8.5

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$580
Average Mileage:
70,600 miles
Total Complaints:
47 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replace coil spring (19 reports)
  2. needs to be replaced (14 reports)
  3. replace all coil springs (7 reports)
  4. replaced both front springs (4 reports)
  5. not sure (3 reports)
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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #27

Sep 032015

Versa SL V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 139,000 miles

Went for oil change to find I had another broken rear coil and then a broken front.

- bwennat, Fair Haven, US

problem #26

Jun 282015

Versa Sport Automatic

  • CVT transmission
  • 105,633 miles

click to see larger images

broken coil spring

It happened in my driveway, my husband came in with the broken spring. It must have let go just sitting there, because I was the last person driving it and I didn't know anything about it. I Googled it and found this site, it sickens me to think that I can't trust my car anymore. I can put up with the annoying other problems, but not this. If it isn't safe I will have to replace it, and I will never buy a another Nissan. Cheap on the inside and now on the outside! I will be adding my other complains on her too.

- Sandra G., Upper Stewiacke, NS, Canada

problem #25

Jul 012015

Versa SL 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 63,000 miles

I was driving slowly, around 20mph, and exiting my workplace when I heard a sudden loud noise (like a clang) from the front area of the car. I thought I had hit something, but I stopped to look and there were no pot holes or anything around the car that I could have hit...

I tried to continue home, as I live very close to a shop and was going to have the car looked at, but less than a mile later the car began to smoke from the passenger side wheel housing. I pulled off the road and had to have my car towed last night.

Today I found out it was the coil spring, which had snapped off and was shredding my tire. Now I have to get the coil replaced in addition to purchasing a new tire -- the one I have is nearly sliced through.

While I'm disappointed that it's outside my 5/60 warranty (currently at approx. 63,000 miles), I feel incredibly fortunate that this didn't happen on the interstate. I could have been seriously injured or killed by this malfunction, but I was lucky to be going slow when it happened. There was absolutely no warning before the clang.

Hoping the NHTSA investigation into the problem pans out for car owners, as it is a major repair for a fairly new automobile.

- Brendan B., Cincinnati, OH, US

problem #24

May 282015

Versa LX 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,662 miles

It. was very annoying and apparently dangerous to drive the car without the repairs. The coils springs were very expensive and we had no choice but to buy them from the dealer. And then they wanted to charge me 4 hrs. labour @$110 plus tax. I went to another garage and got them replace for $115 tax included.

- bennettwade, Sydney, NS, Canada

problem #23

May 282015

Versa SL 1.8L

  • CVT transmission
  • 41,020 miles

No More Nissans Ever.

Read a report in news about coil spring issues and the very next day our spring very loudly fell off on drivers front. Called dealer and even Nissan they knew nothing about the problem or as I just learned from your web site a lawsuit filed in May in California.

Had car towed as dealer said it was unsafe to drive. Looks like the parts I found on the road it was unsafe for a long long time.

Even got a case # from Nissan who then called me back after the dealer did their diagnosis which I paid for along with the tow.Showed the dealer the spring coil that fell off

Nissan rep called again after dealer diagnosis was complete and once again said they were not aware of any investigation, etc. Also said they were not able to do anything about it (Another multi-billion dollar I don't need your business attitude). Picked up the car, paid the bill on June 4th and went out and got a new Honda CR-V that same day. At least I had the moral responsibility to not let a defect go.

DON'T BUY A NISSAN EVER

- Dean H., Sheboygan, WI, US

problem #22

Jun 082015

Versa 1.6L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 72,000 miles

click to see larger images

broken coil spring

Broken Coil - I've been hearing off and on, a clunking noise on the front end of my 2009 Nissan Versa for weeks. I know it wasn't good but I only have one car and can't take time off to get it looked at. Finally, I'm about to pull into the parking space at work when I hear a subtle clunk and clink - like metal on metal sound. There was no steering problem but I knew it didn't sound good and something was about to fall or fell. I pull the car into the parking and turned the wheel so I can look inside the wheel cavity. What I found was part of the suspension spring broken. It looks like the upper portion of the spring and fell down. The rest of the spring prevented it from falling out altogether. This is ridiculous....now I have to see what I'm going to be raped for to get this fixed. I'm sure the other three are not far behind!!

