A/C Compressor Issues

[nissanhater]

Hey - for those who remember I was the one who made the post about my parents' '07 Versa S sedan having the undiagnosed A/C condensation leak that saturated the front passenger carpets and caused the rear passenger carpets to mildew. This after we had visited the dealer about 4-5 times for attempted repairs. The end (well, sort of end) to the story is that my Dad tried to get Nissan to buy back the car. The people at Nissan HQ in Tennessee said that the dealer claimed they had fixed the leak the last time we were in there. We contacted the dealer following this exchange, and they said that they had not fixed it. I suppose the leak problem is temporarily over since we are now in a less humid season - I suspect it will resurface next Spring.

Now, a new problem has surfaced. When we were in the dealer for that last attempt at fixing the leak they said the A/C compressor was making a noise that indicated something was wrong with it. Furthermore, there is a TSB out for the Versa A/C compressors. Granted, the thing was making a horrendous clunk and buzz after it was first turned on. So the dealership ordered a new compressor, and we had it installed. Afterward, on the way home, I noticed an awful buzzing/whining noise that started whenever the compressor cycled on and lasted until it cycled off. The noise's pitch was also RPM dependent. So we took it in again, and the dealer ordered a new compressor. Yesterday we took it in to have the 2nd new compressor installed - it was there all day again. We asked the service adviser if the technician had turned on the A/C and listened for the noise, which he said the technician had done. We arrived to pick it up, I started the car, turned on the A/C, and the noise started again. I revved the engine just a bit, and the noise again became worse (and developed a higher pitch) the higher the RPM's. We walked back up to the service desk and explained it to the service adviser.

The service adviser now finds all of this quite as ridiculous and comical as we do. We have had 3 different problems that have required about 9 separate trips to the dealership. The car has spent about 11 entire 8-hour days at the dealership for these problems. My Dad is now back in contact with Nissan HQ in another attempt to convince them to repurchase the car.

And lastly, my Mom attempted to park the Versa up under an F-150 on her way to work last week. It was rainy and she slid into it when traffic backed up. Initial damage doesn't look that bad. The shop estimates $1,100 for a new front bumper cover, headlight, radiator support, and fender touch-up.

Our life revolves around our Nissan Versa these days. We find it irritating, but at least we're able to laugh about it. We average 30-31 MPG on a mostly highway loop. And, lastly, be warned: if your A/C compressor sounds odd, take it in before the warranty expires since there is that TSB out.

[matt_a]

Sheesh! You guys have really been through the ringer with your V. I'm sorry to hear that. We haven't had any problems with ours. Unfortunately, it can (and does) happen with all makes and models. Just last week I read a similar horror story on a Honda forum about someones new Accord. And if you really want a good laugh, do some reading on any of the domestic forums! Anyhow, I hope they get you guys straightened out soon. I'd be pretty ticked by now.

[Rockhound]

Yeah, that is really unfortunate. I was similarly disgusted with my wife's previous car (2001 Camry) and the oil sludge issue - and equally disgusted with Toyota's way of handling it.

It's easy to let these experiences cloud your opinion of an entire brand - but like Matt_a, our Versa so far has given us almost 6,000 miles of problem free, efficient driving.

Thanks for the heads up on the A/C TSB - I was not aware of that one. I just found a website (www.nissantechinfo.com) that provides details on all TSBs issued for every Nissan car...you can see the model list here: http://www.nissantechinfo.com/...ssid=

Scroll down to Versa, and then list the different categories of TSB. You can only view the PDF if you have a subscription, but you can at least read what each TSB covers.

Anyway, sorry to see that you're a "nissan hater" as it has been my experience that they make very reliable, long lasting vehicles. That doesn't excuse the issues you've had with your Versa, however.

[nissanhater]

Yeah, wish it hadn't of happened so I could have liked Nissans a little better. After all, how can I be antagonistic toward them when the new Skyline/GT-R comes out over here? We wish Nissan would do the right thing and trade us without us having to shell out a lot in losses. I might be able to convince my parents to get a Sapphire Blue hatch with a 6-speed stick this go around...