What Nissan NV years should I avoid?

NHTSA complaint data points to 2016, 2018, and 2019 as the years to avoid, with complaint indexes of 89, 78, and 100 respectively, the highest in the model's 2012-2021 range.

What is the best Nissan NV year?

The 2015 NV is rated Best, with the lowest complaint index of 22 and just 6 complaints reported to NHTSA.

What problems are most common on the Nissan NV?

Across all years, the top problem areas are Electrical System (14 percent of complaints), Airbags (11 percent), Brakes (10 percent), and Engine (10 percent).

Does the Nissan NV have recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns across the 2012-2021 NV years, including an airbag inflator recall and a back-up camera software recall affecting 2018-2019 models.

Are 2012 and 2013 Nissan NV models reliable choices?

Both 2012 and 2013 are rated Good based on NHTSA complaints, with complaint indexes of 33 and 44, well below the Avoid years.

Nissan NV Best and Worst Years (2012–2021)

Across 2012-2021, the Nissan NV years to avoid are 2016, 2018, and 2019, with complaint indexes of 89, 78, and 100 respectively. The 2015 model year is rated Best (complaint index 22), while 2012 and 2013 are rated Good.

Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.

Avoid 2016 Avoid 2018 Avoid 2019 Best 2015

Model years: 10; 2012–2021
NHTSA complaints: 70
Recall campaigns: 8
Crashes reported: 5
Fires reported: 2
Top problem area: Electrical System

NV Complaint Index by year

Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.

Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best

Nissan NV problems and recalls by year

Year	Verdict	Index	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Recalls	Top issue	MPG	NCAP
2012	Good	33	7	1	0	4	Transmission & Powertrain	—	—
2013	Good	44	9	1	0	3	Electrical System	—	—
2014	Caution	67	10	1	0	2	Engine	—	—
2015	Best	22	6	0	0	1	Brakes	—	—
2016	Avoid	89	17	0	0	1	Brakes	—	—
2017	No verdict	0	0	0	0	2	—	—	—
2018	Avoid	78	11	0	0	1	Electrical System	—	—
2019	Avoid	100	6	1	1	1	Engine	—	—
2020	No verdict	11	1	0	0	0	Collision Avoidance & Cameras	—	—
2021	No verdict	56	3	1	1	0	Electrical System	—	—

NV years to avoid: what went wrong

2019 Nissan NV Index 100 · 6 complaints · 1 recalls

The 2019 NV has the worst complaint index of the lineup at 100, despite a smaller total of 6 complaints. Engine problems were the top category at 33 percent, including cylinder misfires and stalling reports. One complaint described airbag deployment and injuries in a rollover linked to steering lockup at 86,000 miles, and another described electrical issues at 3,202 miles. The same 19V654000 back-up camera recall applies to this year.

2016 Nissan NV Index 89 · 17 complaints · 1 recalls

The 2016 NV logged 17 complaints, the highest count of any year, giving it a complaint index of 89. Brakes were the top problem area, making up 24 percent of complaints, with owners describing soft or long-travel pedals during hard stops, at a median mileage of 40,016. Electrical system and engine problems followed, including reports of lost engine power tied to catalytic converter failure. Nissan issued a recall (20V188000) for a driver airbag inflator manufacturing issue affecting this and other model years.

2018 Nissan NV Index 78 · 11 complaints · 1 recalls

The 2018 NV drew 11 complaints and a complaint index of 78. Electrical system issues were the top problem area at 18 percent of complaints, including ECM/PCM communication faults and warning codes, with a high median mileage of 208,000 for that category. A fuel line disconnection was reported at 1,032 miles. Nissan issued a recall (19V654000) covering back-up camera software across several models including the NV.

Most common Nissan NV problems (all years)

Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.

Other27 (39%)
Electrical System10 (14%)
Airbags8 (11%)
Brakes7 (10%)
Engine7 (10%)
Transmission & Powertrain6 (9%)
Structure & Body5 (7%)
Fuel System3 (4%)
Steering3 (4%)
Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (4%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

Frequently asked questions

What Nissan NV years should I avoid?: NHTSA complaint data points to 2016, 2018, and 2019 as the years to avoid, with complaint indexes of 89, 78, and 100 respectively, the highest in the model's 2012-2021 range.
What is the best Nissan NV year?: The 2015 NV is rated Best, with the lowest complaint index of 22 and just 6 complaints reported to NHTSA.
What problems are most common on the Nissan NV?: Across all years, the top problem areas are Electrical System (14 percent of complaints), Airbags (11 percent), Brakes (10 percent), and Engine (10 percent).
Does the Nissan NV have recalls?: NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns across the 2012-2021 NV years, including an airbag inflator recall and a back-up camera software recall affecting 2018-2019 models.
Are 2012 and 2013 Nissan NV models reliable choices?: Both 2012 and 2013 are rated Good based on NHTSA complaints, with complaint indexes of 33 and 44, well below the Avoid years.