- Al R., Goshen, NY, US

problem #21

Apr 072014

Versa SL I4

  • CVT transmission
  • 36,300 miles

I purchased this car new and it was passed on to my daughter for her sons to drive. There were never any accidents prior breaking of the coil spring.My grandson called his father and said he had a flat tire. This flat tire was caused by the broken coil spring. I was very upset because this could have caused a serious accident that could have injured someone in my family. I was not just upset, I was angry because broken coil springs are a rarity. That should not happen.

I reported this to NHTSA soon after I found out and also sent a copy of the report to Nissan. I did talk with someone from Nissan and told them, I thought this was a serious problem. I mentioned that I thought they had a quality assurance problem with their supplier. I received a reply that was a non answer in that there were not enough reported incidents to make a recall or an inspection.

Did I forget to mention another reason? ($300 plus in repair bills) Here is most of what was sent to NHTSA.

My daughters comments: Aaron was driving the car and it broke while the car was in motion along Marietta Avenue in Lancaster County. This occurred just east of the Turkey Hill market in Silver Spring. The speed limit in that portion of Marietta is 35 mph. He heard a popping sound and pulled over to the side of the road to determine what happened. He discovered a flat tire.

Mike changed put the spare "donut" tire onto the car and took it to a tire store for a replacement. The spring did not interfere with the spare tire and the tire repair center did not notice that the spring was broken when the tire was replaced. On return from the tire store, the new tire was damaged on the trip home. This occurred on US 30 westbound at the Manheim Pike On Ramp (Harrisburg Pike off ramp). The car was towed to our normal service center for repair.

On Friday, March 6, 2015 4:55 PM, "

Paul, There is nothing technical to report. The right front coil spring broke. The right front coil spring on a 2009 Versa broke while sitting in a school parking lot. The car had never been involved in an accident. This car is presently owned by my daughter. There is not much more to add to the report that I had made to the NHSTA. The costs was $217.50 and I have kept my daughters repair bill. There was also the issue of loss of use of the vehicle and replacement of the tire(s) to have a matching set. I also reported incident to NISSANUSA and they replied with a non answer that there were not enough reports to issue a recall. My main concern was that if the spring had broken while driving on an expressway, this could have resulted in a very serious accident. Some else may not have been so lucky, I have attached the copies of my correspondence to NHSTA, NissanUSA, and a copy of the bill for the spring repair. Did not have copy of tire replacement costs.

Russell R. Bahn Rbahn@aol.com 717-732-2692

In a message dated 3/5/2015 11:31:53 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, Paul.Simmons@dot.gov writes: Please allow me to introduce myself, I am a Safety Defects Investigator with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at the Department of Transportation in Washington, DC. As such it is my job to follow up with vehicle owners when they have motor vehicle issues that are submitted on the NHTSA (http://www.nhtsa.gov/) or safercar.gov websites.

I’m contacting you because you have experienced suspension issue with your 2007 – 2011 Nissan Versa. Part of my analysis involves getting as much information as possible surrounding the events experienced by drivers to allow me to fully understand the technical issues. I’m very interested in any further information you could send me regarding the details surrounding this issue as well as any scanned (if possible pdf format) police reports, pictures, and invoices for repairs made to your vehicle for this or similar issues.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Regards, Paul Simmons Safety Defects Investigator, ODI, VCD US DOT, NHTSA W48-327 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 (202)366-2315 Office http://www.nhtsa.gov/ (202)366-3081 Fax Rm. W48-327paul.simmons@dot.gov

- autobahn, Enola, PA, US

problem #20

Aug 082013

Versa Hatchback

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

I have a well cared for 2009 Nissan Versa hatchback. I brought my car in for a oil change and tire rotation. The mechanic lifted my car. The coil from the from passenger fell out. It was cracked. It was around 60,000 miles. I love this car but Nissan really cheaped out on some details. ALL of my hubcaps fell off. Even the replacements! Also, my key was stuck in the ignition for a long time. The mechanism that releases the key to be able to pulled out when in parked got stuck. Costly operation. COME ON NISSAN! I'm broke enough already! Still love the car.

