST YEAR OF OWNING VEHICLE. I WAS IN THE FREEWAY AND SHIFTED GEARS - AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR ENGINE REVED, BUT NO GEARS. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, NO CHARGE. A YEAR LATER I'M ON THE FREEWAY I PUSH CLUTCH IN AND IT BOTTOMS OUT AND CANNOT ENG
• WHEN STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN, THE CAR WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD EXCESSIVELY. I HAVE TO PUSH THE BREAKS HARD TO MAKE IT STOP. LOOKS LIKE THE CAR WANTS TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD ON THE SECOND GEAR. SOMETIMES, I HAVE TO PUSH IT WAY HARDER TO THE END. SURE IT WILL GET WORSE. IT COULD BE
• YOUR TRANSMISSION IN YOUR VERSA NOTES ARE CRAP I HAD TO HAVE ONE REPLACED LAST YEAR 15,000 MILES LATER I WAS DRIVING AND I ALMOST WAS KILLED WHEN MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN WHEN I HAD THE AUDACITY TO THINK I COULD ACTUALLY MAKE A TURN OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND NOT GET KILLED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC EV

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“FIRST YEAR OF OWNING VEHICLE. I WAS IN THE FREEWAY AND SHIFTED GEARS - AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR ENGINE REVED, BUT NO GEARS. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, NO CHARGE. A YEAR LATER I'M ON THE FREEWAY I PUSH CLUTCH IN AND IT BOTTOMS OUT AND CANNOT ENG”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

8 complaints

19%

• UNKNOWN AT A STOP, WHEN THE A/C KICKS ON, I HEAR A VERY AUDIBLE RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION. WHENEVER I AM STARTING OFF, FOR EXAMPLE, GOING DOWN MY STREET, I CAN HEAR A VERY AUDIBLE, YET DIFFERENT, RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM SOMEWHERE BEHIND THE GLOV
• DURING COLDER WEATHER, AS THE CAR IS MOVING, AIR COMES IN THROUGH THE BOTTOM SEAM OF THE BACKSEAT AND THROUGH THE EDGES OF BOTH REAR DOORS. THE WEATHER STRIPPING AROUND THESE PARTS IS INADEQUATE. THIS INFLOW OF AIR CAUSES ALL WINDOWS TO FOG UP AND CONDENSATE, WHICH THE DEFROSTER IS UNABLE TO CONTEND
• I LEFT MY CAR PARKED IN FRONT ON MY HOUSE FOR A WHOLE WEEK, AS I LEFT FOR VACATION. CAME BACK AND NOW MY CAR KEY GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“UNKNOWN AT A STOP, WHEN THE A/C KICKS ON, I HEAR A VERY AUDIBLE RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION. WHENEVER I AM STARTING OFF, FOR EXAMPLE, GOING DOWN MY STREET, I CAN HEAR A VERY AUDIBLE, YET DIFFERENT, RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM SOMEWHERE BEHIND THE GLOV”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

5 complaints

12%

• ON DECEMBER 12, 2016, BUY THE NISSAN VERSA NOTE, ON JANUARY 7 2017 2.30 PM, CRASH AT 30 OR 35 MPH, BRAKE, BUT ONLY WHEN I HIT THE OTHER CAR, ON FEBRUARY 28 I CRASH AGAIN IN FULL STOP 8 AM TO 20MPH, HABOA LOT OF TRAFFIC AND I HAD A CAR OF SEPARATION, THEY ALL ADVANCE AND BRAKE SUDDENLY, NO ONE CRASHE
• WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR A STREET LIGHT OR ANYWHERE I NEED TO USE THE BREAK, MY CAR MAKES A NOISE SIMILAR TO A LOOSE FAN, AND ONCE I RELEASE THE BRAKE THE NOISE STOPS.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 NISSAN VERSA NOTE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. ADDITIONALLY, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“ON DECEMBER 12, 2016, BUY THE NISSAN VERSA NOTE, ON JANUARY 7 2017 2.30 PM, CRASH AT 30 OR 35 MPH, BRAKE, BUT ONLY WHEN I HIT THE OTHER CAR, ON FEBRUARY 28 I CRASH AGAIN IN FULL STOP 8 AM TO 20MPH, HABOA LOT OF TRAFFIC AND I HAD A CAR OF SEPARATION, THEY ALL ADVANCE AND BRAKE SUDDENLY, NO ONE CRASHE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

