Hi all. Overall I am pleased with my purchase. I just got my Versa 2 weeks ago. I got the SL 6 spd man with conv. package. I have put 1000 miles on it already and am ejoying it during my long comutes to work. I am pretty anal and have noticed a few things I am not sure are good. I don't know if this is normal or if I have a problem. OK here we go:

Shifting Problem:The first week my Versa shifted quietly inside the car and felt smooth going from gear to gear. Now it feels like the shifter clunks into each gear, and you hear a shift noise inside the car. It no longer glides into the gears. Anyone else getting this?

Engine Noise:I have noticed the engine is loud inside the car. Just driving with the rpm on 2k creates a hum inside. On the highway it is really loud, you have to put the stereo volume on 20 or more to drown it out.

Wind Noise:Once I get to around 60mph I get a loud irritating wind noise coming from the front windshield on the drivers side.

Ignition Problem:One morning I went to turn the ignition knob and it wouldn't turn. I finally got it to and nothing happened. All the lights came on on the dash but the engine did not turn over. The ignition switch made a clicking noise several times. After a small cussing and fit I tried againand it started as normal. I have not had the problem since.

Weird Fan Noise: When I am at a drive thru window I hear something very loud like a fan noise. It shuts off after a while and then comes back on again. It is annoying and makes it hard to hear the speakers at drive thrus. Its almost like a revving sound, on the drivers side. I tried switching the ac on and off and it did not affect it.

Small Stuff:The car did not come with floor mats. I asked them to order me some and they can't. They say it isn't a part number yet check back in 4 months. So I had to settle for some auto store generic mats.

Heat: This thing gets really hot inside during the day. Leather steering wheel burns your hands when you get it. I keep my sunglasses in the compartment above the rv mirror. When I take them out they are hot as sh****.

Well that is it for now. This may seem picky to some. I am not wealthy and for me 16k is alot of money. Should I be having these questions/issues with a brand new car? I got the new one because I was sick of issues with my old car. Please let me know if any of you are having similar issues? Thanks.

Modified by jroot at 12:04 PM 8/12/2006
Modified by jroot at 12:05 PM 8/12/2006

jroot wrote:Shifting Problem:The first week my Versa shifted quietly inside the car and felt smooth going from gear to gear. Now it feels like the shifter clunks into each gear, and you hear a shift noise inside the car. It no longer glides into the gears. Anyone else getting this?

Mine has done this from day 1, as did my 260Z, and a couple other Nissans I have driven (including a 2000NX, a 200SX, and a Sentra). From my perspective, this isn't abnormal. I actually kinda like it.. I don't get a "clunk" per se, but I get a definite "click". In this car, you know EXACTLY where the gears are, as opposed to some other cars I have recently owned, which had a very vague shift feeling.

Quote »Engine Noise:I have noticed the engine is loud inside the car. Just driving with the rpm on 2k creates a hum inside. On the highway it is really loud, you have to put the stereo volume on 20 or more to drown it out.[/quote]Abnormal. I've never had to use the stereo at any volume louder than 12 to drown out ENGINE noise (see below), and at 2-3k, it is whisper quiet inside the cabin.

Quote »Wind Noise:Once I get to around 60mph I get a loud irritating wind noise coming from the fromt windshield on the drivers side.[/quote]This is where I have to use the stereo to drown out the noise. Compare the mounting of your passenger side mirror vs. your driver's side. I bet there is a gap on your driver's side mirror. There is on mine, it appears the door was dented when Nissan installed it at the factory, and then they put the mirror on top. I am getting this corrected by my dealer on Wednesday.

Quote »Ignition Problem:One morning I went to turn the ignition knob and it wouldn't turn. I finally got it to and nothing happened. All the lights came on on the dash but the engine did not turn over. The ignition switch made a clicking noise several times. After a small cussing and fit I tried againand it started as normal. I have not had the problem since.[/quote]Convenience package? If so, I've found the intelligent key sometimes takes a couple seconds to transmit to the car that everything is OK. My procedure for avoiding this is to push in on the ignition, wait for the click, THEN turn forward. If you turn forward before the click it will turn but nothing will happen.

Quote »Small Stuff:The car did not come with floor mats. I asked them to order me some and they can't. They say it isn't a part number yet check back in 4 months. So I had to settle for some auto store generic mats.[/quote]I know it's not a "Sponsored" Link, but I know for sure that they have them: http://www.courtesyparts.com

Quote »Heat: This thing gets really hot inside during the day. Leather steering wheel burns your hands when you get it. I keep my sunglasses in the compartment above the rv mirror. When I take them out they are hot as sh****. [/quote]The steering wheel thing is also normal. Leather actually heats up faster than most forms of urethane used in making steering wheels. A normal wheel, thus, will usually be a couple degrees cooler on a normal day. This is also why cloth seats are much cooler than leather seats on hot days, and why I absolutely refuse to ever buy a car with leather seats.

