Potential Issues with Versa?

[kobari]

Hi All,

I am planning to buy a 2008 Versa very soon, and have been doing a lot of reading about it.

So far, I have seen 4 issues reported by owners, and would appreciate it if you can comment on these:

1. Brakes:

Read on forums that some Versas make terrible/annoying sound on braking almost on a regular basis after a few months, and Nissan service was unable to fix these issues.

2. A/C

A few people have been complaining about the air conditioner, and they are saying that it is really weak and almost useless. And, in hot/warm weather, running it does not help too much.

3. Handling

Have read on couple of forums + reviews that, Versa has poor handling on sharp curves / corners. Furthermore, due to its high structure, it is a bit unstable during windy conditions.

4. CupHolders

This is a very minor issue, but a few people were saying that cupholders are placed in a very weird way, and it is very hard to reach them.

Any comment on these issues is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[BillyBeaneBall]

I feel the A/C was fine this summer. Not sure what people were complaining about.

As far as the brakes, I had a Versa for 7000 miles and never heard any squeaking/sqeualing. Maybe the people that are hearing it didn't properly break them in?? I'm not saying this is definitely the case, just saying why this may be...

Yeah the front cupholders probably could be positioned better...but they are not THAT bad.

The handling seemed SLIGHTLY worse than my 2000 Kia Sephia...but not enough to worry about. I didn't buy this car for street racing....

What I will say is that it is an EXTREMELY safe car. I was in a high speed accident and everyone literally walked away from it. To me this is more important than anything you listed above, but that's just my opinion...

[Bubs daddy]

1. Brakes:

Read on forums that some Versas make terrible/annoying sound on braking almost on a regular basis after a few months, and Nissan service was unable to fix these issues.

I've never experienced this. My brakes work fine with no noise.

2. A/C

A few people have been complaining about the air conditioner, and they are saying that it is really weak and almost useless. And, in hot/warm weather, running it does not help too much.

Not many places that the A/C will work harder than in Arizona. Mine worked just fine even during the sixty or so 100-115 degrees days.

3. Handling

Have read on couple of forums + reviews that, Versa has poor handling on sharp curves / corners. Furthermore, due to its high structure, it is a bit unstable during windy conditions.

Mine handles just fine, in fact, very nimble. We have some very strong wind out here at times. Never felt it was unstable.

4. CupHolders

This is a very minor issue, but a few people were saying that cupholders are placed in a very weird way, and it is very hard to reach them.

I would agree. The cupholders are an inconvenience but eventually you get used to them.

[KimberKenobi]

Brakes:

no sounds/issues.

A/C

same as above... the biggest problem I've encountered doesn't have to do with the A/C but all the glass-space... there's a lot of sun that beats through those large windows... I've found that pulling the sunroof shade helps a lot but I've also always felt that the A/C was more than adequate.

Handling:

I used to drive a '95 Sidekick... this car is like a rock compared to that. I haven't noticed myself getting blown around in the terrible crosswinds we get on 75 (there were days I had to drive the 'Kik home at 55 because of the winds) and I've never had a problem.I have also never had a problem with sharp curves... I enjoy driving my little Camel on the backroads in Kentucky... there are lots of curves.

Cupholders:

My only complaint is that they need to be slightly deeper. Other than that, no complaints on them. (I've had much worse cupholders in previous cars... these are great)

[kc5f]

I've got over 38,000 miles on mine in just under 13 months, and have no complaints. To your specific issues:

Brakes: Mine have always been quiet and work quite well. (Not ABS)

A/C: I don't use it as much as some folks, but it's worked fine with temps over 100 in SC. (No tinted windows)

Handling: I notice side winds more than with my much-lower profile Probe, but it's not a surprise given the height, and still not a problem.

Cupholders: I've never understood the complaints about them. Everything I've put in them has fit just fine, and I could reach them just fine. If I have a bottle, I can also put it in the door pocket and the depth doesn't matter.

[07Vsdn]

1. Brakes are fine. No squealing.

2. A/C might be a little weak in our car. Once you are driving it is fine, but if it is a really hot day and you start it up and you are only idling, that is when the A/C, like in most cars, is the weakest. I put some tint on the windows mainly for this reason.

3. Handling is good. Very composed on the road but on windy days on the highway you do feel it. Just got back from a 1,000 mile road trip with the parents and were driving north right in front of a storm that was heading east and we could really feel the wind hitting us. But, I also saw a lot of cars on the interstate moving back and forth in their lanes due to the wind.My dad was in the back seat and he made a comment if it was really windy out because he could feel the buffeting.

