Muffler failure on 08 Versa...Already?

[Oakie]

Just visited Midas (Canada) to get my muffler flange rewelded ($150.00+tax) on my 08 Versa S. Has anyone else experienced a failure at this joint? If so did you get it covered by your dealer? I'm at 66000km, so past bumper to bumper warrantee. The guys at Midas were surprised to see that fail and recommended I try to get the dealer to cover it.

Thanks for replying!

[08versailles]

Yesssssss!!!!
Time for the muffler upgrade!
May be cost effective to weld straight pipe from cat to new exhaust rather than messing with rusty flanges and resonator.
Compare custom stainless bending [nothing radical] to Nissan off-the-shelf replacement.
Try a local independent bender muffler shop, too.
You may be pleasantly surprised with results.
if that's the way you want to go...
AND fwiw my V looking rusty in the same pipe/flange area

[iluvmyVersa08]

Last I checked my Versa had nothing looking like that on her. And it's been 2 + years already, 37K.

[skylndrftr]

This drew me back from lurking to post...

We had the EXACT same failure on our 07 about a month ago. Milage was 36500mi (about 4k less mi than yours but pretty similar). I took some pictures and they are identical to yours. The shop that repaired ours (mid cross country roadtrip!) said that ours was the third identical failure they had seen on Versas. The 2nd was actually on the lift being fixed when we showed up. I have some experience with analysis of weld failure through work and this to me seems a pretty textbook case of poor weld adherence due to a material/prep issue with the flange. You probably noticed that the weld itself failed at the flange, the whole weld bead stayed with the muffler pipe. I had seen the complaints on here before, but didn't really pay much attention till it happened to us and I got a look up close.

Obviously 4 doesn't make a pattern on a high production car, but I have opened a file with Nissan USA because theres definitely more. I would really love if you (and others) called because I don't think this is a random occurance. I think they should be replacing these mufflers at this point.

Heres another thread on the same thing I just found from 2 months ago:
muffler-difference-between-07-versa-hat ... 95843.html
from january:
post5388842.html?hilit=muffler#p5388842
and more:
post5380550.html?hilit=muffler#p5380550
post5379779.html?hilit=muffler#p5379779
post5321795.html?hilit=muffler#p5321795

[Oakie]

@skylndrftr Thanks for the well researched and relevant response! I'll gladly call and add to your file. Is there a case # or any information I should add? Also, to make sure I get the right branch, which number did you call?

[jph401]

This happened to mine a few months ago - it's an '07 with 60,000 miles, so i was out of bumper to bumper as well...they told me it would cost over $700 to replace the whole muffler. I went to a Meineke and they simply welded a new flange onto it and sent me on my way for less than $150! They told me a Murano was in the day before mine with the same problem.

[08versailles]

it would cost over $700 to replace the whole muffler. I went to a Meineke and they simply welded a new flange onto it and sent me on my way for less than $150!

Luvit

[skylndrftr]

@skylndrftr Thanks for the well researched and relevant response! I'll gladly call and add to your file. Is there a case # or any information I should add? Also, to make sure I get the right branch, which number did you call?

I don't think you can add to my case #, and I think the more open cases honestly the better.

I called 1-800-nissan-1

[CoupeVQ35CVT]

$150 for a weld?!?!?!? I pay the local Mieneke guy $40 for more work. Geez! Well it's better than the $700 rattle can muffler's cost! Aftermarket catback exhausts cost less than the price of that OEM muffler. I would probably switch to some other muffler if this one fails a second time. I've never heard of this issue with other Nissans in my knowledge, my own being an '06 Sentra, an '01 Quest van, and previously an '01 Xterra V6 with 30k miles (driven mostly in rust loving Chicago). Granted aside from the Xterra my other older cars are driven in TX, but weird!

This should be covered by the drivetrain warranty, which lasts till 50-60k miles, or so I thought?

[gmader2001]

I had the same problem with my 2007 Versa at about 90000kms. about $100 to fix. I have also had the gasket between the exhaust and cat need replacing too and that was at 45000kms. Dealer would not replace under warranty.

[08versailles]

Just had oil changed and exhaust inspected. All good.
WHY CAN'T MY FLANGE FAIL???
My custom bender guy said 2.25inch good idea. Use another flex section, delete resonator, pick muffler of my choice
Sigh...maybe in the spring...

[skylndrftr]

So, everyone that had or has an issue with their muffler system on the Versa, please contact Nissan Consumer Affairs:

Nissan Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 685003
Franklin TN 37068-5003
(800) NISSAN-1 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (800) NISSAN-1      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (or 800-647-7261)
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.,
Eastern / Central Time / Pacific Time
Monday through Friday

If enough owners contact them, an investigation will be started with a potentially helpful and good outcome.

I just talked with my file rep today. He basically repeated exactly what was said here. They react when they see a pattern. Thats the only thing they can respond to. I setup through him that I am taking mine into a local dealer and have ti looked at in detail. Statistics are everything because they can't see the cars.

[versafun]

2007, 48000km. Muffler flange just fell out on a welding line, no surprise. But muffler is still good .
Nissan dealer refuse to treat it like production failure, not covered under 5 year power train warranty, no recall for it neither.
Midas welded a new flange right away, excellent work, only 60$. Bravo, Midas! Shame to Nissan!