The 2007 Nissan Versa is an economy car that suffers from catastrophic CVT transmission failures and premature engine failure due to piston ring and bearing design flaws, particularly in the 1.8L MR18DE engine. These are not minor issues — they're platform-defining problems that can total the car.
CVT Transmission Failure (RE0F08A/B)
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 80,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: Shuddering or juddering during acceleration, especially 15-40 mph, Transmission slipping or hesitating when accelerating from a stop, Whining or grinding noise from transmission, Check engine light with P0868 (transmission fluid pressure), P0731/P0732 (gear ratio codes), Sudden loss of forward movement or limp mode
Fix: Nissan's early CVTs are notoriously weak. Fluid degradation accelerates belt/pulley wear. Rebuilds rarely last; replacement with remanufactured unit is standard. 6-8 hours labor for R&R, plus fluid and programming. Some owners report repeat failures even after replacement.
Estimated cost: $2,800-4,500
Piston Ring Failure and Oil Consumption (1.8L MR18DE)
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 60,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Excessive oil consumption — 1 quart per 500-1,000 miles, Blue smoke from exhaust on startup or acceleration, Fouled spark plugs causing rough idle and misfires, Loss of compression leading to poor performance, Engine knock or rattling if oil starvation occurs
Fix: The MR18DE has thin piston rings that wear prematurely, allowing oil into combustion chambers. Ring replacement alone rarely solves it; cylinder scoring is common. Most shops recommend short block or complete engine replacement. 18-24 hours labor for engine swap, longer for rebuild.
Estimated cost: $3,500-6,000
Rod and Main Bearing Failure
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 90,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: Knocking sound from lower engine that increases with RPM, Metallic ticking or tapping at idle, Loss of oil pressure (oil light flickers or stays on), Sudden catastrophic failure with locked engine
Fix: Often a consequence of oil consumption issues going unnoticed, but some bearings fail even with proper maintenance due to marginal oiling design. Once knock starts, damage is done. Requires crankshaft inspection and possible machining, new bearings, and full bottom-end rebuild. 20-28 hours labor.
Estimated cost: $4,000-7,000
Transmission Oil Cooler Leaks
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Transmission fluid leaking from front of vehicle near radiator, Pink or red fluid pooling under car, Transmission overheating or slipping due to low fluid, Milky transmission fluid if coolant cross-contaminates
Fix: The external CVT oil cooler lines and cooler itself corrode and leak. If coolant mixes with CVT fluid, transmission is often destroyed. Catch it early. Cooler replacement requires draining CVT, disconnecting lines, and refilling with NS-2 fluid. 2-3 hours labor.
Estimated cost: $400-700
Transmission Mount Failure
Common · low severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking or banging when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Excessive vibration at idle, especially in Drive, Visible sagging or tearing of rubber mount, Transmission movement felt through shifter or floor
Fix: The upper transmission mount wears out and allows excessive powertrain movement. Easy diagnosis with visual inspection and pry-bar check. Replacement is straightforward but requires supporting transmission. 1.5-2 hours labor.
Estimated cost: $200-350
Takata Airbag Inflator Recall (NHTSA)
Common · high severity
Symptoms: Recall notice from Nissan or NHTSA, SRS airbag light may or may not be on, No driving symptoms, but inflators can explode in crash
Fix: Multiple recalls for driver and passenger Takata inflators. These can rupture and spray shrapnel during deployment. Check VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls — if open recall exists, dealer fixes free. Do NOT ignore this; people have died. 1-2 hours at dealer.
Estimated cost: $0 (recall repair)
Front Coil Spring Fracture (Recall)
Occasional · medium severity
Symptoms: Clunking or rattling from front suspension over bumps, Vehicle sagging on one side, Visible crack or break in coil spring, In severe cases, spring punctures tire
Fix: Nissan issued recall for corroded front coil springs that can fracture. Affects vehicles in salt-belt states primarily. Dealer inspection and replacement if cracked, free under recall. If not recalled, replacement is 2-3 hours per side.
Estimated cost: $0 (recall) or $400-600 per side
Owner tips
Check CVT fluid level and condition every 30,000 miles — it should be clean and red, not brown or burnt-smelling. Drain-and-fill at 60k can extend CVT life slightly.
Monitor oil level religiously on 1.8L engines. Carry a quart in the trunk. If consumption exceeds 1 quart per 1,000 miles, budget for engine replacement before it's an emergency.
Check VIN for open Takata airbag recalls immediately — this is life-or-death, not optional maintenance.
Inspect transmission oil cooler lines and radiator area for leaks during every oil change. A $500 cooler repair now prevents a $4,000 CVT replacement later.
If buying used, have a pre-purchase inspection include compression and leak-down tests on the 1.8L, and a CVT shudder test drive at 20-35 mph under light throttle.
Hard pass unless extremely cheap and you can verify recent engine/CVT replacement with receipts — even then, you're rolling the dice on the next failure.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 22E066000
2022-08-09
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.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 20V008000
2020-01-09 · EA15001
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.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 18V452000
2018-07-06 · EA15001
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2007-2008 Nissan Versa sedan and Versa hatchback vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The passenger air bag inflators may explode due to propellant degradation due to exposure to humidity and temperature cycling.
Consequence: If an inflator were to explode it may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 25, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: The vehicles covered by this recall are in addition to those covered by recall 16V-349.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 17V449000
2017-07-17 · EA15001
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.
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 17V028000
2017-01-10 · EA15001
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Nissan Versa hatchbacks 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, if not included in "Zone A" above, Nissan is recalling certain 2009-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45 and 2009 Nissan Versa sedans and hatchbacks originally sold, or ever registered, in 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, or "Zone B".
Additionally, if not included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Nissan is recalling certain 2005-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45, 2006-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45, and 2007-2008 Nissan Versa vehicles originally sold, or ever 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 used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on June 8, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 16V349000
2016-05-24 · EA15001
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.
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS · 15V573000
2015-09-14 · PE15019
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.
Consequence: If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
SEAT BELTS · 07V094000
2007-03-12
ON CERTAIN HATCHBACK VEHICLES, THE TERMINALS FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT TENSION SENSOR HARNESS CONNECTOR MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL CONTINUITY CAUSING THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG WILL BE SUPPRESSED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CONNECTOR FOR THE SEAT BELT TENSION SENSOR HARNESS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 18, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC · 06V348000
2006-09-12
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, 'PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.' THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR CAP IS MISSING PART OF THE REQUIRED BRAKE FLUID WARNING.
Consequence: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STANDARD IS TO ENSURE SAFE BRAKING PERFORMANCE UNDER NORMAL AND EMERGENCY DRIVING CONDITIONS.
Remedy: NEW BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR CAPS WILL BE MAILED TO VEHICLE OWNERS ALONG WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLATION. THE LETTERS WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS WHO DO NOT WANT TO REPLACE THEIR OWN BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR CAP TO TAKE THE CAR TO A DEALER FOR THE REPAIR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
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