I have not had the same problem with the sunglasses, but then again it hasn't risen above 85 here since I bought the car.

Every car has its quirks. So far, the quirks in my Nissan have been nothing compared to my old Kia (electrical gremlins!).

Good luck, and hope you continue to enjoy it!

shifting:

Abnormal, but for this car its normal. Many complain about a loud noise when shifting gears in manual, its just something your gonna have to get use to , which is why i got the cvt instead even though i love standard.

Engine Noise:Abnormal, mine has very minimal engine noise. In fact, its the thing that impressed me the most when i toke it for a test drive at the dealer.

Ignition: Abnormal, this shouldnt happen on a new car.

Wind noise:Possible defect due to a dent in the driver side mirror.

But like u said, ur not paying a ton of money for this car, so for what u pay for u shouldnt expect lexus like quality and cabin quietness. For the money its best in class and u should be proud of that.

The only thing mine does occasionally, is pop out of second gear when I'm shifting to third... sometimes I feel like the gear oil has completely drained out, other times I get the notion that I need a new clutch... I'd prefer an after market clutch...

Engine Noise:I have noticed the engine is loud inside the car. Just driving with the rpm on 2k creates a hum inside. On the highway it is really loud, you have to put the stereo volume on 20 or more to drown it out.

That's about where I usually run my stereo, too, but most of the noise I'm getting seems to be tire/road related.

One thing you might look at, depending on which radio you have: The radio with the CD changer includes a feature that increases the radio volume with the vehicle speed! My wife has the Versa out of town this weekend, but I found it just by calling up the Bass-Treble-Balance adjust mode on the radio and scrolling through the options. IIRC, there are three settings: High, Medium, and Low (or off). Yours might be off. I actually had to change mine from High to Medium, 'cause the radio was getting TOO loud on the road.

Wind Noise:Once I get to around 60mph I get a loud irritating wind noise coming from the front windshield on the drivers side.

I'm definitely not getting that, on my Versa. Manufacturing tolerances probably ganged up on your car to leave a small gap in the trim. That happened with my Dad's Buick...when the car got to 60 MPH or so and the wind caught the car just right, there was an incredibly loud reedy fluttering sound. Drove him nuts.

What happened in his case...and might be happening in yours...is that the windshield border trim (which consisted of about four or six individual pieces of metal or plastic) had been assembled to leave a small gap between two of the pieces. The wind was whistling in the gap and fluttering a small piece of sealant inside.

You've got things a bit easier in your case: It apparently happens ALL the time, not just in certain wind conditions.

Rattles and wind noises are sometimes gray areas, as far as waranties are concerned. They *are* often hard to hunt down and fix, and the manufacturers may balk at paying for the diagnostic time. The dealers also sometimes balance which *car* is involved, too...if the customer owns a $50,000 Maxima, it's in the dealer's best interest to keep him or her happy in the hopes their next car will be another new Maxima. They may not bend over backwards as far for a $16,000 Versa owner.

But...your Versa is still practically new, and the dealer should fix this.

To make their job easier, though, do a little detective work and try to hunt down what's causing the noise. Examine anyplace where two parts come together in the area with the wind noise. If you find a gap or discontinuity, slap a piece of scotch tape over it and take the car for a drive. If the noise goes away, take the tape off and make your dealer appointment. When you bring the car in, point at the spot and mention how it stopped when you used the tape.

If you don't find the cause of the noise, take it in, anyway. The dealer will have to spend their own diagnostic time, but that's part of the business.

BTW, lest one get too bad an impression about the dealerships being reluctant to do rattle/noise work under warranty, you should realize that the manufacturer pays for warranty service under a flat rate. The manufacturer generates a manual that says, "Diagnosing and repairing XXXX problem will take four hours." And when the dealer applies for compensation for doing that service, they'd get the four hours' worth...whether the actual repair took one hour or three days. Dealership mechanics are also usually compensated on the flat-rate system, so it's the ordinary Joe with the wrench who takes the hit.

In most cases, the flat-rate manual is very conservative, so the mechanic comes out ahead. The trouble is, rattles and other noise complaints often take a disproportionate amount of diagnostic time, which usually isn't reflected in the flat rate manual. So if *you* can do the diagnostic work first, everyone is happier.

