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Nissan Versa Engine Problems

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    sweetsongsweetsong Member Posts: 1
    My Versa is 15 months old and has 39,000 highway miles on it. It just stopped on me one day about 4 months ago. I checked the oil, which was low,put oil in it and it started back up. I took to to the dealer for an oil change and they said everything was good. About a month ago it starts feeling sluggish and stalling. I assumed it needed more oil so I put it in. Two days ago it was sluggish again and I started to hear a rattling sound, I checked the oil again and it was full. Yesterday, the car stopped at a red light after the oil indicator flickered once, and I took it to the dealer. They told me that I needed a new engine because a baring had worn out on because of driving with no oil! I had to produce my oil change receipts to see if it would be covered. I told them that I constantly put oil in that car and even kept extra bottles of oil in my car!
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    versatile1versatile1 Member Posts: 8
    One simple but valuable habit to have with any vehicle is to check engine oil and all fluid levels every time you stop for gas.
    Many people never look under the hood as they believe it's done by service station then when things happen they cannot give statistics on service neither have an idea if burning oil has been a problem and for how long.
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    ccnccn Member Posts: 1
    I have had my 2010 Nissan Versa SL hatchback in the nissan dealership so many times for the extremely loud engine noise. They keep telling me that it is a normal noise. It sounds to me like the rods are going to fly out of the engine. When I put the car in drive or reverse, it gets even louder. I am just under 35,000 miles on the car. I was still questionable about their answer about my car, so i went to a different dealership, and tried out a 2010 just like mine, with the same amount of miles....NO Knocking noise on that one. Went back to nissan dealership and explained that to them. They will not do anything for me. After all of the problems i have had on this car, I will never buy a Nissan again. Ohh not to mention all the noise on the dashboard. Plastic on plastic cracking noise all the time.
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    versatile1versatile1 Member Posts: 8
    Indeed! I know where you are coming from. With my 2010
    I started trying to get them to acknowledge this noise is not normal and this with less than 3000 miles on the vehicle.
    I left it there a couple of times as it has always been worst when cold.
    It was at the point where it would not even start or get in the shop. Te answer has always been they do that until one day I vented to them and mentioned my intentions of taking them to court for not sharing important information etc. Their spontaneous and immediate reply was the injectors are noisy. Fix them I said, we cant do they replied stubbornly.
    That was enough info for me as I do have a bit of automotive experience so went on the web and found out this is a common unmentioned problem with many makes of vehicles.
    On advice from a mechanic friend who mentioned that injectors will indeed foul up even in a new vehicle because of poor fuel at the mexico assembly plant. this led me to research th date of manufacture which was mid april 2010. I bought the car new end of august 2010. This meant it has been sitting on the lot for four months with the assembly line fuel in it. I never went back to the dealer but started a regimen of adding injector cleaner and alternately approx 8 oz of motor oil in the fuel tank.
    After approx one year of this remedy, the noise is down to what I consider normal level. Dealers will not mention these tricks so not to contradict Nissan's policy of no additives in oil or gas.
    You also have to bear in mind that if if you got other problems wit fuel system or sensor and they can prove it, for get about the emission warranty! But it seems to be working for me and if you are not sure dont try it.
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    rockstardadrockstardad Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2012
    Our first versa was a 2007 sl hatchback, never had a problem, nada, zilch, my wife is in home health care, 100 miles a day at least, 5 days a week, 31 months of ownership, 98,000 + miles. The reason we traded was our dealer offered to pay off what we owed, put us in a new one, same monthly payment, so Dec of 2010, a new 2011 versa brought home, Merry Christmas baby,,,So far, until yesterday no problems, 74,000 miles already. A tap in the upper engine, sounds like a loose lifter, code P0303, misfire in the #3 cylinder, ok this makes sense, gas to a cylinder without fire, or intermitant fire can cause a ping, tommorrow I will get myself a chiltons handbook, it's kinda late tonite. Mostly I was in awe because the owners manual on 8-20 reads of sparkplugs, I did not know there where any. They are not visible, I never changed any on the 2007. I did change her oil today, and the filter, OH< by the way people, I use fram filters, I changed our filter from the 6607 model recommended to the 7317, same base, just holds more,with the factory filter, it holds 4 and 3/8ths quarts, with the longer filter mine holds 5 quarts even, does it make a difference, I dunno, but i feel better having it that way. I have noticed on both vehicles that if an oil change is overdue, lets say 1000 miles or so, they have a tendency to use it up, most any vehilce will use oil when the viscosity breaks down, like the sun burns water in the pond during a drought, your engine heat burns the oil, oil wears out too, thats why it is recomended changing every 3-5 thousand miles. You know that your spouse or girlfriend requires a certain amount of attention, and/or maintenance, so does your car, I know some cars are lemons, but so are some women, 3rd try to get it right. So, it's not what kind of car you have, but how you take care of it after the new wears off, pop the hood, once a week, check her out, wash her even talk to her..she'll listen.....Rock
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    windygal1windygal1 Member Posts: 7
    OK, I'm back, Nissan had to replace the engine at 55,000 miles and now the catalytic converter is shot and also needs to be replaced. The car has 85,000 miles, 2008 Versa and the extended warranty does not cover it. A cost of $1,200.00. We have 15,000 miles to go until the extended warranty ends and I think it's time to trade this lemon in. Has anyone else had problems with the catalytic converter?
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    motorridermotorrider Member Posts: 8
    if this is a Calif vehicle and you have proof it failed before 80,000 miles you are covered --
    What Should I Do If My First Attempt to Obtain Warranty Coverage Is
    Denied?

