Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Nissan Versa submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 32 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.
The 25 most recent of 32, in the owner's own words
TAKATA RECALL (NISSAN VERSA HATCHBACK) AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF IN CAR. THIS RELATES TO VEHICLE SAFETY FOR ANY PASSENGER IN FRONT SEAT OF CAR IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. HAVE HAD TO REPLACE SENSORS AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER ONCE AND HAVE BEEN TOLD RECENTLY I NEED THE MAJOR CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED AGAIN. SOMETIMES AN UNUSUAL SMELL COMES FROM ENGINE WHEN I START CAR.
EXHAUST FLANGE RUSTED OUT THE MUFFLER FLANGE ROTTED OUT. LOOKED UNDER THE CAR, THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM IS ROTTING OUT. VERSAS HAVE WEAK EXHAUST THAT DO NOT WITHSTAND HARSH CONDITIONS SUCH AS WINTERS.
EXHAUST SYSTEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH 2 SEPARATE FAILURES REQUIRING A WELD JOB IN ORDER TO REPAIR. I HAVE COMPLETED ONE AT THE COST OF $200 AND THE SECOND WELD ESTIMATE IS PRICED AT $200. BOTH INSTANCES CAME ON SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT OTHER WARNING. EXHAUST SMELL OCCURS WHEN CAR FIRST STARTS AND DISAPATES AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL MILES. EACH OCCURRED AT SEPARATE TIMES. BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN NOTED BY MY MECHANIC AS BEING LOOSER AND INDICATES NEEDING REPLACEMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE IN ORDER TO AVOID POTENTIALLY FATAL COLLISION OR SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION, STEERING, ETC., SYSTEMS.
STOPPED ON OUR WAY HOME FROM A SMALL TRIP AND REFUELED THE VERSA. NOTICED A SMALL DRIP COMING FROM THE GAS TANK. ASSUMED IT WAS COMING FROM AN OVERFLOW TUBE INSIDE THE FUEL FILLER TUBE. THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK THE VERSA TO OUR MECHANIC AND TOLD HIM ABOUT IT. HE INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THE FUEL LEAK COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP ATTACHED TO THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THE LEAK AS HE DESCRIBED IT COMING FROM UNDER THE PLUG IN WHERE THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTS TO PROVIDE POWER TO THE PUMP.UNDER THE PLUG IN WAS A CRACK . THERE WAS ALSO A HOLE THAT APPEARED IN COLOR OF A BURNT MARK TO THE REAR INSIDE CORNER OF THE PLUG IN WALL EXPOSING A METAL STEM GOES TO THE PRONG THAT CONNECTS TO THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS AREA IS ABOVE FUEL TANK SURFACE OR OUTSIDE THE TOP OF THE TANK. HAD THIS SHORTED OUT OR CREATED A SPARK, A POSSIBLE FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION COULD HAVE OCCURRED AND INJURY AND/OR DEATH COULD HAVE OCCURRED TO OCCUPANTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WHEN PUMP WAS REPLACED, I TOOK PICTURES THAT I HOPE YOU CAN RECEIVE. THE BOTTOM SIDE WHERE THE FLOAT ARM ATTACHED TO THE SIDE SLIDING METAL PARTS FOR MEASURING FUEL LEVEL ALSO APPEARED TO HAVE THE BLACKENED BURNT COLOR ON THE WALL AREA OF THE METAL PARTS. I HAVE THE DEFECTED PUMP IN CASE YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHECK IT OUT. I ALSO HAVE NOTIFIED THE NISSAN SERVICE CENTER AND SHOWED THEM THE PUMP DEFECT. I'M WANTING TO INFORM YOU OF THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER VERSA OWNERS OUT THERE THAT COULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS. WE WERE LUCKY.
WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR CHOCKED AND STOPPED. HAD TO LEAVE VEHICLE IN CURRENT LANE AND TO CALL TOW COMPANY. IT APPEARED THAT THE FUEL PUMP DIED. THE FUEL PUMP WAS CHANGED. *JS
TRIED STARTING THE CAR; ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT CLOSE TO MY MECHANIC'S SHOP AND CALLED HIM. MECHANIC SENT HIS ASSISTANT TO THE PARKING LOT WHERE I WAS AND HE TRIED TO GET THE CAR TO TURN OVER. HE SAID HE THOUGHT THE ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING FUEL. CAR WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FUEL PUMP WAS BROKEN. MECHANIC HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING A REPLACEMENT NISSAN FUEL PUMP. FUEL PUMP WAS OBTAINED AND INSTALLED AT MY EXPENSE. MECHANIC FELT THAT FUEL PUMP SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED ON A 5 YEAR OLD CAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN VERSA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START EACH TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES IN FIVE YEARS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,785 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 159,521. *TR UPDATED 04/30/13*LJ
TRAVELING ON HWY-74 AT 55 MPH USING CRUISE CONTROL THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE INSIDE THE FUEL PUMP WHICH MELTED THE FUEL PUMP RELAY IN THE IPDM. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTTING DOWN WHILE TRAVELING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THE IPDM WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT KNOWN TO BE AN ISSUE. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN ON THE SAME HIGHWAY THIS TIME AT 65 MPH. FUEL PUMP THIS TIME WAS IDENTIFIED TO BE CAUSING THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE. *TR
I TRIED STARTING MY VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO TRY IT MULTIPLE TIMES AND EVENTUALLY AFTER ABOUT 8 TRIES IT DID. THIS OCCURRED FOR THE FIRST IN JUNE 2012 BUT I THOUGHT NOTHING WOULD BE WRONG WITH A CAR THAT IS WAS ONLY ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD. AFTER IT OCCURRED A COUPLE MORE TIMES IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, I BROUGHT IT IN TO BE TESTED AT A NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND THEY TESTED IT AND FOUND NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE ISSUE CONTINUED AGAIN IN FEBRUARY 2013 AND I BROUGHT IT IN TO BE TESTED AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I FOUND INFORMATION STATING THAT NISSAN NEW THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE MAKE AND MODEL OF MY VEHICLE BUT DID NOTHING TO INFORM ME OF THE PROBLEM, THE SERVICE BULLETIN IS DATED SEPTEMBER 18, 2009. I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE NEW ON APRIL 24, 2008 BUT NISSAN MADE NOT ATTEMPT TO NOTIFY ME OF THE POSSIBLE FAULTY PART THEY HAD INSTALLED. A RECALL OF THE PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO REPLACE THE PART THAT THEY KNEW WAS DEFECTIVE. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND NOW THAT THIS PART IS OUT OF WARRANTY LEAVING ME TO PAY FOR IT. I VERY MUCH LIKED MY NISSAN BUT AFTER BEING TREATED LIKE THIS, I DON'T SEE MYSELF EVER GETTING ANOTHER ONE AFTER THE HORRIBLE TREATMENT I RECEIVED. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE JUST TURNING THE CORNER WHEN MY VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING. I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I OPEN THE HOOD AND SAW MY ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE BATTERY AREA WAS FULLY ENFULFED IN FLAMES, THERE WERE OTHER AREAS OF FIRE IN THE ENGINE AREA, BUT I DID NOT STAY THERE TO EXAMINE THE SITUATION. I IMMEDIATELY DROPPED THE HOOD AND RAN TO SAFETY TO CALL 911. MY VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED BY DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE NISSAN DEALERSHIP. I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO THEM AND TO NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, NEITHER OF WHICH WILL TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO REASON FOR MY VEHICLE TO HAVE BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE DRIVING IT. *TR
MY CAR IS ALMOST FIVE YEARS OLD. I HAVE HAD MINOR PROBLEMS WITH IT. MY CAR HAD BEEN STALLING TO START. I TOOK IT TO GET CHECKED OUT. I AM TOLD MY FUEL PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE. I DID RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR MY CAR, AND I AM UNLUCKY TO HAVE ENCOUNTERED IT AFTER MY WARRANTY WAS UP. IT WAS SUGGESTED TO ME TO FILE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT. *TR
PULLED UP TO A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR DIED. NO FUEL. PUMP DIED. *TR
MY VERSA HAS HAD INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH STARTING, BUT IN THE PAST IT ALWAYS DID. THE MAIN ISSUE WAS THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING FUEL. YESTERDAY IT QUIT ALL TOGETHER AND I AM INFORMED THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $600. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT NISSAN SAYS I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. *TR
REPLACED THE CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION ON 09/13/2011 AT 92524 MILES. APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS LATER MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND THE CAR STALLED. THE CAR WILL RUN BUT WHEN PUT IT IN GEAR IT WILL NOT GO ANYWHERE OR REV UP. THIS CAR HAS BEEN TO THREE MECHANICS INCLUDING NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE FOUND. NUMEROUS PARTS WERE CHANGED OUT BUT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES IT WILL DRIVE FOR A SHORT DISTANCE (LESS THAN A BLOCK) AND THEN WILL BE UNMOVEABLE AGAIN. THIS CAR HAS BEEN UNDRIVABLE SINCE SEPTEMBER 2011. THEY ARE A HAZARD ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THE FACT YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO SHUT DOWN. ALSO WE ARE PAYING FOR A CAR THAT IS UNDRIVABLE. *TR
FAILS TO START UNLESS CRANKED FOR A LONG TIME. SYMPTOMS INDICATE A FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR PROBLEM OR FUEL PUMP FAILURE. NISSAN PARTS DEPT SAYS THERE IS NO FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. *TR
