llHow's your V. in the cold?

[daan]

So we just got done with a week or so of well-below zero (F) temps. My V has just under 7000 miles on it, and now it's driving about as smoothly as the 94 Dodge Shadow I had previously with 200K on it and bad motor mounts. My V has a strange vibration thru the pedals, and feels like the engine isn't connected to the transmission properly anymore. It makes kind of a growly, gear-not-meshing right noise that gets lower and higher with RPMs and the clutch feels a lot stiffer than it used to. Literally the only thing different about the car now is that it's freakin' cold out, it still starts, warms up and handles the same as it used to, it just feels like it's 10 years old now. I know that our neighbors to the north deal with this weather a lot more than I do, how have your cars held up in the winter? I called the dealer about it and they gave me the usual runaround, "It's cold out, you just have to expect this from your car" Well, it's virtually brand new, I park inside a garage at home AND at work, and my 14-year old Chrysler felt better in below zero temps than this thing does...what's up?Thanks guys

[1_Sleek_Versa]

Hi!!

I live in the Eastern Townships in Quebec. It's been four days now with below -35 degrees Celsius each morning.

My Versa did not start, even with the block heater. I boosted the car with my good old Z24 that was 3 days without moving and not plugged. LOL

Yesterday at work the car was sitting in the parking for 5 hours and did not start, at all. It didn't even try to start. So we boosted it with the old 1986 Ford Bronco wich they use to plow the snow. LOL again.

My Versa has 9000 km and it's the worst POS car I ever had. My 1988 Jetta diesel was by far better. I sold my 1997 Cutlass Supreme with 250000 km and bought a new Versa, just because I was scared one morning the old beater would refuse to start.

Should of kept my beaters I guess. Yesterday night I pushed the Versa at the other end of the parking lot. I'm just sick of this car now. I'm not touching it anymore.

I went to the Nissan dealership yesterday ( with my Z24 LOL) to tell them about the major problem the car is. The service manager told me that 106 Versa owners called him that morning about many different problems.

Some had I-Key problems ( the car did not recognize the key), some Versa's not starting at all even with block heater and some simply engine freezing while rolling and shutting off in the middle of nowhere.

Here is my point of view of the Nissan Versa. This car is NOT made for North American weather. The battery is the same size as my ATV's battery. LOL The car smells engine coolant like hell too.

Have you guys ever listened to a CVT trans @ -40 degrees??? Seriously that has to be the most disturbing sound ever. Like a huge growl mixed with nails screeching on a chalkboard. One hour trip yeaterday and my g/f was freaking schitting in her pants LOL.

Sorry for the long post had to vent. Again. Hopefully the temperatures will be a bit higher for the next few days! Can't wait to get up to -20!!!!

[Slither]

Hey you make me feel guilty cause I'm not having any problems. I've had the Versa close to 2 1/2 years. Before I had a Sentra for 4 years (from the same factory in Mexico) with zero problems. Both cars always started never left me stranded anywhere.

The worst car I had was a Chevette - a total bugger to drive in the snow and an on-going carb problem that mean't I lost what power while rolling.

All comes down to luck (throw accident or theft in there too) either you get a good un or an average or a POS...

[clarkemode]

My 2008 Versa sounds bad in the cold too...engine lifter noise, glovebox/passenger dash annoying creaking, other creaks and moans... But, it all goes away when the engine and interior is finally warmed up. It also helps that I use my remote starter to warm up the interior a bit as well. The Versa plastics and the cold does NOT make for a good combination!

Believe me, you are not alone.

[mightyversa]

Here in Corner Brook we have been seeing -25 to -30 degree temperatures for the last week or so. My V starts with a couple cranks and without the block heater plugged in. Obviously the lifters are going to be making the typical ticking noise but other than that, never had to boost her.

Also when I start her, I put the fan on bust and on the hottest settings also with the rear defrost on and within a matter of 2 - 5 minutes of idling in -30 degree temps, all the windows are clear as a nice summer day and shes blowing tons of hot air. Maybe I have one of the few models that were built when the employees all got laid the night before, resulting in happy employees putting a new car together the next day, lmao!!

And to brag a bit more, one day I never moved the car for a couple days in the same bad weather (-30 with blizzard conditions) and went out the second day during the storm to get a few groceries and she started just like it was summer. Oh well, I hope everyone else has better luck.

[versajunky]

i have an 09 2k miles and mine acts the same as mighty versa...i love this car..reminds me of the 89 honda hatch i had in high school..lol

maybe mine was made by the same folks as mighty...lol

[Vahagn23]

MY car is terrible in the cold. its about 17F in here and my driver side window wont close on its own and it gets stuck half way up so I have to pull it up by hand.

[Red Devil]

I get the usual creeking. My gas mileage took a slight hit too. I was getting 35-36 and now am getting around 32-33. Possibly just the switch to winter gas?

[Sure_Shot]

It's been really cold here lately (-40C). I don't have any problems with the v's performance in the cold, other than the hit in gas mileage. I've never had a starting problem, even after leaving it outside for a few hours unplugged. There are the obvious creaks and stuff when the car is that cold, but it goes aweay pretty quickly.

