Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2014 Nissan Versa Note submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 24 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
My car has 2 codes, P285 and P0420. When i drive the car and accelerate the car starts to skip. At 1 point in time i was at a stop with my feet on the breaks and i tried to go once the light was green the car was not accelerating.!
Transmission malfunction. No light indicators turned on to signal transmission issues. Took car to dealer x 2 to file complaint. Told car was fine and that was how car functions. 3rd time went to dealer for same issue and told new transmission needed.
Transmission slipping
VEHICLES NEEDS JUMP START EVERY TIME AND THE VEHICLE STOP. NEED TRANSSMISSION REPAID
Regarding my 2014 Nissan Versa Note, with "continuous variable (cone shaped) transmission": I first noticed the transmission issue beginning October of 2020. When accelerating quickly, it feels like the transmission FREEZES, so I back off the accelerator and it usually kicks back into gear. When my husband first experienced it, he told me to shift to neutral and back to drive which seems to work; however being on a public thoroughfare and manually shifting gears to keep moving forward seems like a MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I have read several posts regarding this same issue. MY QUESTION IS: Why hasn't this American/Japanese automobile conglomerate addressed this SAFETY ISSUE WITH A TRANSMISSION RECALL?
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Versa Note. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light and the brake warning light illuminated. The contact also stated she noticed water underneath the front passenger’s seat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the cowl drain was clogged and was causing water retention. The dealer informed the contact that the failure had led to an electrical issue. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 71,000.
I have been taking my car to nissan since my purchase. I was having cooling issues, radiator issues, and car not starting. with all these issues and years of repairs..my CVT transmission finally went out. I had no clue as they were fixing and servicing this car. I call nissan affairs dept as i had to pay $5050.00 to replace it out of my pocket! Nissan states out of warranty 5 months ago!!. I inquired to why i was NEVER contacted about transmission issues and problems or the opportunity to be included in the civil action with this vehicle. They CLAIMED they had the old owners information which is a LIE as i have received prior documentation for warranty notifications in my name! excuse after excuse to not help me. that got me good with the 5050.00 for an ongoing issue for this vehicle. NISSAN does not help at all!
DRIVING ON CITY ROAD AT ABOUT 40 MPH GOING OVER BRIDGE, AND CAR JUST SHUT OFF IN MIDDLE OF DRIVING. CARS HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING ME. ALMOST GOT HIT A COUPLE TIMES. STUCK IN MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD.THE CAR HAS 61,000 MILES ON IT. REGULARLY OIL CHANGES AND SERVICED. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS OR WARNINGS BEFOREHAND THAT PREPARED ME FOR THE INCIDENT. CHECKED BATTERY CONNECTIONS AND TRIED TO RESTART, NO STARTUP. HAD TO CAR A TOW TRUCK TO GET IT TOWED TO HOME, THEN TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN MY AREA. THE NISSAN SERVICE IN MY AREA HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ISSUE IS, AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA.
I ALMOST DIED. T HE TRANSMISSION IS TRASH. WHEN THE CAR COMES TO STOP AND HIT THE PEDAL THE CAR DOESN'T MOVE AND WHEN IF FINALLY ACCELERATES KEEPS SHAKING AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND JERKS.
FIRS TIME THAT I MOVE MY REAR BACK SEATS TO THE FRONT TO MAKE IT FLAT AND WHEN I PUT MY SIT BELT WAS BEHIND I TRY TO PULL THE LOCK TO MOVE THE SEAT AND IS NOR WORKING DOESN'T UNLOCK. NOW MY SEATBELT IS STOCKED IN THE BACK FOREVER... AND AFTER MY 3 YEAR MY CAR STARED MAKING THIS CLICKING NOISE WHEN I PARK LIKE THE BOTTOM PART STOPS FIRST AND THE THE BODY IS ANNOYING HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS THATS WHY I CHOSE TO BUY A NEW CAR BUT THE STRUGGLE OS THE SAME. WRONG CAR WRONG CHOICE.
