The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that one day, upon exiting the vehicle with the engine running, there was heavy black smoke coming from the front passenger’s seat. The contact alerted the business at her location about the failure and obtained buckets of water to assist the contact. The contact used a knife to cut out parts of the seat and poured water directly on the smoke. Once the Fire Department arrived at the scene, the smoke was extinguished, and the vehicle was inspected to ensure that there was no presence of a fire. No injuries were reported. The contact was not informed if a fire report was filed. The contact stated that the driver’s side seat warmer was activated at the time of the failure; however, the passenger’s side seat was not occupied, and the seat warmer should not have been activated. Despite the failure, the contact resumed normal operation of the vehicle. The contact called the dealer and was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired; however, the front passenger’s seat was removed from the vehicle. The failure mileage was 200,000.
The worst 2011 Nissan Armada problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Engine10
- Brakes7
- Electrical6
- Suspension5
- Airbags4
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine10
- Brakes7
- Electrical6
- Suspension5
- Airbags4
- Steering4
- Wheels4
- Seats3
- Visibility3
- Body2
- Tires2
- Transmission2
- Acceleration1
- Driver assistance1
- Fuel system1
- Lights1
- Locks1
Recalls 1
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.
- Risk
- A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the drivers airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1‑800‑867‑7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944, PC945, and PC946.
Recall number 23V067000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2011 Nissan Armada 109
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Wiring harness repair information
- Certification label and VIN plate replacement service information
- VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN 2004-2012 ARMADA, TITAN, AND 2004-2009 QUEST; DRIVER AIR BAG COVER...
- CAN communication codes – diagnostic tips and guidelines
- CAN communication – network diagnostic flow chart
- Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
- Windshield cracking
- Removing foreign material from the window glass
- Window glass warranty information
- Diagnosis of vehicle pull (drift) and/or steering wheel off-center
2011 Nissan Armada fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.6L 8‑cyl | RWD | 13 | 19 | 15 |
| 5.6L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 12 | 18 | 14 |
What 2011 Nissan Armada owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The rear crossmember subframe on my vehicle is completely rusted out which caused serious suspension issue and cause the control arm to be in contact with the fuel tank. It didnt go through the tank because i found the issue on time and stopped driving the vehicle but it caused damage to the tank. If I didnt stop driving the car it was just a matter of time before the control arm perforated the tank, which could have been a lot worse with a risk of fire. This looks to be a common issue with Nissan cars so I’m not sure how there is no recall for it. I keep the vehicle maintained properly and bring it to the dealer for repairs. The dealer also performed a lot of work on the rear suspension of my car a couple of years ago but never mentioned anything to me about this major rust on the crossmember subframe.
My 2011 Nissan Armada started shaking very badly 8 months ago. Around that same time I had all 4 tires replaced. I took the car back to the place that put my new tires on (National Tire and Battery) and was told that the rack and pinion assembly needed to be replaced. They wanted $800-900 for the repair and to leave my car for 3 days which I could not do due to having only one vehicle. I took my car to a mechanic that dealt with electrical issues as well (Motions Automotive). They did what I felt like was a quick fix because the owner told the mechanic what he needed to do but the mechanic did a ride along with me, vocally stated what he wanted to do and reassured me he would do his best but the owner took precedence. Something was done to my air compressor(s) and it lasted a little over a week then went back to violently shaking every time I hit a bump or pot hole as well as the car taking a while to come to a complete stop. That happened from the beginning and I took it to the Nissan dealership twice and was told that’s normal. I have to stop far off from a stop sign or light to stop in time or just fly through. All of the recalls that the 2010 Armada has is all of the same issues I’m having which are very dangerous and life threatening. My suspension, rack and pinion, and brakes are all severely affected. I have 3 children and we love that car but as a single mother it fit my budget and family needs perfectly. I forgot to add that no warning lights are on nor were they ever on which worried me the most. I hope that someone can add the 2011 Nissan Armada to the 2010 Nissan Armada recalls. Thank you for your time!
On a short drive back home on a sunny warm day and was going relatively slow (~20 MPH) and tried to slow down to make a turn. The pedal went to the ground and braking was ineffective (slowed down 2 or 3 mph every time I hit the brakes). Seems like the ABS was kicking in, even though we were not sliding. I was just trying to slow down. I was finally able to slow down and stop the vehicle and I pulled off the side of the road to inspect. The "BRAKE" light was illuminated even though the parking brake was off, so I thought there must be a trouble code. I had my code reader with me. I read the code reported from the vehicle. Which was C1179, a malfunction with the delta sensor. I looked over the vehicle and brake fluid looked good. Brakes were not hot, no signs of any brake problems. I did not clear any codes or reset anything but the car drove normally the rest of the way home. No problems the next day either. This issue must be intermittent but it is scary. If these brakes had failed at a higher speed or on a mountain pass it could have been much worse!
This is a structural issue. The panel on the side between the windshield and the front door windows are too wide. It causes a blindspot. If pedestrians are standing a just the right position of where this panel blocks the pedestrians can not be seen. Every time before turning I have to physically lean forward to lean back to see if someone is in the blindspot. On 3 occasions, I came very close to hitting pedestrians who were in the blindspot and I could not see. One of which were 3 people one being a child. I am not able to see them until I begin my turn and then have to slam on the brakes once they are in my view.
Cracked exhaust manifolds, as a safety issue, Exhaust gasses can enter the drivers compartment. Nissan has know about this issue for years, it is a defect, it is a very big issue with a very large percent of vehicles with this issue. Please issue a recall, so the manufacture pays for it and not the owner.
The Electrical components went out in the steering wheel. 1st the radio and controls went out and then the horn eventually stopped working, had to pay $300 for the part itself and even the dealership didnt have it I had to order from a specialty shop. Took all day to repair. The airbag light is constantly on but there is nothing wrong with the air bag and has been reset but it stays on. The driver side window wont roll up half the time the electrical component has went out. Sometimes it rolls down by itself. Headlights have water in them and hard to keep out after replacing them. After only having it a few months had to replace the engine bc it kept smoking. Thank goodness for warranties and at 1st they wasnt going to replace it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 nissan armada. The contact stated that the headlamp was not properly sealed allowing moisture and water to enter the headlamp housing. The vehicle was taken to #1 cochran nissan of south hills (3200 w. Liberty ave, pittsburgh, pa 15216, (412) 245-4540) where it was diagnosed with needing the front headlight assemblies to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 nissan armada. The contact's wife stopped at an intersection and when she proceeded to drive the vehicle, the rear driver's side wheel twisted. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact stated that the rear driver's side wheel well was rusted. The control arm was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but informed that the vehicle was over the warranty and offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Engine making a ticking noise coming from the right side. Believe it's the manifold being cracked
Compare the 2011 Nissan Armada
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Other model years
20042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Questions about the 2011 Nissan Armada
Is the 2011 Nissan Armada reliable?
Owners have filed 40 complaints about the 2011 Nissan Armada, close to a typical Armada model year.
What is the 2011 Nissan Armada year score?
The 2011 Nissan Armada scores 73 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Nissan Armada: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Nissan Armada?
Engine and cooling, with 10 complaints, typically around 78,000 miles. Next is brakes (7).
How many recalls does the 2011 Nissan Armada have?
1 recall, covering air bags.
What year does the Nissan Armada have bad engine?
The Nissan Armada model years with the most engine complaints are 2005 (40 complaints), 2004 (34 complaints) and 2006 (18 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2011 Nissan Armada get?
Official estimates for the 2011 Nissan Armada range from 14 to 15 mpg combined. The most efficient version (5.6L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 13 city and 19 highway.
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