Versa Reliability Revisited

[BBISHOPPCM]

Well, i'm seeing some very disturbing posts regarding the Versa's reliability. It seems you either get a total lemon or a Rolls Royce... there is no in-between. I seem to be on the lucky side; I've got 50,000 miles on this thing and it's been the best car I've ever driven/owned/seen/ridden in. No unusual creaking noises, it starts first time every time (with ONE exception, and fuel treatments have cured that problem... this happened a day after driving through a car wash). Seriously, this car is pure gold... Mine is an SL w/CVT and ABS. It even handles well in snow (overall). What gives?? Reading the "cold weather" post has raised issues of starting, and drivability in cold weather, especially in northern climates. Me? I live in the freaking mountains, and this thing ALWAYS starts (with the exception mentioned above). It's interesting to note, my car was built Dec. 2006, and was not part of ANY of the recalls, and does not suffer the body control module issues associated with units built prior to nov. 2006. My hazard light switch is on the left... maybe that's it? For some reason, they're all on the right side now... That's it, I'm keeping this pig until the drivers' seat rusts through the floor pan.

[Bubs daddy]

That's not what I've been reading. Some have had a problem or two. Others, no problems. And there are tens of thousands of owners who do not post on this forum regarding their Versa.

[BBISHOPPCM]

Alright, so I exxagerated a bit...

[Red Devil]

No issues thus far*crosses fingers*

[Vahagn23]

I have an issue, my window wont automatiically go up anymore, it goes down on its own. This happend about a week ago when it snowed.

[BBISHOPPCM]

This is a very common problem. Hold the switch in the "auto up" position for four or five seconds.

[frankoV]

That's not what I've been reading. Some have had a problem or two. Others, no problems. And there are tens of thousands of owners who do not post on this forum regarding their Versa.

Well, there have been more than a few with more than a few problems, who are either stuck with the car, are giving it up at first opportunity, or have been able to dump theirs.

But Bishop is right: seems it's either gold or dross. My only [minor] problem may or may not have been self-inflicted, and the service department I go to gave it a quick under-warranty fix.

Oh . . . and the hazard light is on the right side.

fwiw, the floorboards rusted throguh in my first car -- it was no fun driving in winter, I'll tell ya . . . car never warmed up for some reason!

[07Vsdn]

the bumper to bumper warranty is about to go out on my wife's versa... hope i'm not jinxing us but the only thing to go wrong was a brake light bulb went out!

other then some creaking in the dash, especially when cold, the car has been great!

[Moghedian]

How easy would it be to write a code line in one of these computer controlled components that tells it to crap out 3-4k miles after the warranty goes out...

Example: Parents have an '04 Murano, exactly at 64k miles (60k mile drivetrain waranty) the TCM and ECM went out. $1200 later.

Also, about 100 miles after it went out of warranty the gas lid stopped opening, $400 for a new actuator.

Im just saying its weird

P.S. My Versa is the ****

[Driving Instructor]

NO COMMENT! But I am happy to have the extended warranty up to 160 kms.

Like I said, I have an additional vehicle to teach driving out of. Down time cost me money!

[BBISHOPPCM]

Funny you mention that! In some early OBD systems, the "check engine light" wasn't tripped by the computer... it was actually tripped by the odometer! On my 1987 300ZX, the light was set to go off at 30,000 60,000 and 90,000 miles. What happens after 90k? the service manual instructs you to remove the bulb!!!

[versaBRN]

My versa's window wouldn't go up right away either.. last week -12*! Try to drive 40 miles to work -12 temp with a window that won't go up!!! I've also can't keep this car on the road this winter! Worst car I've ever driven in snow!! Gotten stuck and the CVT won't even spin my wheels... which makes rocking the car out of a ditch impossible! All I do is get a hot burnt smell from under the hood! My engine also chatters a lot when cold.. Nissan Dealership said it was because I used a Napa oil filter which doesn't have an anti-drainback valve. (It actually does!) So I got the Nissan filter and whalla... car still chatters.. Always used mobil1 5w30. It still faintly ticks when hot.. Drives me NUTS!! 20,000 miles and it makes more noise than my plymouth sundance did with 275,000

[1_Sleek_Versa]

Hello!!