I GOT MY 2014 NISSAN VERSA NOTE AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM MY PARENTS IN 2015. MY PARENTS DID LOTS OF RESEARCH AND WAS ENSURED THAT IT WAS A SAFE AND RELIABLE CAR FOR A FIRST TIME DRIVER. UNFORTUNATELY THIS CAR HAS CAUSED ME MANY TIME CONSUMING PROBLEMS. I DRIVE A LOT TO COMMUTE TO MY WORK. I'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH NASTY EXHAUST SMELLS, SLIPPING GEARS, DELAYED SHIFTING, BREAKS DELAYED AND GRINDING, AND RPM"S SHOOTING UP WHEN BARELY GASSES. MY COMMUTE IS QUITE DANGEROUS WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC AND LOADS OF SEMIS PASSING ONE ANOTHER. IT REALLY WORRIES ME AND MAKES MY FEAR FOR MY SAFETY WHEN I'VE BEEN HAVING ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS I REALLY SHOULDN'T HAVE WITH THIS NEW OF A CAR. BAKERSFIELD NISSAN HAD MY CAR TRYING TO FIX IT FOR A WEEK AND A HALF REALLY PUTTING A MONKEY WRENCH WITH MY COMMUTE TO WORK. THEY EVENTUALLY HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND CV BOOT. NOW I AM HAVING NEW PROBLEMS AND LOTS OF GRINDING AND RATTLING. THEY TOLD ME MY CAR FAILED TO REPLICATE ANYTHING BUT THE RPM"S SHOOTING UP. IT REALLY FRUSTRATES ME KNOWING THIS CAR ONLY HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT!!!!!!! PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT
TO MY UNDERSTANDING, MY CAR HAS BEEN OVERHEATING AND THE FIRST TIME IT OVERHEATED IT WAS BECAUSE I HAD NO COOLANT. THEN, THE SAME NIGHT, I BOUGHT SOME COOLANT AND HAD IT CHECKED OUT AT THE NEAREST AUTO ZONE. COUPLE OF DAYS LATER THOUGH, THE CAR HAD SHUT OFF AGAIN. LUCKILY, EACH TIME WAS ON THE STREET SO I CAN FLASH MY EMERGENCY SIGNAL. HOWEVER, I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH THIS RECENT NEWS UPDATE AND ENSURE MY SAFETY.
CONNECTIONS IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CRACK AND YOU MUST REPLACE THE ENTIRE SYSTEM INCLUDING THE PIPE AND THE MUFFLER. IN ADDITION, THE PIPE FROM THE CRACK FORWARD IS ALSO BEGINNING TO CRACK. THIS WAS MADE WITH DEFECTIVE METAL, AS A VEHICLE WITH 43,000 MILES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE THIS PIPE AND MUFFLER, BECAUSE NISSAN MADE IT AS ONE PIECE. THIS ENDS UP TO BE A $400+ JOB WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN SERVICE FOR MANY MORE MILES. THIS MUFFLER AND PIPE MUST BE ORDERED FROM NISSAN BECAUSE THERE ARE NO AFTERMARKET ALTERNATIVES. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM ON LINE.
I WAS DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND AS I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT IN THE LEFT TURN LANE, THE ENGINE CUT OFF COMPLETELY AND WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO ASK A GROUP OF PEOPLE TO HELP PUSH MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I WAITED ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND THE CAR WAS ABLE TO START AGAIN. I WAS NERVOUS TO DRIVE ON THE EXPRESSWAY TO GET HOME AS THIS COULD POSE AS A SERIOUS THREAT TO SAFETY.
WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND ENGINE CUT OFF COMPLETELY WHILE THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE. PUT CAR IN PARK, AND TRY TO RESTART BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND HAD TO BE PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DURING TRAFFIC. MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NOT START. I LET CAR SIT FOR 30 MINUTES AND CAR FINALLY RESTARTED. I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP ON 7/6/15 AND THEY ADJUSTED THE IDLE BUT COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE. ON 8/8/15, I WAS LEAVING A STORE AND STARTED TO YIELD TO TURN ONTO A BUSY STREET AND THE CAR COMPLETELY DIED AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR ON 8/11/15 TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPROGRAMMED THE ECM, BUT DID NOT SAY THAT WOULD PERMANENTLY FIX THE ISSUE. I'M AN EXTREMELY CONCERNED CONSUMER AS I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL POST ONLINE FROM CONSUMERS FOR THIS VERY ISSUE, AND I DON'T FEEL NISSAN HAS DONE THEIR PART TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE. BEING THAT THE CAR SHUTS OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WITH OUT FOREWARNING, I'M CONCERNED SHOULD THIS SHUT DOWN OCCUR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED A FATALITY COULD OCCUR.