4. Cupholders. No biggie to me.

[CopyChief]

1. Brakes. Never had an issue.

2. A/C is no worse than any other 4 cyl. car. It worked well here (St. Louis) during a very hot August.

3. Handling, in my opinion, is excellent. Yeah, it's mushy compared to a BMW or Porsche, but it's rock-solid compared to my old 95 Escort or my wife's 2000 Contour.

4. Cupholders. This is a matter of perspective. My old car had cupholders that were useless for anything but a soda can. This one is outstanding in comparison. There are bottle-holders in the doors, too. There's some complaint that they're "too far forward" but they're in the same physical place as a lot of other cars. This might have as much to do with comfortable driving position than anything else. Just my opinion.

You can find out pretty easily if any of these issues are a concern for you by taking an extended test drive. Zoom around some highway ramps, whiz through the drive-though and put something in the cupholder. And pop on the A/C. You'll know pretty quickly if it's right for you.

[srellim234]

Preface: Our SL was purchased in mid-July and now has 4,000 miles on it.

1. Brakes- our non ABS brakes work quietly and well. I haven't had to panic stop anywhere but they're ok to the extent that we've been using them.

2. A/C- In August our Versa was in 100+* every day, including golfing trips out to Palm Springs, where the car sat in parking lots on 115-121* days. The air conditioning worked great, cooling down quickly and keeping the car cool. It is important, however, to keep the air flow on "recirculate" when the a/c is on to cool the car down and keep it cold.

3. Handling- We use the car as a family transportation car. For regular use like that it is just fine. Not sporty by any means, but I've been able to swerve around objects in the road without problem. The taller profile is affected by the wind, but not any more than any of the other compact cars that are shorter but lighter in comparison and thus just as windblown. If you are looking for a sports car, this isn't it. If you are looking for a good transportation car, it is.

4. Cupholders- One of my gripes. To put a bottle in the door you have to "wedge" even the narrower bottles in. I keep a couple of those narrow 1 liter Smartwater bottles for those holders and keep refilling them. I liter Pepsi bottles require too much bending out of the door pocket to work there.The cupholders under the dash don't accomodate anything very tall or wide. Just not enough room there.On the Versa SL there are no rear cupholders if someone is sitting in the middle of the back seat. The only cupholders in the back are in the center fold-down armrest. Thus, if you have five people in the car you only have four cupholders, all of them only accessible to the people in the front seat (one on each front door and the two under the dash).

Cupholders are definitely not a justification for not buying ANY car. Look at workmanship, dependability, safety, etc. and make your decision from there. You can always go to an auto parts store and buy one of those sandbag console things with big cupholders to put on the floor if you need bigger cupholders.

[lain]

Might as well keep going with the tready posting scheme;

I currently have 6k miles on my car

BREAKS - Non-ABS break, no sweaking.

A/C - When I first got the car it seems like it wasn't getting cold fast enough but now I don't see much of a problem as before, works great when I need it.

HANDLING - No problem here my car handles like a charm. I take all bumps and dips slow.

CUPHOLDERS - I guess it is a little harder to get the cups out/in of the cupholders since it goes like under the radio. But After a could of tries I discovered a way of taking them out without any difficulty. I have a S so I only got like 4 cup holders in the car...SL's come with like 25.

[Ever Victorious]

1) Brakes

Have never heard a peep out of the brakes on either my ABS or non-ABS Versa. Control under panic braking is great with ABS, but my non ABS Versa always fishtailed severely under panic braking conditions.

2) A/C

I have noticed it's not a consistent temperature (it fluctuates up and down during operation) like on other cars I have owned, but it definitely gets the job done more than adequately.

3) Handling

Lateral acceleration figures for the Versa are almost identical to the "sporty" Fit that every reviewer loves to glorify because, well, it's a Honda. And they're probably paid to glorify them. In any case, my V has always handled very well. Sharp corners are not a problem, and the only time I ever had a significant wind problem was with 4 people in the car driving in the desert in E. WA at 80 MPH.

4) Cupholders

They're placed where they are for a very logical reason. You can't place the cupholders right next to the armrest and not interfere with the gear shifter on a manual transmission. So, rather than make two completely different interiors for the two fundamental types of transmissions, they just selected a spot where cupholders could be placed for BOTH models.

Also, people who tell you that they're in another zipcode are wildly exaggerating. I realize I'm a little tall, but I don't have to reach at all to get a cup. I have a hard time believing that anyone who's, say, 5'5" would have to lean more than just a small amount to retrieve something from there.