NEEDS NEW FUEL PUMP JUST THREE DAYS IN. NEVER HAD PROBLEM WITH VERSA EVER AND THEN IT ALL OF A SUDDEN LEFT ME ON ROAD. THREE TOP MECHANICS ARE CONFUSED WHY MY 2008 ALREADY NEEDS A FUEL PUMP. THEY SAID THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE BROKEN AND THE PART IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO ORDER BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE BROKEN THREE YEARS IN. I TOOK IT TO THE NISSAN DEALER FIRST AND THEY SAID I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP AND THEY DECLINED TO MENTION WHY OR HOW IT COULD HAPPENED. THEY SEEM LIKE THEY KNOW SOMETHING AND WONT SHARE. *TR
I HAVE A 2008 VERSA THAT IS REPEATEDLY HAVING ISSUES STARTING. I HAVE HAD EVERYTHING CHECKED AND IT SEEMS TO BE THE FUEL PUMP. I AM AFRAID I WILL END UP STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WHEN IT FINALLY GOES OUT SINCE I AM HAVING TO TURN THE KEY FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE I CAN START THE CAR AND THAT IS IF I CAN EVEN GET IT TO START. IT SOMETIMES MAKES ME RUN OF GAS EVEN THOUGH I HAD PLENTY OF GAS IN THE CAR WHEN I ORIGINALLY TRIED TO START IT. SINCE I NORMALLY HAVE TO DRIVE A DISTANCE, THIS IS GOING TO LEAVE ME STRANDED ONE DAY AND I AM NOT SURE IF I LIKE HAVING TO PAY TO HAVE IT REPLACED WHEN I SEE THAT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME CAR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN VERSA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED SHE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER THE SECOND ATTEMPT THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE VEHICLE NORMALLY STARTS ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE STARTED SHORTLY AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED HER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE STARTER. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THE FAILURE TO THE DEALER ON EVERY SERVICE VISIT AND THE DEALER NEVER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER ON APRIL 13, 2011. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 489 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,200. UPDATED 05/05/11*LJ THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL REGULATOR. UPDATED
I OWN A NISSAN VERSA 2008 HATCHBACK. AFTER I PULL AWAY FROM THE GAS PUMP, THE CAR WAS LOSING ITS ACCELERATION AND THEN STALL. I WAS TRYING TO START AGAIN BUT IT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. THE CAR WAS TOWED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL PUMP WENT BAD. MY BASIC WARRANTY EXPIRED TWO MONTHS AGO (DECEMBER 5, 2010). THE FUEL PUMP WAS RECPLACED AT MY EXPENSES. *LN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN VERSA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH OR ABOVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED HIM THAT HE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,100. UPDATED 3/21/11 *CN UPDATED 04/22/11*JB
I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY CRUISE SET TO 72MPH, WE DID TURN THE AC ON AND A FEW MINUTES AFTER THAT THE CAR SHUT OFF AND I HAD TO FORCE THE WHEEL TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THANK GOD I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE BECAUSE IF NOT I WOULD HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. I GOT MY CAR MOST OF THE WAY OFF THE ROAD BUT WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART IT WOULD NOT RESTART. I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK AND I DID TRY TO START IT AGAIN WHILE WAITING AND STILL NOTHING. IT WAS A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE TO BE SITTING ON THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY BECAUSE MY CAR JUST SHUT OFF. *TR
THE ENGINE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. MY 2008 NISSAN VERSA HATCHBACK HAS ABOUT 20000 KM ON IT AN HAS HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED ONCE ALREADY UNDER WARRANTY BY THE DEALER ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO. NOW I AM ENCOUNTERING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. IF YOU LEAVE THE IGNITION TURNED ON FOR 15 TO 30 SECONDS THEN THE CAR WILL START. I SUSPECT THE FUEL PUMP HAS A PROBLEM BUILDING UP SUFFICIENT PRESSURE TO DELIVER FUEL TO THE CAR AND THAT IS WHY IT WILL START ON A SECOND ATTEMPT. *TR
MY 2008 NISSAN VERSA ABRUPTLY SLOWS FROM 60 MPH TO 30 MPH AND GRADUALLY SLOWS TO A STOP. THIS ONLY OCCURS AFTER I HAVE DRIVEN BETWEEN 70 TO 150 MILES. IT HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. NISSAN HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND THE FUEL PUMP BUT THE CAR STILL FAILS AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ON AN INTERSTATE. *TR
HELLO I HAVE A NISSAN VERSA 2008 WHICH HAS 22000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS IT FAILS ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. JUST STOP TAKING FUEL AND EVERYTIME THE DEALER IS SAYING THE PUMP NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE NISSAN VERSA MODEL OF 2008 AND THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED. IT HAPPENED TO ME WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN STOP TAKING GAS AND I CANT STEER THE WHEEL. THANK GOD EVERYTIME THE HIGHWAY WAS EMPTY AND I COULD FIGHT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL (CAUSE THE CAR IS DOWN) TO TAKE IT TO THE SIDE ROAD AND CALL A TOW TRUCK. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE NISSAN VERSA FUEL PUMP PROBLEM...IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN VERSA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT GETTING THE PROPER GAS MILEAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC DID NOT FIND ANY FAILURES. SHE WAS ADVISED TO KEEP CHECKING THE MILEAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY GETTING 21 MPG IN THE CITY AND 25 MPG ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER STATED THAT SHE SHOULD BE GETTING 20-28 MPG ON THE HIGHWAY AND 27-30 MPG IN THE CITY. SHE FELT THAT THE DEALER LIED TO HER WHEN PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN REGARDS TO THE MILEAGE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,900.
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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