MAYBE NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT HIGHLY IRRITATING. IN WINTER, NO MATTER HOW COLD, THE VEHICLE TAKES WAY TOO LONG TO HEAT UP FOR WARM CABIN AIR. I LIVE 7 MILES FROM WORK, BUT IT STILL TAKES ALMOST 20 MINUTES TO GET THERE. I AM NOT GETTING WARM ENOUGH AIR UNTIL IM ALMOST AT WORK. IT MATTERS NOT HOW LONG I LET IT IDLE. ON VERY COLD DAYS, I DONT GET DEFROSTER HEAT AND I HAVE INTERIOR FROST ALL THE TIME. AFTER READING VERSA FORUMS ONLINE, IM LED TO BELLIEVE ITS ALL BECAUSE THE CAR HAS TWO THERMOSTATS AND AN OIL COOLER. IN CONTRAST, MY WIFES NEW 3 CYLINDER MITSUBISHI MIRAGE IS WARM IN ABOUT 5 MINUTES. DEALER SAYS ITS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR. HAD I KNOWN THIS BEFORE HAND I PROBABLY WOULDNT HAVE BOUGHT IT.
WHEN STARTING UP FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILS TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PUSHED. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN THE 18000 MILES I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR SINCE NEW. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE INTO TRAFFIC. WHEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER, HE DIDN'T SEEM CONCERNED BUT TOLD ME I COULD LEAVE IT FOR A FEW DAYS TO TRY AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. WITH NO OFFER OF A LOANER, I COULD NOT BE WITHOUT THE CAR. I HAVE SEEN THAT OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM AND WILL RETURN TO THE DEALER AND DEMAND A FULL EVALUATION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE INFREQUENCY OF THE PROBLEM MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE, BUT THAT DOES NOT MAKE THE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY ANY LESS SERIOUS.
THIS CAR TAKES FOREVER TO WARM UP IN WINTER. I DON'T LET IT SIT AND IDLE, I DRIVE SLOWLY FOR A WHILE. IT TAKES ME 20 MINUTES TO GET TO WORK AND JUST STARTING TO WARM UP THEN. IS THIS BECAUSE IT HAS TWO THERMOSTATS AND AN OIL COOLER? ITS AN ANNOYANCE. I EVEN LEAVE HEATER OFF TILL TEMP GAUGE HAS 6 BARS AND THAT ONLY MINIMALLY SOLVES THE PROBLEM. *TR
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE BACK FROM LAS VEGAS BACK TO CALIFORNIA ON 9/1/14. ALL ACCESSORIES ON A/C RADIO DURING THE DRIVE BACK STARTED TO HIT TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. SO I BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN AND WHILE SITTING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC MOVING AT ABOUT 30-35 MPH, VEHICLE STARTED TO FEEL LIKE IT WAS MISFIRING STARTED TO SHUDDER AS I BEGAN TO TAKE OFF FROM A STOP CRUISING UP TO 35MPH THE VEHICLE THEN COMPLETELY DIE'S AND SHUTS OFF SO I THROW ON THE HAZARDS AND COAST OFF TO THE SHOULDER AT THIS POINT STILL IN DRIVE NO POWER STEERING THOUGH. SO I SIT AND WAIT ON THE SHOULDER AGAIN START THE CAR UP AND STARTED TO GET BACK ON THE HIGHWAY BUT THE VEHICLE STILL FELT LIKE IT WAS HESITATING WHILE MOVING AT SLOW SPEED IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC BUT ONCE THE TRAFFIC STARTED MOVING AND I GOT UP TO NORMAL 60-65MPH THE VEHICLE FELT NORMAL AGAIN... NOT SURE IF THE HEAT FROM DRIVING THROUGH THE DESERT WAS GETTING TO THE CAR BUT IT ONLY SEEM TO DO IT AT LOW SPEEDS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. BUT HONESTLY WHEN IT DID OCCUR IT WAS UNSETTLING NONETHELESS BEING IN TRAFFIC AND THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUTTING OFF AND HAVING NO POWER STEERING TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY. CAN ONLY IMAGINE IF IT HAPPENED AT A HIGHER SPEED OR TAKING A CORNER IT COULD HAVE BAD CONSEQUENCES THE CAR IS BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND HONESTLY AFTER THIS ONE INCIDENT I KINDA HAVE MY DOUBTS ALREADY ON RELIABILITY BEING A BRAND NEW CAR ON LONG TRIPS. IT SHOULDN'T EXHIBIT ANY ISSUES LIKE THIS HOPEFULLY NISSAN IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE CAUSE I PLAN TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. NOT SURE IF THERE IS ANY BULLETINS FOR THIS ISSUE BEING SUCH A NEW CAR OR IF I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT EXHIBITED THIS ISSUE, BUT DEFINITELY WAS NOT A GOOD FEELING DRIVING A NEW CAR AND HAVING IT SHUT OFF ON YOU. *TR