    If your first attempt to receive emissions warranty coverage is
    denied, you should do the following:

    1) Ask for a detailed explanation, in writing as to why emissions
    warranty coverage was denied; and

    2) Ask for the name(s) of the person(s) involved in the decision
    to deny coverage, including anyone from the manufacturer's
    regional or zone office; and

    3) Ask for the name(s) of the person(s) with the manufacturer you
    should contact to appeal the denial of coverage under the
    emissions warranty.

    4) Contact and, if necessary, write to the person mentioned above
    requesting coverage and giving the basis for your request. Repeat
    and continue the appeal process until you are satisfied or have
    exhausted all means of appeal.

    Then hit up the EPA
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    rkrispyrkrispy Member Posts: 1
    I had this problem too since i bought my versa in feb of 07. Took it to the dealer several times (could never replicate) - had the fuel pressure regulator part replaced as per the tsb report (did not work at all)...

    so the other week i went to get new tires and a battery at sam's club since the car is going on 6 years old and would you believe that after 5+ years of annoyance, getting a new battery completly fixed this issue. I don't know if something was wrong with the battery or if the mexicans who manufactured these cars just didn't do it right, but...

    If you have intermittent problems starting your nissan versa and nissan can't figure it out - get a new battery!!!
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    crown5crown5 Member Posts: 24
    Commmon sense will dictate a factory battery should not be trusted any more after five years.
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    crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    Problem could have been a connection going to the battery was disturbed enough to make issue temporarily disappear. Depending on if it was a connection and whether that connection was in fact fixed by default of a proper battery re and re, it may return. If it does, suspect all connections at battery and frame etc. Even the lighter gauge wires too.
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    suzyq9241suzyq9241 Member Posts: 2
    Ok... at about 30,000 miles... the Nissan Dealership told me my engine block is gone... I had to get a new engine.. ... now I have rattling on top of radio in dash board... help...
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    yourmechanicyourmechanic Member Posts: 17
    @suzyq9241

    After getting a new engine and there's suddenly rattling on top of your radio dashboard then you should bring it back to the dealership and tell them.

    They could have left something loose while in the process of replacing the old engine with the new.
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    fitobassfitobass Member Posts: 2
    Did you find out what was the problem?
    The same happened to me yesterday for the first time. The technician tested and No codes have been found on the ECM.
    Please let me know what you find. :confuse:
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    fitobassfitobass Member Posts: 2
    Did you find what caused this problem?
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    wizard340wizard340 Member Posts: 1
    We have owned a 2009 versa for a year now and it has started doing the same thing, it doesn't seem to be weather dependent or predictable. it just does it when it wants, I'm thinking about replacing the battery and checking the connections at the starter, also the ground strap to the chassis.
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    tabfestabfes Member Posts: 2
    We have had our Versa now for a year. Since we have had it while driving it goes into Neutral at any given time. It has happened twice on a freeway and once just this morning while going to work. This time it shut itself off and won't start back up. We have had it to the dealer and they have reset the computer system.

