2012 Nissan Versa: sudden loss of power

Filed Feb 21, 2022 · Transmission · DC

The vehicle is a 2012 Nissan Versa driven only 81,000+ miles. I was driving the vehicle up a modest incline on Saturday, February 12, 2022. The car started to shudder and felt like it was losing power, as if it were running out of fuel. I pulled off when I turned the next corner and stopped. As I started out again, the check engine light came on, so I drove it to my mechanic. He has informed me that the malfunction code is a transmission failure code, and he is performing more diagnostics related to this code. In doing research, I now know that there is a fundamental failure with the CVT automatic transmissions for this model year of Nissan Versa, typically occurring at 75,000-85,000 miles. I am not eligible for Nissan's $278M settlement of a class action suit for this issue, because claims were only eligible for the first 84 months after purchase and the claim window is now closed. Everything I have read suggests that this is a critical and dangerous problem, because this CVT transmission failure can even result in the car losing all power and coming to a complete stop in traffic. This is a fundamental and life-threatening issue for which I believe Nissan should provide a full recall for the affected vehicles.

Filed Aug 28, 2017 · Transmission · 105,770 miles · CA

While driving on the freeway going apprx 70mph my car suddenly lost power and starting fluttering. I had to try to pull off to the shoulder without getting hit!! I couldn't go faster than 20 MPH. I took my car to the shop and was told I needed a new transmission. The code they read was po846. My car only has 105k miles!!! I have read many other complaints about this same issue from many people. I also read the manufacturer extended the warranty but only until 2010!!! Why???? These cars are hazardous to be on the road and there needs to be a lawsuit filed!! This happened right after I was told to replace the catalytic converter, which was done on 8/25/17

Filed Jan 18, 2017 · Driver assistance, Transmission · 58,658 miles · NV

I purchased a 2012 nissan versa from henderson nissan on 7/6/14. Here is everything I've been through: 7/24/14- entire transmission replaced after my car lost complete power in the middle of an intersection on the las vegas strip. (had 58,658 miles) 5/28/15- ip cover recall. 11/16/15- transmission replaced again! Along with a factory recall. (had 73,918 miles) 7/22/16- ECM software was updated. (had 83,354 miles) 7/26/16- locking system now out. (had 83,400 miles) the car had 39k miles when I purchased it. It now has 86k miles and the transmission is going out again! As soon as my warranty ends, I'm screwed! Each time the transmission has gone out, I've lost power on the car. It just dies no matter how slow you are going. The first time I was in motion. The second time I was stationary thankfully! I reported this to nissan's affairs dept. And got no where!

Filed Jun 15, 2015 · Transmission · 63,000 miles · MD

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 nissan versa. While driving down a busy road at 20 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of power. The vehicle could drive in reverse, but could not function in drive. The vehicle had to be towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission malfunctioned. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 63,000.

Filed Jan 19, 2015 · Acceleration, Transmission · 55,000 miles · CA

While driving on the free way RPM began to rev extremely high about 5000, car began to jerk and lost speed while I was pressing on the gas. I had to immediately cross several lanes of heavy traffic to pull to a shoulder. This is continuing to happen and it has happened while driving in the fog where a sudden loss of power could have caused the semi truck behind me to collide with me.

Filed Sep 2, 2014 · Transmission · 48,000 miles · CA

While driving at 65mph on highway, my car started jerking and felt like it was losing power. While driving on the streets it also feels like it loses power. When it jerks I do notice that the gage of the RPM fluctuates. My car currently has a little over 48000 miles on it.

Filed May 30, 2014 · Transmission · 34,167 miles · TX

This is a followup to the federal safety agency id number: 10565392: the morning of march 21, 2014, my dad died. I found out at about noon, went home to make plane reservations and pack, then drove to the nearest airport, about an hour and a half away, mostly interstate. Less than an hour in, I started having trouble, so I stopped to eat lunch and let the CVT cool. Shortly after I started out again, one exit before the airport exit, the car suddenly dropped to 40mph -- in a 70mph zone -- and kept losing power. I had barely enough power to get off the freeway and coast into a gas station. I had it towed to a nissan dealer, rented a car, rescheduled my flight for the next day, and booked a room in a hotel. I was gone for over a week. It took a whole week for the dealer just to get permission to replace the CVT after the mechanic "pulled CVT oil pan and found excessive metal shavings in pan and inside transmission", so I had to rent another car to get home and to work the next few days. The invoice only said "all nissan genuine parts carry a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty", so I asked if that was the case for the CVT as well. The response was so outrageous, I asked for it in writing. I was told that, if I had bought an SUV, the CVT would be warrantied for 120,000 miles, but as I owned a versa, it was only warrantied for 20.5 months or 60,000 miles, whichever came first. I had only had the car for about 1.5 years before the original CVT started to go. It died at 2 years 4 months and 34,167 miles, which means this CVT is warrantied to last less time and mileage than the original. It also means the car is intended to last less than the 5 years it will have taken to pay off the loan.

Filed Feb 22, 2014 · Transmission · 32,800 miles · TX

I was driving 75 MPH (the speed limit) on as flat stretch of tx190 when the vehicle suddenly lost power. I was only able to keep it at 60mph by pressing the accelerator to the floor. I was only able to resume normal driving speed by taking my foot off the accelerator and then pressing it to the floor again. I've owned this car for 2 years and have had problems with this car for the last 8 months. It started with a hesitation and squeal when I lightly touched the accelerator to adjust my speed at freeway speeds. Two months ago it started hesitate-surge behavior, like it was searching for the right gear, at freeway speed limits or when accelerating to freeway or city speed limits. Sometimes it's so strong I'm afraid I'm going to lose control of the vehicle. From what I've read online, nissan has had problems with its CVT for years, yet I've been unable to get 3 nissan dealers in 3 different towns to service this problem. One said they couldn't reproduce the problem. The other two wouldn't even give me an appointment. They basically said this is just how this transmission works, live with it. I have this incident and others on dashcam footage.

Filed Jul 1, 2012 · Steering · 9,800 miles · NC

I dismissed the pull I felt while driving my new nissan versa since feb. 2012 as being new to driving on mountainous roads.... But after having a major scare this weekend where my steering went completely out I am not sure if it is not all connected. When driving I can not let my hands off the wheel at all with out it significantly moving towards the next lane/curb. Then this weekend when sitting in traffic (yes it was very hot outside) with AC on I traveled a few feet beyond the traffic light and went to make a right turn when my steering became so hard that it took all my strength to keep the car from colliding with signs/off road. It was like I lost power steering... I got it to an empty parking lot near by and turned the car off for about 1 min. The check engine light was on and oil light. I restarted the car and steering had returned. Called the dealer and they took me in right away and "looked at it" and said there were "no trouble codes stored" and "electric power steering motor may have got hot enough for the control module to shut it off to prevent damage". Does this mean I can't steer my car if it gets hot outside??????? I am a mother and don't feel safe traveling in this car!!!!! I do not feel that the dealership was concerned with what had happened.