ENGINE ,BRAKES AND SHIFTER THIS IS THE CORRECT VIN [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
ENGINE SMELL HOT ALL THE TIME. *TR
2014 NISSAN VERSA NOTE WITH 9501 MILES AT TIME OF LAST INCIDENT. WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS THE CAR SHIFTS ROUGH AT LOW SPEEDS (10 MPH) TO MEDIUM SPEEDS (45 MPH). WHILE THE CAR IS SHIFTING ROUGH THE RPMS OF THE ENGINE MAINTAINS A NORMAL FLUX IN RPM BUT NOTHING DRASTIC LIKE AN ENGINE THAT IS STRUGGLING TO STAY RUNNING. ONCE THE CAR COMES OUT OF THE ROUGH SHIFTING THEN THE CAR QUICKLY STALLS. WHEN THE CAR STALLS IT DOES NOT SPIT AND SPUTTER LIKE A CAR HAVING PROBLEMS RUNNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES WITHIN THE 9501 MILE THAT WE HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT 45 MPH WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND WHILE MOVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT AT ABOUT 10 MPH BACK TO BACK WITHIN A MIN OF EACH STALLING AT ABOUT 10 MPH. THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS TO USE AT LEAST 87 AKI AND THE LOWEST RATING IN OUR STATE IS 87. WE HAVE ALWAYS USED AT LEAST THE LOW GRADE AND AT TIMES USED MID-GRADE 89. NISSAN DEALERSHIP ONLY SUGGESTION IS TO USE PREMIUM GAS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON A 3 LANE ROAD FOR WHICH THE SPEED LIMIT IS 55MPH ON A HOT SUMMER NEVADA DAY (103 DEGREES) THE VERSA SUDDENLY FELT AS IF IT WAS DRAGGING AND BEGAN TO LOOSE SPEED. EVENTUALLY THE CAR STOPPED MOVING EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS ON THE GAS. I CHECKED THE FUEL LEVEL WHICH STILL HAD A LITTLE LESS THAN HALF , CHECKED TO SEE IF THE GEAR WAS ON NEUTRAL BUT IT WAS ON DRIVE, I LOOKED AT THE DASHBOARD AND THE BRAKE LIGHT AND PS ICON WERE ON. I CHECKED FOR THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO SEE IT WAS ENGAGED BUT IT WAS NOT. THE A/C WAS BLASTING, THE RADIO WAS ON, THE ENGINE SOUNDED ACTIVE BUT CAR WAS NOT MOVING. I TURNED OFF EVERYTHING, UNPLUGGED MY IPOD AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. I THEN TURNED THE CAR ON AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT ANOTHER 3 MILES TO THE SAFETY OF MY HOME. I WAS ADVISED BY THE SALES PERSON I DEALT WITH TO BRING THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. THE SERVICE TECH WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE ISSUE AND MADE ME TAKE THE CAR BACK. I TOLD THE DEALER I WANT TO RETURN THE CAR, OF COURSE IT'S AN ISSUE BECAUSE THE 3 DAY PERIOD TO RETURN THE CAR WAS ALREADY PASSED. I OPENED A CASE WITH THE NISSAN HQ , THEY ARE CLAIMING IT HAS TO DO WITH THE GAS I PUT IN THE CAR AND THE EXTREME TEMPERATURES IN NEVADA. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS REP TOLD ME HE HEARD OF SIMILAR CASES AND PROBLEM WENT AWAY WHEN COSTUMER CHANGED THE GRADE OF GAS USED . THIS SOUNDS LIKE BOLOGNA TO ME. THE DEALER CLAIMS THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT, BUT I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. I READ ABOUT OTHER CASES WHERE THIS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES TO 1 CAR IN LESS THAN A WEEK. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME , MY PASSENGERS AND THE DRIVERS AROUND ME. NO WARNING ,NO TIME TO GET OUT ON A BUSY FREEWAY . I AM NOT PUTTING LIVES ON THE LINE. *TR
INTERMITTENT LACK OF ACCELERATION. HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN 6 DAYS. TRIED ACCELERATING FROM STOP TO ENTER CROSS STREET AND FOUND NO ACCELERATION AND NO ENGINE INCREASE. TRAVELED 50 FEET AT 6 TO 10 MPH BEFORE A RESPONSE WITH PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. TURNED INTO DEALER, BUT THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION. THIS IS A POSSIBLE DEADLY PROBLEM. *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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