As for capacity, it can hold 2 28 oz slurpees side by side in the front. rear ones (on the SL) are the perfect size for 12 oz cans, 21 oz cups, or water bottles.

[Eastval1]

1. Brakes:

I've never experienced this. My brakes work fine with no noise.

2. A/C

Not many places that the A/C will work harder than in Arizona. Mine worked just fine even during the sixty or so 100-115 degrees days.

3. Handling

Mine handles just fine, in fact, very nimble. We have some very strong wind out here at times. Never felt it was unstable.

4. CupHolders

I would agree. The cupholders are an inconvenience but eventually you get used to them.

I have to agree with everything said here. My AC worked perfectly over the course of the summer in PHX, and there's really no better place to test it. The only thing I've found witht the handling is that there is a bit of drift at highway speed due to how light the car is, but even that is negligible.

I think the majority of Versa owners don't experience screeching brakes or AC problems, so I wouldn't consider these major issues to be concerned with when looking to buy a V.

[bikeman]

I was concerned about driving in high winds due to the height of the Versa. I have now done four extended (>150m) trips in high winds. The Versa holds it's own. I no longer have concerns about the handling in high winds. My wife and I also did extensive test drives before deciding on the Versa. Lane changing and cornering were both positive points for both of us. Two very different driving styles. She's tentative. I'm....not tentative. I didn't think there'd be a vehicle we both agree upon. And there was only one.

David

[Rockhound]

My AC worked perfectly over the course of the summer in PHX, and there's really no better place to test it.V.

I bet there are better places to test an A/C - those that have heat and humidity.

1. But I've never had any brake problems (ABS) - great braking performance.

2. The A/C is fine - cools our charcoal-upholstered interior nicely even with the fan set to "1".

3. a. Handling is good for it's class. Everyone comes from a different driving background, so for some, this very well may be a "sporty" feeling car. Body roll isn't excessive but it doesn't give me the confidence of my other car. No where near the body roll of a large sedan like a Camry, however.

b. Wind stability is something I've noticed quite a bit. Driving at speeds in excess of 50 mph, strong cross winds toss the Versa around far more than my G20 - but that's no surprise looking at the side profile of the Versa. It's tall and has quite a bit of surface area. It isn't so much a problem, just a result of the body style. I've found that it is tossed more by the wind when nearly empty rather than when there's passengers/cargo.

4. I don't have any issues with the cup holders at all. I'm tall and lanky, but I don't think anyone should really find them that inconvenient. I'm just glad they are there, as my other car only has cup holders in the rear seat fold down armrest.

[Eastval1]

I bet there are better places to test an A/C - those that have heat and humidity.

Touchè. But I still say that 45+ days of temps over 100 degrees (and most of those days over 110) is a pretty decent test for the AC's capabilities.

[canunez]

1. Brakes:

Brakes still making the loudest screeching noise after brakes pads replaced, rotars resurfaced. Noise did go away after the replacing and the repairs. After 2 weeks or so, the noise happen all over again. Dealing with Nissan Corp, to either switch out brakes completely , or switch up car. The issue has been looked at and repaired over three times. The brakes have caused the car to be an inconvience. The problem started 3 months after we purchased the V and it keeps on having issues 6 months later.

2. A/C

AC is good.

3. Handling

A bit unstable, the car would move all over the place, but not out of control. We drove across the GW bridge ( NYC ) with high winds. We just took it slow.

4. CupHolders

Cups Holders.

[PB]

You never know what you hear on forums,It is a known fact that many salesman or even other dealers other than nissan are shooting the bs off.This happens on many forums and not only car forums.This way you feel bad and go out and by some thing stupid like a hyundai. when you really could have had a nice reliable car.My veras has been great no problems,When you mention brakes,This is the last issue i have to complain about,They are the best non abs brakes i ever felt on cars.The cup holders i have no problems with,Just be careful what you read !

[GiLLT]

Hi All,

I am planning to buy a 2008 Versa very soon, and have been doing a lot of reading about it.

So far, I have seen 4 issues reported by owners, and would appreciate it if you can comment on these:

1. Brakes:

Read on forums that some Versas make terrible/annoying sound on braking almost on a regular basis after a few months, and Nissan service was unable to fix these issues.

2. A/C

A few people have been complaining about the air conditioner, and they are saying that it is really weak and almost useless. And, in hot/warm weather, running it does not help too much.

3. Handling

Have read on couple of forums + reviews that, Versa has poor handling on sharp curves / corners. Furthermore, due to its high structure, it is a bit unstable during windy conditions.

