What breaks most · 2014 to 2018 model years
Nissan Versa Note problems by year
Owners have filed 125 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Nissan Versa Note across model years 2014 to 2018. Three years stand out: 2014 for powertrain and transmission complaints, 2015 for air bags complaints and 2016 for air bags complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2014, 2015, 2016
- Complaints on file
- 1252014 to 2018, all trims
- Worst year
- 201479 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 190 fires · 10 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 25kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 10Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | 8 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (26) | |
| 36 | 7 | 2 | Air bags (8) | |
| 6 | 2 | 0 | Air bags (2) | |
| 2 | 1 | 2 | Air bags (1) | |
| 2 | 1 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (1) |
What fails on the 2014 Nissan Versa Note
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 33% |
26 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Air bags | 19% |
15 | 5 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 18% |
14 | 3 | Shop brakes parts for the 2014 Nissan Versa Note |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 16% |
13 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2014 Nissan Versa Note |
| Unknown or other | 15% |
12 | 1 | — |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 13% |
10 | 0 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2014 Nissan Versa Note |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 6% |
5 | 1 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2014 Nissan Versa Note |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 5% |
4 | 1 | Shop steering parts for the 2014 Nissan Versa Note |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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It has a hard time shifting. It goes up to almost 6 rpm's before it shifts. Please let me know if this is normal. You can call me at [xxx] my name is [xxx]. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
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I started having issues with my transmission around 68,000 and transmission started to slip while driving anywhere high way , side street, and when i was taking it in the transmission kept dropping and became very dangerous to even get it to the dealer ship , had to replace whole transmission about $4000 to fix.
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When i step on the brake pedal for a street light or anywhere i need to use the break, my car makes a noise similar to a loose fan, and once i release the brake the noise stops.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Nissan Versa Note years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2014, 2015, 2016 carry the most filings on the Nissan Versa Note. The 2014 alone has 79 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Nissan Versa Note problem?
On the 2014 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 26 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Nissan Versa Note problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Nissan Versa Note complaints that include mileage is about 25,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.