In the case of my Dad's Buick, it was out of warranty by the time I'd come to visit and finally found the problem. Dad use a hot-glue gun to fill the gap, wiped the surface off flush, and the problem disappeared. I'd have used silicone RTV myself, but Dad's a traditionalist... :-)

Weird Fan Noise: When I am at a drive thru window I hear something very loud like a fan noise. It shuts off after a while and then comes back on again. It is annoying and makes it hard to hear the speakers at drive thrus. Its almost like a revving sound, on the drivers side. I tried switching the ac on and off and it did not affect it.

What you're *probably* hearing is the normal radiator fan. Back when I was in knee pants, cars had the engines mounted so the water pump was at the front of the car, and they'd install a fan on the water pump to pull air through the radiator all the time.

When companies switched to transverse-mounted engines and front-wheel drive, the water pump was now on the side of the car. So they mounted a separate fan, powered by an electric motor, behind the radiator.

Now, one thing about these fans: They aren't really needed when the car is moving, since the motion of the car drives more air through the radiator than the fan could ever pull. Turning the fan all the time wastes fuel. It didn't make much difference back in the dawn o' time when I learned to drive, when gas was 33 cents a gallon.

But as fuel consumption became more important, the manufacturers took a look at the fan. The first thing they added was a clutch that would let the fan free-wheel unless the engine coolant was hot enough to need a cooling boost.

When they went to transverse engines and electricly-operated fans, it got even easier. They added a temperature switch to the coolant, so the fan only turns on when needed.

When is it most needed? Well, when the car runs on the road or highway for a while, coming up to operating temperature, then stops and idles for a while.

Which describes exactly what is happening when you go to the drive-through. It's like when you've been swiming laps. You feel cool, because the water is flowing past you taking the heat away. But if you climb out of the pool, your body is still hot, but the coolant is no longer flowing.

So I think what you've been hearing is normal. Your car warms up, but then the air stops flowing through the radiator, and the fan kicks on to help things cool. Since you're at a drive-up window, the side of the building or the drive-up kiosk actually reflects the sound back at you.

To test this, drive for a while, then pull into a parking lot, leave the engine running, open the hood, and watch the fan. You'll probably see it kick on.

One safety note: These fans operate in accordance to the internal physics of the engine, which may NOT be immediately comprehensible to the viewing human. Never, EVER put your hands near the fan. It will come on without warning, and you'll may be very seriously injured. In some cars, the fan will even come on when the engine is turned off. So stay away from it!

Ron

Thanks for all the great responses guys. I appreciate it. I like my Versa a lot. I think that it is a very noisy car though. The engine and fans etc. I have never had a sub compact econo car before and this may be all par for the coarse. I am going to let my dealer figure it out, since it is brand new. I was wondering also has anyone with the manual transmition noticed a pop on the end of the clutch when letting up? Also, I have just over 1k on the car and have tried to never let the engine get over the 4k rpm point when shifting etc. This is because I was told I had to break the engine in. What are your thoughts on this breakin period and when would it be safe to open the little 4 banger up and see what she can do? Thanks again!

jroot wrote:I think that it is a very noisy car though.

My opinion: It's relative. Try driving a Yaris, Fit, Xa or Xb - talk about noisy. My experience is opposite - I think it's the most quiet in it's class (with CVT) (I only have 250 miles so far).

I did think the 6 spd was noisier - the engine revs between gears.

By the way rwanttaja - Great Job!!!

Modified by storyr at 5:52 PM 8/14/2006
Modified by storyr at 5:52 PM 8/14/2006

Yeah, you're anal about things However, if you want a quite car, buy a upscale sedan or coupe. I bet you'll still find flaws in those as you have in your Versa!Enjoy!

storyr wrote:My opinion: It's relative. Try driving a Yaris, Fit, Xa or Xb - talk about noisy. My experience is opposite - I think it's the most quiet in it's class (with CVT) (I only have 250 miles so far).

I agree...I'm quite happy with the noise level in my Versa. I test-drove the Yaris and Fit. Almost bought the Yaris, but decided to go back and drive the Versa again. The Versa was MUCH quieter on the highway. Felt the Fit was about the same as the Versa.

Tire noise seems to predominate; don't notice engine or wind sounds very much. Even so, I haven't found it objectionable.

Heck, I've got a sound meter, I'll haul it along and take a measurement. News at 11...or at least the 15th. :-)

Ron

I agree with last 3 posters - versa is quiet, comparing to its immediate competition (yaris, fit etc)

Einstein was right - everything is relative...

FarFetched wrote:Yeah, you're anal about things However, if you want a quite car, buy a upscale sedan or coupe. I bet you'll still find flaws in those as you have in your Versa!Enjoy!