    Has anyone else had these issues? The maintenance people are basically looking at us like we are women and don't know what we are talking about or we have hit it into neutral!! I'm about to go off on the maintenance department at the dealer.
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    crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    edited June 2013
    Auto or stick? If auto, it could be a linkage issue. Wiggle it or put back into Park in order to restart as there is a safety starting lockout connection in positions of the tranny other than Park or Neutral that may be out of adjustment. Do not lay a purse or any other type thing (electronics) wedged between the gearshift and the lower centre console or elbow rest. Watch for big coat sleeves hanging and grabbing it as you move about in the car?
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    mawiedrmawiedr Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2013
    We are now in 2013, and I have the SAME problem with my Versa 2008 for about 6 months or so.
    We got to the Nissan garage 4 times and never get rid of it -_-. Im actually thinking of complaining to the company itself.

    It start exactly like this: when I got to a red light, I apply the brake and I hear a noise, seems like a vibration of some sort.
    These days, I heard it almost anytimes I'm driving.
    The garage told me it was not from the motor or anything in the hood. It seems like they need to remove my dash, it could be under/somewhere in it.
    It does a sound like this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR1W4VlOsF0
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvNq1n4NRRM

    I find a lot of people on internet having the same problem, but the garage never heard of it !!!
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    tabfestabfes Member Posts: 2
    It's an automatic and we put nothing near the gearshift. The reason for the car to just stop running this time was the fuel pump went out but they didn't say anything about the transmission error the computer read when they got it into the shop.
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    versatile1versatile1 Member Posts: 8
    Trade that nissan in for another similar vehicle.
    If your warranty is expired, more so as I am not sure anything will be done about it by Nissan. I don't drive Nissan anymore.
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    fh64_luckyfh64_lucky Member Posts: 4
    Bought this brand new last spring, with AC on and blower on high, engine would shut off 1 block from house driving at Idle speeds. OK, It happened 3 times but I could not duplicate it so taking it to dealer would waste my time.It seemed after it die, I stop and restart and it would not happen agian. Today, I got off expressway, and made a right turn and car died , same senario, I had to stop and restart and it runs fine. It now has 23,000 miles but it did it with only 400 miles on it at 1st. I called dealer and they say they never heard of this, I know it will waste my time to take it to them, anyone elase here have this problem and what was the fix? Thank you for reading...
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    PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    My gut says the AC on and blower high probably had nothing to do with it. It sort of sounds like a fuel supply issue, but if it was, you'd think the problem would repeat more often than every 20,000+ miles.
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    fh64_luckyfh64_lucky Member Posts: 4
    Being a caterpillar tech, I looked for anything in common. The car has never died with blower on 3rd highest setting, ran rest of last summer and all this summer until today, when I had it set on max blower. I wondered if it might be a voltage problem that comming down to idle with everything on was enough to confuse computers...
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    PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    I always try to start at the simple and work my way up to complicated and more expensive :)

    I currently have two Versas and we're on our third (4th if you count the one that got totaled getting rear-ended by an F-150 that didn't stop) and the only engine issue I've run across in 200,000+ miles was with the 2007 when I flooded the engine by reaching back into the past and pumping the gas once while starting up. The techs told me the engine was prone to flooding in just that way, so maybe that's another reason I gravitated towards a fuel issue.

    Do you get any engine hiccups if you turn the blower up while the engine is running?
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    fh64_luckyfh64_lucky Member Posts: 4
    No,it is like you shut key off. It runs perfect other then that. Going over a year without problem until I decided to put blower on high for 1st time as it was pretty hot outside and this happenes when I get to idle and it coast going around corner slowley. I know taking it to dealer is a lost cause as I cannot make it do it agian last night when I left work, I guess I will just leave blower on 3rd setting like I have been doing. It appears others have more serious problems then mine and If that puts the bandaid on mine I can live with it. If it happens any time in future I will post here and try dealer...
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    PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    It's that "going around a corner" part that has me thinking fuel. Going around a corner wouldn't affect an electrical issue, or if it did I would think it would have to be REALLY odd. Can you associate it with a certain level of fuel in the tank??
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    fh64_luckyfh64_lucky Member Posts: 4
    Well, 2 blocks from house its straight, tank is always close to full, I never get it lower than 1/4. Like I said, it is going to be hard to figure out, and without codes popping up and not being able to duplicate it at will I doubt I will figure it out, I hoped someone here might have had same problem, maybee mine is rare... :(
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    PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Well the fuel pump is electrical, so I suppose it's possible some voltage problem is the culprit. It's would be odd if the high blower setting was causing the fuel pu8mp to go on the blink. Electrical gremlins are funny things. I had a vehicle once where a cracked fuse would cause the dome light to come on dimly when I stepped on the brake pedal!
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    pvohnoutkapvohnoutka Member Posts: 1
    I own a 2011 Nissan Versa sedan. I was driving on the highway 1st time using A/C in heavy stop and go traffic then the car lost all power would only idle no power had to pull over. Did this all the way home every 10 miles or so. Brought to the dealer they found tranny code putting car into safe mode ( 2nd gear out of ratio ). I didn't use A/C for rest of that year. I used A/C on trip from MA. to Deleware and in stop and go traffic same thing occurred all the way from New York to Deleware. Performed battery reset in Deleware problem solved. I cant use the A/C in stop and go traffic. the dealer wants 500 to investigate this the car is not under warranty. It only happens with A/C on in stop and go traffic. Looking for any advice from anyone
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    crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    Get a 2nd opinion from either a different dealer or an independent shop that some co-workers or neighbours recommend.