4. CupHolders

This is a very minor issue, but a few people were saying that cupholders are placed in a very weird way, and it is very hard to reach them.

Any comment on these issues is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

BRAKES: definitely an issue on my end. been screeching for a long time, started about 5 months into having my car. Next oil change im going to go in to Nissan for the 4th time and tell them I can't take it anymore and something really needs to be done.

A/C: My A/C works great, never had an issue with it, I used it almost every day over the summer and cooled off the car very quick. No issues with this with my V. Only issue I got is I'm constantly turning my A/C on and off to unfog my windshield.

HANDLING: To be honest in the beginning I really noticed the wind blowing me an awful lot even when driving beside a huge truck. Now that I've had it for a year, I don't even notice it, It's just something that took some getting used to, i was just used to driving previous cars that didn't get blown around, to me this is something that I no longer notice.

CUP HOLDERS: I feel they are too big, if I put a water bottle in it, it moves all around, an or will fall out if I break quickly. I don't think the placement is necessarily bad, I just think they are too big and nothing is sturdy, in less its a drink from McDonald's or something. (this refers to the front 2 below the dash) The ones in the S model where the armrest is on the SL I have no problems with.

hope this helps... all in all i love my V.

[jacksan1]

You never know what you hear on forums,It is a known fact that many salesman or even other dealers other than nissan are shooting the bs off.This happens on many forums and not only car forums.This way you feel bad and go out and by some thing stupid like a hyundai. when you really could have had a nice reliable car.My veras has been great no problems,When you mention brakes,This is the last issue i have to complain about,They are the best non abs brakes i ever felt on cars.The cup holders i have no problems with,Just be careful what you read !

Are you saying that just because your Versa has no problem it is a fiction when other people report issues with theirs? Every mechanical system experiences a fault - it is a simple question of degree and probability. I would say it becomes more of a fiction when there is a claim that a particular car has zero problems anywhere (which you are not saying, I know, but just as a point).

[redversasblue]

The main issue you will find with the Versa is that if you do anything to it that someone else with or without a Versa does not like, they will flame you and call you a ricer.

[nissantech06]

The A/C issue stems from the early-production Versas (pre-August of '06, I believe) which shared the same issue with the Sentra- they were charged .4 of a lb. low at the factory. When I had my car written up at work and hooked up to the A/C machine, I recovered .65 of a lb., spec is 1.05 or something like that. I recharged the system after sticking in some leak dye and drove the car. It was not only colder, but stayed cold once the recirc. button was off.

[PB]

I am not saying the versa is perfect,I am just saying i have no problems with it,There could be many improvements done,#1 steering i find kind of hard to turn being electric and not power#2 back head rest in front seats bother me,They lean to far forward,Tires could have been wider for more better handling,They are kinda narrow i must say for the size of the car.

[logicpaysoff]

I would strongly suggest test driving the Versa you will actually buy....drive it in all lanes....brake in all lanes...see if it tracks and brakes straight...and does not pull.

As far as all of the other issues....apparently, if one just reads this forum alone, there are Versa's with no issues...there are Versa's with one or more issues...and of those issues, most are unexplained and/or dismissed by dealerships.

Take into account as well your personal level of tolerance. After owning three Toyotas, two Hondas, one Infiniti and now an Acura and a new Sentra (which replaced a new and unrepairable Versa) that did not squeak, click, clunk, or rattle, that tracked and braked straight, that did not get tossed about by the wind, with great A/C, working fuel pumps, bright dash lights, defect free TPMS, brake and gas pedals properly spaced that started every time and did not inexplicably lose power while driving...I personally think that in general people should be less tolerant of various issues in a brand new car....if so, manufacturers would have more motivation to make sure that the cars did not have imperfections when they leave the plant.

The Versa is a nice car...when it functions well...however, it seems that it is a crapshoot in terms of finding one that is problem free....and regardless of justification, it is ultimately up to you as to whether or not these issues are issues that you believe you should have to tolerate in a brand new car.

NHTSA.gov has 22 complaints logged already on the 2007 Versa. You may want to review:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/c...s.cfm .

.....and also review the feedback in various forums on the web...and then decide.

It is my personal opinion that the Versa seems to have more issues for the specific model than other Nissan models..as well as that of the closest competition.

I personally I think that Nissan made an error with the Versa.....in wanting to deliver a lot for less, "less" won out over consistent quality.

Best wishes with your choice.

[Rockhound]

^ I understand where you're coming from Logic, but considering that there are "22 complaints logged" for how many thousands of Versa's sold, does that really indicate shoddy quality? Is that a logical conclusion?