I bought the wife a 2003 civic in 2002 and it has been just great without any of the things I have mentioned. I paid the same for it. I really appreciate the replies and they have made me think a little different. Thanks for taking the time to help me. Still 16K to me is a lot of money and I would like to make sure I got a good one. Nothing wrong with that. I play guitar in a band and needed a wagon or SUV with room for my gear but still gets good mileage. I ended up choosing the Versa. I like it I am just concerened about the details and not caught up in any hype.

this is a sub-compact entry level car, not a lexus which spends billions of dollars making sure the ride is quiet, which is what its famous for. when i toke this car for a test drive with the dealer salesman in the front seat he made me realize that im getting alot for my money and that complaining about minor noise for a car under 20k with so many features isnt neccessary. btw i saw a fit today by the theatres, its so small, ugly and go-kart like, especially from the side, im glad i bought a versa.

I've tried Versa, Fit and Scion xA. Of all tree I liked FIT for its handling and shifter (manual) In compact class, buying auto is like powering Bayliner boat with electric outboard motr (silly). Even though I liked Scion xA transmission (toyota precision), I very much liked how Fit held the road. Versa, somewhat wobbly around corners. I appreciated little more engine it has though. At the end, it comes down to what everyone likes. I don't even own a car (I use wife's when I need). I know what luxury car is. I owned Q45 before I sold my soul to Honda bikes, I own St1300 touring bike.

hey Jroot

You know what when i joind this forum mu car didnt have any problems, but now I have an issue with the transmission My gears feel rough and a little loud, also the cluch has an issue with releasing i dont know from a dead stop and i take off in 1st gear the cluch seems to take forever to 'kick in' it feels like i have the cluctch pedal pushed in half way while trying to accelerate then it stops. not sure whats the problem but figured i would wait it out for a couple hundred more miles maybe it will stop if not then i will make an appointment. hope this was interesting.

i haven't run into these problems yet (besides the steering wheel which is common) and you already got 1000 miles on it?!goddamn.

but for $12xxx-$16xxx this car is a great deal.good materials (no cheap *** plastic interior) and all the other pros.minor cons.

penpen-commander wrote:i haven't run into these problems yet (besides the steering wheel which is common) and you already got 1000 miles on it?!goddamn.

Don't look at my odometer then. Because I ticked over 1600 this afternoon.

I have 4,224 miles so far, The drivers window won't "auto-up" anymore. It still goes down by itself... heh

Sahandman wrote:this is a sub-compact entry level car, not a lexus which spends billions of dollars making sure the ride is quiet, which is what its famous for. when i toke this car for a test drive with the dealer salesman in the front seat he made me realize that im getting alot for my money and that complaining about minor noise for a car under 20k with so many features isnt neccessary. btw i saw a fit today by the theatres, its so small, ugly and go-kart like, especially from the side, im glad i bought a versa.

The fact that it's an inexpensive car doesn't mean that it's okay for it to be defective. If your car's doing something that it shouldn't, you have a right to have it fixed. All this talk about the Versa being an entry-level car so you shouldn't complain is a little silly imo. I mean yeah, it's not going to behave like a Lexus but it should still perform up to spec.

I know it's a tad bit normal for nissans, but my valves have really been loud (to me) lately... I've been using mobil1 synthetic 10/30, should I switch to something else or a different weight ?? some kind of additive ??the tach is frequently in the higher rpm area....

Julz wrote:I know it's a tad bit normal for nissans, but my valves have really been loud (to me) lately... I've been using mobil1 synthetic 10/30, should I switch to something else or a different weight ?? some kind of additive ??the tach is frequently in the higher rpm area....

I'm using the same oil as you, but haven't experienced abnormal engine noises. My engine does occasionally see the top side of 3500 rpm, but not often.

What kind of oil filter are you using? If it's a cheapie, that may have an effect. I'm using a K&N oil filter, so no problems on that end.

I have the S Automatic. The enginge would buzz before changings gears and then drones out when I'm cruising. Seats are comfortable, but I wish the seats would pump up on the S, I'm 6ft tall. The engine is VERY queit when you first get it...But I need everyones help on this...I think I might be freaking out. But when I first got the car I din't hear any engine noise or feel the engine running when idling. But now that I have put about 3,000 miles on it, i can hear the engine when it's idling and somewhat feel a slight rumble. ALSO, I no longer hear that "buzz" noise when I'm accelerating...Anyone have this same problem???

I have a question. Whenever it is raining outside and I am going on a trip, water starts to condensate on windows. This is happening when no fan and\or AC is turned on. The only solution that I have found is to turn the AC on - which every time drives me mad . Does yours have this issue?
Modified by ilusha55 at 12:41 AM 10/24/2006