2021 Nissan Armada Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2021 Nissan Armada, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system423.5%
- Driver assistance317.6%
- Electrical317.6%
- Engine317.6%
- Powertrain (other)211.8%
- Brakes15.9%
- Airbags15.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
Stalling out in traffic, and have to keep restarting. Very dangerous
My family and I traveled to Ohio to visit family. After stopping for fuel, 6hrs into our drive, our 2021 nissan Armada started bucking, skipping, and eventually stalled 50 yards from the fuel station. Several attempts at restarting the vehicle resulted in a sputtering idle and stall. This put my family is grave danger as we were beginning our acceleration onto the interstate at 11pm eastern standard time. After some research, our vehicle doesnt fall under the recall for faulty pump. The pump assembly is $900 as well as a $700 tow bill. This is very dangerous and its evident their's more Armadas with the faulty pump than nissan originally recalled. My wife and I are extremely disappointed and frightened to drive this suv 10 hours back home once its fixed. Please review and consider our vehicle for reimbursement for the near miss situation. Best regards
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
My emergency breaking will come on and almost stop my vehicle driving down the road with no one near me. It’s very scary and it happens frequently. I will put my most recent incident below
I’m reaching out with an urgent issue regarding my 2021 Nissan Armada Platinum, which is part of our ongoing lemon law case, Case # 2023-1489 Division B (Avoyelles Parish, La.) I began experiencing electrical issues with the vehicle early on, around 10,000 miles. The initial problems included all the screens going black and remaining unresponsive for extended periods. Additionally, the sensors would malfunction when backing up or pulling forward, causing the vehicle to brake hard and stop unexpectedly. The situation has now become significantly more dangerous. The sensors are sporadically activating while I’m driving at highway speeds, causing the car to brake extremely hard without warning. This puts me, my passengers, and others on the road at serious risk of an accident. I contacted the dealership, but they refuse to service the vehicle due to the open lemon law case. I’ve also documented the issue with notes and photos to support this claim. Given the severity of this safety concern, I urgently request your guidance on: Seeking immediate relief from the court or expediting the trial process. Pressuring the manufacturer to address this safety hazard or provide a loaner vehicle. Exploring any additional legal remedies to resolve the immediate safety risk. Please let me know the next steps as soon as possible. This is a time-sensitive, life-threatening issue, and I’m very concerned about driving the vehicle any further. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that while driving, the engine overheated and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was jump-started. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a low-voltage battery. The battery was replaced. After the battery was replaced, there was battery acid leaking from the battery. The battery was replaced a second and a third time; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 34,000.
I purchased a 2021 Nissan Armana back in September 2024. The vehicle has been giving issues leaving me stranded and with my vehicle battery drained. I’ve purchased two batteries for my vehicle within a 9 months period that I’ve had the vehicle.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
My family and I traveled to Ohio to visit family. After stopping for fuel, 6hrs into our drive, our 2021 nissan Armada started bucking, skipping, and eventually stalled 50 yards from the fuel station. Several attempts at restarting the vehicle resulted in a sputtering idle and stall. This put my family is grave danger as we were beginning our acceleration onto the interstate at 11pm eastern standard time. After some research, our vehicle doesnt fall under the recall for faulty pump. The pump assembly is $900 as well as a $700 tow bill. This is very dangerous and its evident their's more Armadas with the faulty pump than nissan originally recalled. My wife and I are extremely disappointed and frightened to drive this suv 10 hours back home once its fixed. Please review and consider our vehicle for reimbursement for the near miss situation. Best regards
Vehicle battery is being drained. The vehicle won’t start. Purchase a new battery on March 2025. Vehicle Car fax states a new battery was installed in vehicle in May 2024. I purchased the vehicle on September 4, 2024.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
On April 5, 2023, I purchased a used 2021 Nissan Armada SL with 74,429 miles on it. On August 29, 2025, I took the vehicle in for front & rear differential and transmission fluid services. On August 31, 2025, I drove the SUV to Boston MA. The vehicle began a jerking motion and slow acceleration. I assumed it was due to a possible low grade of gas. I filled the vehicle with 93 octane gas. The issue continued. On September 15, 2025, I took the vehicle into Nissan for a further look and was told I needed to replace the entire transmission! After speaking with Nissan's Consumer Affairs, I was told there was nothing that can be done for this issue. The vehicle is less than 5 years old. I have owned the vehicle less than 3 of those years and drove it less than 40,000 miles and now Nissan wants me to pay $11,000 for a new transmission. There has been, no check engine or other warning light indicators alerting this issue or concern. There is no way this can be a normal for a powerhouse company who's reputable as built to last vehicles that their transmission is now only built to last barely past 100,000 miles. This has to be a factory defect in this vehicle. I am presently seeking legal actions concerning this matter. This is a very costly and risky issue that could have left me stranded and possibly caused a serious accident. There needs to be a factory recall for this issue and concern.
At 100,000 miles, my 2021 Nissan Armada experienced a complete transmission failure, requiring a full transmission replacement. The vehicle has been properly maintained. After researching, I’ve found multiple owners reporting similar transmission failures at relatively low mileage. I believe this could be a defect that needs to be investigated and could lead to a potential safety hazard. I am requesting the NHTSA to investigate this issue for a possible recall.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was driving a RENTED 2021 Nissan Armada. The brakes of this vehicle locked up when I was trying to avoid rear ending a car that had suddenly jumped in front of me. Instead of being able to control the braking, once I put the brake on, I tried to let up a little to see if I could stop the vehicle from skidding. However once I put my foot down on the brake it continued to stay depressed. I noticed that the vehicle was sliding and the steering wheel was also locked. I couldn't swerve to the left or right. I hit the van in front of me, the air bags deployed--driver's side air bag broke open and let out noxious gas. I have never driven a vehicle with such AEB troubles. If this is how the 2021 Nissan Armada acts, then other will find themselves not being able to avoid an accident as well. - Cheryl D., Frederick, MD, US
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was driving a RENTED 2021 Nissan Armada. The brakes of this vehicle locked up when I was trying to avoid rear ending a car that had suddenly jumped in front of me. Instead of being able to control the braking, once I put the brake on, I tried to let up a little to see if I could stop the vehicle from skidding. However once I put my foot down on the brake it continued to stay depressed. I noticed that the vehicle was sliding and the steering wheel was also locked. I couldn't swerve to the left or right. I hit the van in front of me, the air bags deployed--driver's side air bag broke open and let out noxious gas. I have never driven a vehicle with such AEB troubles. If this is how the 2021 Nissan Armada acts, then other will find themselves not being able to avoid an accident as well. - Cheryl D., Frederick, MD, US
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .