Hi everyone! Please help me with this Versa's not so good vibration...

[screamingmimi]

I have a 2009 Versa SL (with CVT and ABS) and it has a low sounding vibration that begins at 5 mph and stops around 40 mph. I can feel it in the steering wheel and hear it. The tach reads at 1500. I took it to the dealership this past weekend and no one there can hear or feel it! I have had two friends who have been able to hear and feel the vibration. I drove another Versa comparable to mine that was on the lot and there was no similar vibration in that one. I bought the car in Feb. and there are 3800 miles on the car.I am very frustrated... They told me they would speak to engineers at Nissan to see if others had reported this problem. I also feel a shudder when coming to a stop after I slowly apply the brakes. This problem is not consistent.I did a search and many have felt vibrations at high speeds.So, HELP! Please give me advice and or shed light on these problems. I will be thrilled to have these problems solved.

[Rockhound]

I believe I've experienced both...

The vibration you speak of seems to be the result of a particular RPM - like you said, somewhere around 1500 RPM. I only usually see such low RPM, and thus only experience this vibration, at low speeds, such as within my neighborhood driving at sub-25 MPH. It isn't particularly intrusive, such that most folks probably wouldn't notice it. I'm hypersensitive to such things, though.

I've heard mention of it on this board from other owners, too, and it all seems to be linked to some sort of resonance through the chassis from a very specific RPM. Subtle differences from car to car could make this difficult to reproduce, I would think. I also doubt that anything can be done, short of maybe going with even softer motor mounts, which would likely be a one-off creation.

As for the shudder after coming to a stop, this has something to do with the CVT 'downshifting' or something of the like. It's probably my only complaint regarding the CVT. It would seem that it 'resets' itself (I think the XTronic CVT in the Versa has a 'hi' and 'low' range) at a stop, and the increased electrical/mechanical load makes the whole car shudder a bit (which is actually a momentary drop in RPM, if you watch the tach). I'm not sure if the engine isn't balanced well or what, but if you diverge from the set idle RPM, the interior NVH increases noticeably.

Also, this shudder is more pronounced with a sudden stop than if you ease into it. A similar effect is when you're stopped with the car idling, if you put a window down/up (especially more than one at a time) the car will shudder and RPM will drop due to the load on the alternator. This is a major annoyance to me - somehow I think a modern car should be able to lower/raise a window without 'shuddering' - just kind of gives me a feeling of cheapness. Luckily it's not noticeable while driving.

Neither seem to be 'problems' per se, and I doubt there is much that could be done to correct either issue.

Oh, and we've never experienced any high-speed vibrations. Our Versa rides very smoothly on the highway.

[frankoV]

yup, low speed shudder that the dealership couldnot replicate. took it to a mechanic friend and he couldn't find it either [and unlike the dealer, he was trying]. my son is the only other one to feel it, unfortunately. keeping my eye on it and as I get closer to the end of warranty will take it back for one more try

[Red Devil]

I have a 2009 Versa SL (with CVT and ABS) and it has a low sounding vibration that begins at 5 mph and stops around 40 mph. I can feel it in the steering wheel and hear it. The tach reads at 1500. I took it to the dealership this past weekend and no one there can hear or feel it! I have had two friends who have been able to hear and feel the vibration. I drove another Versa comparable to mine that was on the lot and there was no similar vibration in that one. I bought the car in Feb. and there are 3800 miles on the car.I am very frustrated... They told me they would speak to engineers at Nissan to see if others had reported this problem. I also feel a shudder when coming to a stop after I slowly apply the brakes. This problem is not consistent.I did a search and many have felt vibrations at high speeds.So, HELP! Please give me advice and or shed light on these problems. I will be thrilled to have these problems solved.

Does the braking shudder occur in the steering wheel? Mine does that on occasion and I just attribute it to the ABS.

[kc5f]

No 1500rpm vibration in mine, but I do feel a bit of shudder (although not enough to use that word...) at the same point in my commute every day. It's when I come off of a 65mph road and drive about 20 yards to a stop sign. I almost never do hard stops, so this is the only time I come from speed to a fairly quick stop. It definitely feels like it's downshifting, like Rockhound's description of changing ranges.