I can only imagine how irked I'd be if we had problems with our new Versa...it would definitely leave a bad taste in my mouth about the car and the company in general.

I certainly wouldn't call getting a problem-free Versa a "crapshoot" - I mean, early issues like the TPMS, misfit air bag covers, and fuel door cables were all addressed, and buying a Versa today is much different from the first several months of availability in the US.

It is my personal opinion that the Versa seems to have more issues for the specific model than other Nissan models..as well as that of the closest competition.

It is your opinion, but is it fact? Yes, you got a faulty Versa with several problems, but do you really know the percentage of all Versas with problems?

That's the problem with using a thread like this to indicate reliability. This forum represents just a fraction of Versa owners and 5 people complaining of squeaky brakes on here doesn't mean that the same proportion of all owners is experiencing squeaky brakes.

It's unfortunate for anyone to have problems with their new car, but I don't think it necessarily condemns the Versa to being a sub-par vehicle.

[PB]

In regards to your feelings on the versa,Seems you think its a piece of junk,I have talked to many owners on the raod ,at gas bars and so on ,Asked how they like their versa,All that i speak to never ever had a problem with theirs,I always ask their km's as well,they range from new 200km to 45000 km,And no problems ,Just basic oil changes and service.What does this tell you ?

[jacksan1]

The bottom line is that , due to an obvious statistical sampling issue, you cannot say one way or the other with certainity, at least not through this kind of medium. That is, we cannot say in a statistically significant way that the Versa is reliable, or the Versa is not reliable.

OP of this thread had a right approach - he/she just wanted people here to react to his/her issue statements, and did not look for a blanket statement about the car.


Modified by jacksan1 at 12:57 PM 10/10/2007

[srellim234]

I haven't looked at sales figures lately, but keep in mind that Nissan sold over 36,000 Versas by the end of August 2007. As a percentage of total vehicles sold, how does that 22 complaints to the NHTSA compare to other cars in the same class? I suspect it's not any worse than average, maybe even better than most.

That's why I tend to rely a little more on J.D. Powers, Edmunds and Consumer Reports for car reviews. I think they do a better job of getting a truer representation of what's going on in the real world with cars than government sites and forums.

That said, forums like these are invaluable when we need help with our cars.

[logicpaysoff]

Anyone who is interested in buying a car would do well to read all available info and opinions on the car in question.

That said, I find no issue with suggesting that the OP read this entire forum, as many issues with the Versa that we never experienced have been posted here. In addition, the car is only a year old......and although 22 complaints on NHTSA is not outrageous, that does not mean they should not be mentioned for review.

In addition, the 36,000 sold figure can be misleading...as I can't find any definitive info on that figure...is it cars sold to dealerships...or cars actually sold to the public?

If anyone has documentation one way of the other, great...as I'm sure it would prove helpful to the OP in the decision making process.

Last but not least...no less than 4 Versa's on the same lot had a problem tracking and braking straight...so, the issue we had was clearly not confined to our Versa.

However, I am more than well aware as just one bad experience is hardly and exemplar of the whole, therefore I imagine that most would have to agree that neither is one good experience.

Therefore, decisions are best made based upon many opinions and facts...not just those of one particular kind.

That said, it is surprising that anyone would believe otherwise.

Unfortunately, as with any new model, the buyer is somewhat hamstrung in obtaining real time data...because as far as Consumers, JD Powers, etc...as it is a new model, the suggestion to use their ratings is superfluous to a potnetial Versa buyer at this point in time, as neither has info at this time, as the model is too new.

Therefore, it is quite true that forums such as this are invaluable...but only if all info, experiences and opinions are presented. That is the only way forums such as these can be truly meaningful to potential buyers in their decision making process.

Modified by logicpaysoff at 1:48 PM 10/10/2007
Modified by logicpaysoff at 1:57 PM 10/10/2007

[jacksan1]

I have found the J.D. Power's ratings for the Versa:

http://www.jdpower.com/autos/n...hback

Here is the segment comparison:

http://www.jdpower.com/util/ra...20Car

[Rockhound]

I have found the J.D. Power's ratings for the Versa:

http://www.jdpower.com/autos/n...hback

Here is the segment comparison:

http://www.jdpower.com/util/ra...20Car

Yikes.

[srellim234]

I wonder if the Versa would have done better in a couple of the "interior" categories if they had rated the Versa SL instead of the Versa.

The ratings appear to be strictly about quality and design and don't appear to take safety ratings into account.

Interesting, too, that the Fit won more categories than the Rio but the Rio won the overall award.