- Mike R., Old Saybrook, CT, US

problem #19

Feb 102015

Versa SL 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,000 miles

Bought the car in December 2014. Yesterday, at a stop sign, when in a pothole there was a loud noise. I thought it was the tire, so I continued slowly until I was able to park where I could change the tire. I looked at the tires, but they were perfect, so I thought it might have been something else, like the compressor belt that had been making some noise. I noticed the car was pulling towards the right when going very slowly 4 blocks. My husband took a look at it and noticed it looked lower on the passengers side, so with a flashlight he was able to see the broken coil. He is a mechanic, and he says it is the first time he has seen this happen. He'll be replacing it as soon as we get the part. We'll see if the other side needs to be replaced, too. As always, God only lets these things happen when I am close to home and when parked or going very slowly! Thank you, Lord.

- Cathy S., SOMONAUK, IL, US

problem #18

Feb 052015

Versa

  • CVT transmission
  • 70,000 miles

My odometer JUST hit 70,000 miles when I noticed a rough ride and the driver's side of my car sagging to the ground. I took it in to the dealership where they told me (as I had suspected) that both of my front coil springs were snapped, which caused them to break my front brakes and wheel bearings. All of which now need to be replaced! Luckily I had purchased an extended warranty on my vehicle so everything but the cost of replacing the brakes was covered, but this should not be an issue! Get your S**t together Nisan and issue a recall before someone gets hurt!

- Allison C., Baldwinsville, NY, US

problem #17

Jan 062015

Versa SL 1.8L

  • CVT transmission
  • 47,846 miles

77000Km and a broken spring already!? Unacceptable. I have a piece of the spring and it is clearly metal fatigue coupled with the frigid temperatures in the region, it just snapped like a tooth pick. It happened while driving as well and rubbed the tire but I had enough sense to stop before it did more damage.

I otherwise love this little car. It is great on fuel, comfortable and nibble around town. Boy, didn't expect the $700 repair bill at such an early stage of its life.

- Jim W., London, Ontario, canada

problem #16

Apr 012014

Versa S 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 31,069 miles

Suspension collapsed on front left side of car, had to have fixed for $500. a few months after, the suspension collapsed on the other side! At only 50,000KM! Complained to dealer and they offered to take it and offered me a new 2013 Sentra for lease instead. What a piece of crap car the Versa is!

- f22b1tech, Markham, Ontario, canada

problem #15

Aug 052014

Versa LX 1.8L

  • Manual transmission
  • 46,603 miles

While getting my muffler fixed (again) and a quick inspection for an upcoming road trip, my garage (not the dealer) noticed 3 broken coil springs. They were all broken in exactly the same place; other than that there was no visible wear. The head mechnic says no way it should happen in a 5-year-old car. He called it a defect and expects Nissan will eventually do a recall since it is a serious safety issue -- if the front suspension gives out when you are driving, it will rip your tire apart and you are screwed.

Nissan coils are $150 each and there is no after-market parts. For most brands, the price is more like 2 for $180 or so. I need 4, since you shouldn't do only one side.

I tried to get Nissan to accept responsibility, but no way. Two people I spoke to suggested I should have purchased an extended warranty!! They seem to find it perfectly normal for their vehicles to have serious defects at 5 years?

.

Update from Aug 7, 2014: Beware. There were no symptoms. The problem was only discovered because I was getting my muffler fixed and asked for a little inspection because I am taking a trip in 3 weeks.

- Gail H., Montreal, PQ, Canada

problem #14

Oct 072013

Versa S 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 38,500 miles

I was driving to college, probably cruising near 70 mph when I went over a small lift onto a bridge (sure you can argue that caused it, but everybody drives at those speeds across that bridge everyday on all kinds of vehicles, why should the versa (versatile?) have to be more careful?). Hear a huge bang and the cars alignment just got messed up. Being a student I drove on and drove about ~50 miles in the condition before I had time to bring it to the shop. Turns out a broken coil spring and thank God it had not punctured my tire (like I have read in some posts) the broken sharp end was maybe ~1-2 inches from my tire. Luckily I got a discount from the shop and did not have to pay much but 200$ plus lost homework time and risking my life, but thank God again, I lived through it. I wonder if my left one will go to and maybe I should replace it before it happens? May God keep the versa drivers on the road and if the coil spring is to break, may it break at speeds less than 10 mph!