Got my Versa SL with all the goodies back last June. 9000 km on the clock.9000 km of disaster in fact.

-Fuel pump let me down @ 7900 km. Tow truck ride. (Embarrassment)-Car won't start under -15 degres since a week. Even with block heater.-Averaging 23 mpg. No city driving, at all. No stop lights. Open road.-Hatch won't close when cold. Cannot use trunk till spring I guess.

My first import car. Had 3 brand new GM's in the past. No problems whatsoever but I wanted to try an import and Nissan gave me a lemon.

My good old Z24 with 131 000 km, stock plugs, old as **** air filter and fuel filter and been beat to hell many times is one hell of a car compared to this sh_itty Nissan. This Z24 has been brutalized, beat, powershifted, underserviced and still manages 35 mpg, starts in winter and trouble free.

Exactly what my brand new Versa doesn't do. To save money and frustration I decided to push the versa at the other end of the driveway and wont be touching the POS since a few months.

It's now collecting snow, all I see now is the right side mirror sticking out of the snow pile. 97.35$ a week under a snow pile in fact. What a shame.

[Bubs daddy]

It is interesting how the same cars give us different experiences.

I bought a Cavalier Z-24 in 1986 and after returning it nine times (in one month) for stalling, engine check lights, front end shimmy and a host of other problems, an arbitrator ruled that the dealership had to buy the car back.

This was before the lemon law was enacted in the state I was living in at the time. They replaced the fuel injectors, numerous suspension and driveline parts, a digital dash cluster that stopped working, the front rims, the front tires, the ECU and more. They just kept throwing parts at it but they couldn't fix it.

This was a brand new car and it would sputter and stall at a stopkight. It had a wicked shimmy at 55 mph or higher. The gauges would come on, then off, then on.

I'm glad your Z-24 was reliable because mine was the definition of lemon.

My last fill up on the Versa returned 33 mpg. I couldn't be more pleased.

[1_Sleek_Versa]

My Z24 is a 2003. All I've put in it was two front strut mounts. In almost 6 years. Never has a problem. I bought it new with an extended warranty (dork) and never used it. For nothing.

I'm freaking scared about my Versa. 9000 km and full of problems already. Guess I should of bought an extended warranty on this one. Never knew buying a Nissan could be so risky.

Guess I should of bought a 9999$ brand new Kia Rio. Can't be worse than my 23 mpg, non-starting POS Versa.

[BBISHOPPCM]

You know, it goes to show that ANY car from ANY company can be a lemon. I know Toyota owners who swear their cars are the most despicable heaps on the road, and I know Hyundai owners who can seemingly go forever without any maintenance and thus love their cars... manufacturing is a funny thing... it actually depends on the day of the week in some factories... never buy a car that was built on a Friday. Mine must have been built on a Wednesday. What pisses me off are the scores of posts touting "I will NEVER buy a Nissan again!!!" or "Shoulda bought a Kia!!!" This irritates me even though it shouldn't... I have owned cars made by a variety of manufacturers all with their own unique problems. It just seems like some people would be more than willing to dump their Versa for a squeaky dash and a faulty low tire pressure sensor (that would be fixed for free under warranty) for a Chrysler that will leak and burn oil, and blow a head gasket at 30,000 miles (all of which are common on some Chrysler products).

If you feel that $9000 Kia will be a more reliable car than your Japanese/European engineered Nissan, that's great! Just quit bragging about it on this forum. If you have a problem with your car that is covered under warranty, take it to the dealer, get it fixed, and then come to the forum and talk about your problem. That's another thing that pisses me off... example; "I have a 2008 Versa with 3,000 miles that knocks when it runs and it gets 12 MPG. I havn't gone to the dealer, but they're going to just tell me to f$#@ off anyway, so I'm just going to trade it in for a 1987 Subaru because I had a 1987 Subaru that never had a problem." PLEASE!!! This does nothing but cost you money, and waste space on a valuable forum! Yes, I did exaggerate there... but you get the point, no?