2011 Nissan Versa: problems, recalls and reliability
7 recalls and 268 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is air bags (57% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Aug 2022
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 268 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“I was working for Uber Eats in New Smyrna Beach, FL. The car was front parked and I reversed the car to pull out from the parking lot. I drove at 5 MPH on the parking lot ready to drive to the main road. The main road was two stop signs away. I was halfway to the first stop sign the airbag deployed all of a sudden. There was no car in front of me or behind me. But the airbag impact blew my right arm from the wrist. My right arm was numb and upper right shoulder was bruised.”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2025
“The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that the rear passenger's side door failed to unlock and unlatch as intended. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the door lock actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was diagnosed at the owner's expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.”Owner report · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Jul 2025
“BOTH front coil springs suddenly without warning broke while driving collapsing the front end of the vehicle creating difficulty in steering and handling. Although this year/model are the subject of a front coil spring recall this vin does not qualify.”Owner report · Suspension · Jan 2025
Show 7 more owner reports
“The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V349000 (Air Bags) and 17V449000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2024
“upon startup, light illuminates for DRIVER/PASSENGER AIR BAGS OFF. This light intermittently shuts off during driving which tells me something is wrong or not stable with the air bag system even though this VIN has no unrepaired recalls.”Owner report · Air Bags · Nov 2022
“The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jul 2022
“The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and going over a pothole, the vehicle began to drift to the left. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact continued to experience the failure. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the coil springs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 164,000.”Owner report · Suspension · May 2022
“The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that while at a stop sign, the side curtain air bags deployed inadvertently without warning. The contact was not injured. The contact did not take the vehicle to a dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or inspected. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 172,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Apr 2022
“The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that the coils needed to be replaced. The air bags and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the coils needed to be replaced. The contact repaired the vehicle himself. The driver's side air bag was repaired however, the passenger's side air bag was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 52,200.”Owner report · Air Bags · Mar 2022
“The passenger seat belt keeps locking up anytime me and my wife put the seat belt on. For the seat belt to loosen we have to unclip the seat belt but anytime we even stretch the seat belt and then put it back in the clip it tightens up again. This is when we are stationary and not moving but it also happens even when we are just driving and I'm not even pressing the brake pedal when it happens.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Mar 2022
When filing, owners marked a crash in 19 of these complaints and injuries in 23 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 7 campaigns
Nissan (Nissan North America, Inc.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2012 Nissan Versa vehicles manufactured May 8, 2006, to November 12, 2012, that were sold or ever registered in the District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Road salt may corrode the front coil springs, possibly resulting in the coil springs fracturing.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front coil springs, free of charge. The recall began on February 2, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45, 2003-2004 Infiniti I35, 2006-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45, and 2007-2011 Nissan Versa vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Nissan is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45, 2003-2004 Infiniti I35, 2006-2008 Infiniti M35 and M45, and 2007-2008 Nissan Versa vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Nissan is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Infiniti I35 vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2017. All owners should receive a second notice by May 15, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2011 Nissan Versa sedan vehicles and 2011-2012 Nissan Versa hatchback vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Nissan is also recalling 2010-2011 Nissan Versa sedan vehicles and 2010-2012 Nissan Versa hatchback vehicles ever registered in the states of ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and 2007-2012 Versa Hatchback vehicles. The affected vehicles have a driver frontal air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to moderate absolute humidity, temperatures, and temperature cycling.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the subject inflator with a new one manufactured by a different supplier, free of charge. The recall began on March 9, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated, frontal passenger air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 888-737-9511 or Infiniti customer service at 888-810-3715.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Versa Hatchback, and 2009-2011 Versa Sedan vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Nissan is recalling certain 2009-2010 Versa Hatchback, and Versa Sedan vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Nissan is also recalling certain 2009 Versa Hatchback and Versa Sedan vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain air bag inflator replacement service parts that may have been installed as part of a theft or collision repair. The parts include certain passenger-side air bag inflators designed to fit Infiniti 2002-2003 QX4, 2006-2010 M35 and M45; Nissan 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, and both driver and passenger-side inflators designed to fit 2007-2012 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback vehicles. Please see Nissan's recall report for the specific part numbers. These replacement inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the inflators as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 14, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2011 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Versa by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Nissan Versa reliable?
NHTSA has 268 owner complaints and 7 recall campaigns on record for the 2011 Nissan Versa. The most complained-about area is air bags (57% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2011 Nissan Versa problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 66,000 miles or less.
Does the 2011 Nissan Versa have open recalls?
7 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning suspension:front:springs:coil springs. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.