2018 Nissan Versa Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2018 Nissan Versa ranks 13th worst out of 19 model years with a complaint index of 33 and earns a Good verdict. NHTSA lists 55 complaints, 2 recalls, and no do-not-drive orders for this year.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 33/100
- #13 of 19 Versa years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 55
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 11
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 10
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 30
- 27 city / 36 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 10 / 0
Top 2018 Nissan Versa problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System18 (33%)
- Engine16 (29%)
- Airbags13 (24%)
- Other13 (24%)
- Transmission & Powertrain10 (18%)
- Brakes6 (11%)
- Steering2 (4%)
- Structure & Body2 (4%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (4%)
- Visibility & Wipers2 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Airbags failed to deploy in frontal and side-impact crashes even at highway speeds, sometimes with reported injuries.
- Owners describe the engine stalling or turning off completely while driving with no clear cause.
- Some vehicles showed a small oil leak near where the engine meets the transmission, found during routine inspection.
- Owners report the base trim lacked a standard backup camera, which some believed violated 2018 regulations.
- One owner reported the vehicle jerking to the right at various speeds with no dashboard warning, at high mileage.
2018 Nissan Versa recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 19V654000Sep 12, 2019Collision Avoidance & Cameras1,228,830 vehicles
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
- NHTSA 18V551000Aug 21, 2018Electrical System153,047 vehicles
Electrical system:ignition
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over time, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
Risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
2018 Nissan Versa fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 27 MPG
- Highway
- 36 MPG
- Combined
- 30 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,150
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2018 compared with other Versa years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Nissan Versa reliable?
- NHTSA data shows 55 complaints and a complaint index of 33 for the 2018 Versa, giving it a Good verdict relative to other Versa model years.
- What is the top problem area for the 2018 Nissan Versa?
- Electrical System complaints lead with 18 reports, making up 33% of all complaints, followed by Engine issues at 29%.
- Does the 2018 Nissan Versa have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2018 Versa, covering the collision avoidance/back-up camera software and an ignition switch issue in the Electrical System, neither marked do-not-drive.
- How does the 2018 Versa compare to other Versa years?
- The 2018 Versa ranks 13th out of 19 years from worst to best, with a much lower complaint index (33) than the worst years like 2009 (100) and 2012 (94).
- What issues did owners report with airbags in the 2018 Versa?
- Owners reported 13 airbag-related complaints, with a median mileage at failure of 17,000, including several cases where airbags did not deploy during crashes.