- Viniamin T., ontario, NY, US

problem #13

Aug 122014

Versa

  • Automatic transmission
  • 84,000 miles

Well I went to pick my 6 year old up from daycare, and I was backing out of the parking lot, I hear this huge crunch and pop, and of course had no idea what it was, put it into gear it drove but the noise was horrible. Luckily by the grace of god we got it home. My husband left work early because I called him freaking out, what's wrong with my car?? He took one look at it and knew and said he couldn't believe I drove it home.

So not only do we have to repair it, which we really do not have the money for, but it is my only way to work and to drop the kids off as my husband leaves at a completely earlier time and goes in the totally opposite direction and further to work than I do. So now I have to pay more in daycare just so I can get a ride to work, the poor kids have to get up way earlier all because NISSAN Can't do their job right!!!!!!! And of course they won't pay for it because it's their FAULT. So now my family has to suffer and figure out whether or not to pay the mortgage or repair my only car.

Are you freaking kidding me, what is wrong with you people? There is no way you can't see there is a problem if you open your eyes!! But I guess you will wait like GMC until how many people die and you don't care if their mortgage is paid or there kids are fed. I will never ever buy another Nissan product, and what's even sadder is I conned my dad into buying one of your trucks right after I bought my car. Never again and Believe me, any all people I can tell will be told. You can't stand by your product then I can't talk nice about you either!! I am hot, I guess no school clothes either, we won't be able to afford them either, but of course I am sure your kids don't have to worry about that, I bet your family is eating just fine and I also bet you don't have to worry about a roof over your head, thanks for nothing!!

- Wendy B., Leola, PA, US

problem #12

Jul 162014

Versa

  • Automatic transmission
  • 101,000 miles

This is apparently a fairly common problem based on my research. I would say a very dangerous!! I pulled over when I heard the snap and scraping noise. The point of the broken coil was digging into my tire. What would have happened at 70mph!

- Fritz M., Eastford, CT, US

problem #11

Jun 052014

Versa 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 80,000 miles

I went to put my car into gear and felt the front end drop and heard a metal sound hitting the road. I got out and saw the left front side had dropped about 2-3 inches and that a part of my coil spring on the ground. I had to have the truck towed and repaired. Thank God I wasn't going 70 mph at the time.

- Donald H., Springfield, VA, US

problem #10

Jun 202013

Versa

  • Automatic transmission
  • 87,000 miles

Rear coil springs broke under normal vehicle use. On examination they were severely rusted and simply snapped. Vehicle at this time was only 4 years old and springs should not have rusted out. I am again faced with the same problem today 5/31/14 with the front coil spring. I just dropped my car off at the shop after hearing a familiar thud and feeling as though something dropped off the vehicle. Sure enough a 6" piece of the front coil spring was laying on the ground under the vehicle.

My vehicle is now 5 years old with 101,000 miles. I have NEVER had a vehicle that had to have the entire suspension replaced piece by piece within five years of manufacture. Where is the quality control for Nissan?

- William B., Stormville, NY, US

problem #9

May 122014

Versa

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

My Nissan is my first car bought new. Needless to say I was very happy to have my first new car. First I started having trouble with the tire sensors in the tires, after repeated trips to the dealer and no success I took to it my mechanic who was able to fix the problem in one trip! Then within 2 Months time both coil springs broke, the first one cut into the brake line which also had to be fixed. Hardly a month later the other coil broke just sitting in my driveway. After paying out well over $500 dollars the thrill is very much gone.

From my investigation I have found this is a wide spread problem. When is Nissan going to recall for this problem? Will it be after loss of life?

- Dianna L., Vandalia, OH, US

problem #8

Apr 242014

Versa S 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 94,323 miles

I was driving about 30 miles per hour when the front drivers coil spring snapped. the front end fell to the ground.The steering wheel pulled to the left and put me into on coming traffic. After examination I found a piece of the broken coil spring in the road.This is clearly a safety issue due to poor or cheap metal springs. There are so many complaints with the same problem on the internet, I believe it should be a recall or no cost fix to the owners of these vehicles. Nissan North America was of no help. Reported to NHSTA on 4/28/14.

Update from Jun 8, 2015: The passenger side coil spring has also snapped due to metal fatigue. Now both coil springs have broken or snapped. 2009 Nissan Versa is very dangerous in it's front end suspension

- raberte5, Watertown, MA, US

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