4 complaints

10%

• ON 7/13/2016----- MY PASSENGER AND I WERE TRAVELING ON CLEMSON ROAD WHERE THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT IS 45 MPH, ITS A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY WITH NO MEDIAN. A TRUCK DID A U TURN IN FRONT OF A LOT OF TRAFFIC MY VEHICLE STRUCK HIS AT ABOUT 40-43 MPH THOUGH ME AND MY PASSENGER HAD SEAT BELTS ON MY PASSENGER ST
• HAVE BEEN TO CLASSIC NISSAN IN STATESVILLE NC 4 TIMES FOR AIR BAGS, HAVE CHANGED 1 ON LEFT SIDE. HAS NOW COME BACK ON AND THE DEALS SAYS THEY HAVE TO SEE LIGHT ON. NISSAN SAYS THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE AND THEY DID NOT KNOW THE CAR AIRBAGS WAS UNDER RECALL WHEN THEY SOLD CAR, EVEN THOUGH I ASK THE SA
• The car was parked over night and it was raining that night. The next day I went to move the car, started & warning lights went on. The windshield wiper water trough got clogged due to tree leafs falling in & the water overflow & entered the car by the air vent in to the car floor The 360-deg. Camer

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“ON 7/13/2016----- MY PASSENGER AND I WERE TRAVELING ON CLEMSON ROAD WHERE THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT IS 45 MPH, ITS A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY WITH NO MEDIAN. A TRUCK DID A U TURN IN FRONT OF A LOT OF TRAFFIC MY VEHICLE STRUCK HIS AT ABOUT 40-43 MPH THOUGH ME AND MY PASSENGER HAD SEAT BELTS ON MY PASSENGER ST”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

3 complaints

• I USED MY CAR TO PICK UP MY SPOUSE. IT WAS A HOT SUMMER AFTERNOON. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY ENGINE STALLED. IT WILL NOT RUN. THE ENGINE HAD TURNED OFF ALL OF A SUDDEN WITHOUT A WARNING.GOOD THAT I WAS STILL IN THE PARKING LOT WITH MY YOUNG SON.IF I W AS IN A STREET I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEX
• WHILE DRIVING MY CAR WILL SHUT OFF. IT HAS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF 5 TIMES AND TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES. OUT OF ALL THE TIMES IT HAS SHUT OFF MY 6-MONTH-OLD HAS BEEN IN THE CAR TWICE. ONE OF THE TIMES IT SHUT OFF I WAS ON THE FREEWAY WHILE THE OTHERS WERE ON THE STREET.
• Engine keeps losing oil level when no leaks found which causes transmission and engine to act making weird noises when gas pedal hit when driving car. Transmission is making weird noises like it is slipping when driving when gas pedal is pressed down. A settlement with Nissan was reached due to a

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I USED MY CAR TO PICK UP MY SPOUSE. IT WAS A HOT SUMMER AFTERNOON. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY ENGINE STALLED. IT WILL NOT RUN. THE ENGINE HAD TURNED OFF ALL OF A SUDDEN WITHOUT A WARNING.GOOD THAT I WAS STILL IN THE PARKING LOT WITH MY YOUNG SON.IF I W AS IN A STREET I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEX”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 42 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: FIRST YEAR OF OWNING VEHICLE. I WAS IN THE FREEWAY AND SHIFTED GEARS - AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR ENGINE REVED, BUT NO GEARS. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, NO CHARGE. A YEAR LATER I'M ON THE FREEWAY I PUSH CLUTCH IN AND IT BOTTOMS OUT AND CANNOT ENG
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: UNKNOWN AT A STOP, WHEN THE A/C KICKS ON, I HEAR A VERY AUDIBLE RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION. WHENEVER I AM STARTING OFF, FOR EXAMPLE, GOING DOWN MY STREET, I CAN HEAR A VERY AUDIBLE, YET DIFFERENT, RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM SOMEWHERE BEHIND THE GLOV
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: ON DECEMBER 12, 2016, BUY THE NISSAN VERSA NOTE, ON JANUARY 7 2017 2.30 PM, CRASH AT 30 OR 35 MPH, BRAKE, BUT ONLY WHEN I HIT THE OTHER CAR, ON FEBRUARY 28 I CRASH AGAIN IN FULL STOP 8 AM TO 20MPH, HABOA LOT OF TRAFFIC AND I HAD A CAR OF SEPARATION, THEY ALL ADVANCE AND BRAKE SUDDENLY, NO ONE CRASHE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: ON 7/13/2016----- MY PASSENGER AND I WERE TRAVELING ON CLEMSON ROAD WHERE THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT IS 45 MPH, ITS A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY WITH NO MEDIAN. A TRUCK DID A U TURN IN FRONT OF A LOT OF TRAFFIC MY VEHICLE STRUCK HIS AT ABOUT 40-43 MPH THOUGH ME AND MY PASSENGER HAD SEAT BELTS ON MY PASSENGER ST
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)