Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 2008 Nissan Versa, assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its VIN to decode that exact car, its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment, alongside these records.
Open a VIN recordRecalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Nissan Versa year.
28.9 mpg average · 22–37 range · EPA says 29
Over 5 years this costs $500 less in fuel than an average new vehicle.
NHTSA frontal crash test
2 open NHTSA investigations into this model. Investigations come before recalls, so these are potential defects not yet covered by one.
Rated configuration: 2008 Nissan Versa 4-DR w/SAB
NHTSA lists 8 recalls for this make, model and year. Recalls apply to the model, so some may already be fixed on this specific car. A dealer can confirm from the VIN.
Issue: 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.
Risk: 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.
Campaign 20V008000
Issue: 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.
Risk: 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.
Campaign 18V452000
Issue: 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.
Risk: 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.
Campaign 17V449000
Issue: 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.
Risk: 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.
Campaign 17V028000
Issue: 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.
Risk: 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.
Campaign 15V573000
Issue: 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.
Risk: 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.
Campaign 16V349000
Issue: NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.
Risk: OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY GARMIN TECHNICIANS BY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND INSERTING A SPACER ON TOP OF THE BATTERY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN DIRECTLY AT 1-866-957-1981 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 10V401000
Issue: 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.
Risk: 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.
Campaign 22E066000
The parts named most often across 381 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this make, model and year.
8 crashes · 8 injured · 1 death
1 crash · 1 fire
2 injured
1 fire
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so read this as where to look rather than as a defect rate.
3 complaint-reported fatalities on this model.
See attached document for complaint.
The contact owned a 2008 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that he had been receiving recall notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22E066000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list because he no longer owns the vehicle. The manufacturer was contacted.
I had not driven the car prior to noticing the air passenger light blinking and continuing to stay on. This is occurring whether someone is in the seat or not. Regards, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Traffic stopped suddenly when I hit my brakes they failed to work and the airbags didn’t work either so I ended up hitting my head on the roof of the car when I ran into the truck that suddenly stopped in front of me at speed of about 50mph. I don’t feel good but have no way to get medical attention right now. And was just released from having some head trauma the day before the accident. My car was totaled in the accident so I don’t need additional recall information on it, and no insurance to fix it so now I don’t have any way to get a new car.
i have a recall for airbag, i made appointment with dealership. on August 16 2023, went to the appointment and it took 4h to replace and they gave me a report that its been fixed, they replaced both driver and passenger side airbag, and the airbag light is off (attached picture of report) when i took the car i noticed the airbag light is still on. i went back and told them the issue and they retook the car for inspection. i waited another 1h and they brought me an invoice that there is a cable from airbag to the car, this needs to be replaced and it cost 400$ without tax and without labor. my complain is that they pretended to replace and fix the airbag and they made sure there is no light on. upon taking the car i noticed it wasn't true. now they demand money for repair. i believe the dealership is not going to remedy the recall without charging
The contact owned a 2008 Nissan Versa. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 17V449000 (Air bags) and 16V349000 (Air Bags) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list since he no longer owns the vehicle. The local dealer and the manufacturer were contacted.
I park the Nissa Versa and I smell an over heating odor a lightly dense smoke appears over the hood. A thought comes to mind, “I just went to Jiffy Lube last week.” Suddenly two people are running towards yelling, “Fire, get out of the car.” I couldn’t believe it I was at a loss for words I couldn’t move until they literally opened the door. I started recording it. It’s insane I loved that car, it was payed off and it still looked nice. -it gets worse They tow the car to North Shore Towing. I report it to my insurance and the appraiser that attempted to see the car was not allowed access because I didn’t sign a release form so I go to the towing place and sign the release form. The appraiser goes for the second time and is refused entrance. Weeks went by so I call the insurance which informs me of the previous two failed entries to North Shore Towing. I ask the staff male on the phone why he didn’t allow the insurance agent entry to inspect vehicle I had signed the release form. The staff male literally laughs at me on over the phone. You want to know what component? Inspection? And today my friend mentions his car has been recalled and light bulb went on and here I am asking for your help. I have videos witnesses Also I have proof that of the signed document to release the car to insurance agent
About 6 months ago my driver air bag light came on. We toLd shortly after that their is a recall on that exact thing I have been but still get no. I am worried as it now is flashing instead of steady
I found a piece of a broken coil spring in my driveway (where multiple cars are parked) in NJ. A quick visual inspection of all the vehicles typically parked near that area did not show any sitting uneven or any obvious evidence of any with problems. A few weeks later, after driving approx 1000 miles on my nissan, I noticed that the front suspension seemed shorter and quicker to bottom-out. This was obvious when rolling over speed humps. Another, more in-depth inspection of the front springs revealed an unseated spring on the left front. The spring appears to have slipped off or through the bottom cup and is not centered on the strut. After looking the vehicle up on NHTSA site this appears to be related to Manufacturer Recall NumberPM565. The NJ vehicle is currently in NC. I plan to take it to a Nissan dealer to have the recall work performed.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN VERSA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED COUNTY LINE NISSAN NORTH (522 WINSTED RD, TORRINGTON, CT 06790, (860) 482-5555) AND WAS INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED WITHOUT CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000.
TODAY WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, CAR SLID AND ROLLED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY TOTALED AND I WAS INFORMED THAT 100% AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED BUT THEY DID NOT. CHECKED FOR RECALLS AND THERE IS RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE FOR AIRBAGS BUT MY VIN DOES NOT MATCH THE DATABASE.
AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING / AIR BAGS RECALL HAS BEEN FIXED
Showing 12 of 381 complaints.