[Shad0wXCalibur]

Mine's being a piece of crap. Or at least just the battery. I still haven't been able to sell it so I drive it every now and then to keep it fresh and to make the rusty rotors look new again. I've had to jumpstart it twice with my 200,000 mile Neon that starts instantly

And it hardly ever goes below 30F here.

[aleckz]

Mine started fine when it was -16F... The clutch was a little slushy, but with the wind it was like -40 that day so its to be expected. After it warmed up and drove for a few minutes the clutch felt better.

Dash rattle was bad for a few minutes too, but it went away when it warmed up.

[kc5f]

We've only had a few days, now, where it's been 3 to 7 degrees (F) in the mornings, but as in the other two winters I've driven it, the V has started up right away every time and given me no problems. I don't push it until the temp light goes out, but I also don't let it sit and warm up, either. No complaints.

[frankoV]

no problems with starting. only noise comes from the CD player when my kids forget to change the music back to mine

mileage way down but smooth driving and clear windows [though it does take a bit to warm up].

looking forward to some warmer [closer to 0 F] weather soon.

[Kolk1]

Wow, my Versa has sat for 2 months, and last week we were down in the -20s around here, and I just started it today to pull it in the garage. The car doesnt even have coolant in it. lol Maybe since mine hasnt been started in so long, it just wanted too so bad, that it did.

[daan]

The dealer near me is pretty useless, when I brought it in to be looked at, they told me "We kept it inside all night, it was fine when we drove it." Well duh, if you keep it at 60F all night it's not going to do anything weird in the cold... LEAVE IT OUTSIDE NEXT TIME! Argh. Oh yeah, they told me "no engine block heater is available for the Versa" but aren't they mandatory up in Canada? Jeez...

[frankoV]

Mandatory? No.

Necessary? In some parts.

How can a dealership be so dense? Internet, guys, internet.

[Andrews Chalmers]

Depending on the mixture... gasoline freezes at -40C ~ - 60C...

but it does get awfully thick and some fuel systems won't be able to handle it...

[lovesaga]

Where I live it has been really cold. I usually go somewhere daily I left my car sitting for a day. I go to crank it, and it won't start. We let it sit then it cranked. We think the engine got flooded. Or I pushed the gas pedal while hitting the clutch flooding it. I understand the not cranking guys. It really makes a person upset.

[versaBRN]

I've got the same creeks and moans in my dash. My Car started up just fine last week at -26f or -32C.. No block heater.. At that temp I couldn't even get my Zx2 to start... At -15 I coudn't get my ZX2 over 40 mph untill it was warmed up! My versa is just fine in the cold.. just noisy! Oh.. don't get the mail.. My power window went down just fine but I had to work it and pull it up to get it up! I haven't noticed any extra noise comming from the CVT in cold temps.

[SpeedyV09]

Yep same here turns over just fine for me in -20F or so and the CVT is a lot louder for me, + I had the exact same problem put the window down, went down fine no problems clicked it to go back up and went very very SLOW and half way it stopped so I had to help it a little until it started to go back up on its own. Lesson learned, what goes down may be a pain in the as* to get back up

[VersaMG08]

You all just need to move out of Canada and come down here to the WEST where it's warmer! I've been enjoying 60-70 F degree weather, we trade locations.

[D3stro]

The Versa of my girlfriend start easily when cold. Even at freaking cold we had here last week(in the -22F range), it started with no problem.

[Pattington22]

Hey,

I have never had a problem with starting; however, I have had some issues with frost on the inside of the window - and it seems like the defrost takes forever to warm up and clear the windows.

Also, my mileage in the winter (the car also has only 2000km) has been horific: I was averaging about 9.5L/100km (24 mpg); however, the last few tanks have averaged roughly 11.25 L/100km (~21 mpg). This has been rather annoying.

[They Call Me Whatshisname]

I take 66F degree weather for granted I guess. Yay Texas

[frankoV]

I have had some issues with frost on the inside of the window - and it seems like the defrost takes forever to warm up and clear the windows.

Stop breathing.

OK, if ya gotta breathe, make sure the A/C is on and the heat is "mostly high" -- the A/C takes the humidity out of the car.

Quote »Also, my mileage in the winter (the car also has only 2000km) has been horific: I was averaging about 9.5L/100km (24 mpg); however, the last few tanks have averaged roughly 11.25 L/100km (~21 mpg). [/quote]Sounds about right . . . about 400km to the tank . . . especially as you idle to warm the car up [even for a minute] and sit in traffic [will this strike ever end?]

Second winter with the car -- thought it would be better this than last, as I've done the "break-in" . . . nope. Summer mileage good; winter mileage bad.

[Pattington22]

Ya, the A/C is on since it's the default and the dial is usually three or four. And I mean, this is some serious frost, not so much fog (although frost is simply the frozen fog). It's not a huge issue, just annoying. It's likely caused by the fast freeze after I got out of the car and stuck in IKEA. There's three hours of my life I will never get back.