    $500. just to check it is simply crooked and pure robbery. You knew that in your heart anyway..
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    bchristmasbchristmas Member Posts: 1
    Yeah mine just started doing the same thing
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    PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372

    Is $500 the estimate to track the problem down and fix it? Since AC use is causing a tranny code, it sounds like and electrical/computer issue. It doesn't take a long diagnosis to get start to add up costs at the labor rates charged at most places. Add in any parts, modules, or the like that need to be replaced and I could see $500 being a possibility.

    If they want $500 just to look with any repair being added on to that, that's crazy talk. That's like 8 hours of mechanic time.

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    frustrated90frustrated90 Member Posts: 2
    cab seem to figure out whats up with my nissan versa i changed the alternator and checked battery stii
    ll won't hold a charge
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    Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited October 2014
    Have you checked for a parasitic drain or are you saying that the charge light stays on all the time? What year are we talking about?
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    frustrated90frustrated90 Member Posts: 2
    2010 nissan versa battery light stays on. won't hold a charge.
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    PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    frustrated90 said:

    2010 nissan versa battery light stays on. won't hold a charge.

    The battery light on indicates a charging problem. Could be a broken/slipping belt to the alternator or the alternator has failed.

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    Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    How about the ground cable and the engine to frame cable? Secure, tight and clean?

    Wiring and connectors in the alternator harness in good shape? No chaffing, loose wires? Nothing perhaps over-torqued when connecting to alternator?

    Where did you get this new alternator? If it's from a chain store, there's a 1 in 10 chance it's no good.

    Also, how was the battery tested? It should be tested as a "load-test".

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    PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Good points Shifty. Could be as simple as wiring problems as well.

    You da man B)
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    mushroomermushroomer Member Posts: 1
    My Nissan Versa 2009 with about 70k needs a new engine because my radiator coolant was completely empty. Is this common? Why was there no warning light? My car just died in mid traffic and i only had the remaining momentum to quickly turn into a parking lot and glided to a stop in a 1 hour parking spot. That was my only option. Then i suppose i coudl have pushed it in neutral. But i was stranded with AAA towing which took 3 hours because it was during rush hour. And i had to have my car towed closer to where i lived which was 30 miles away .. about 90 bucks cash. Next day, my repair shop said the engine is dead because of no coolant. they said they could replace the engine for about 2500 - 2800 but i just did a trade in value for my car and it was about 3500. my goodness. what do i do? do i go for the repairs and nervously wait for yet another problem? or just scrap it for junk and hope for about 500 bucks cash? BTW, i had a honda civic and even though it cost me more when i bought it, i got so much in trade in value that ill never buy the cheaper Nissan option again.

    Since i have your attention this far, just 1 month ago my muffler rusted off at about 65k. Midas said this was very common for nissans. my civic never had this problem and i had over 100k. Midas said because Nissan uses cheap connectors for pipe to muffler. and it takes about 60k for it to rust off. i spent $200 on the fix. until now. 2500 is alot. thats a major percentage towards a newer car. i dont know what to do.

    if anybody has any experience with major repairs like this and has had good results or bad ones with advice to avoid the replacement engine option. please let me know here.

    Appreciated
    Mushroomer
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    Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Your car should be worth more than $3500 unless it's a real wreck, bodywise. As for the engine, I'd get a second opinion on that. Maybe all you need is a cylinder head. Seems to me if there was "no warning" then the engine was not disintegrating at the time. Is the engine seized? Will it spin over with the starter motor? Unless you want a new car, you might as well invest $2500...you can't buy anything decent for that money in a used car, or for twice that for that matter.
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