2012 Nissan Versa: complete transmission failure

Filed Oct 14, 2025 · Electrical, Transmission · WA

The transmission failed on the highway making the car serging violently from high to low speeds and then to nothing

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 Nov 16, 2021 · Transmission · 72,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle would shake then inadvertently shut off. Additionally, while driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle would jerk. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

Filed Apr 14, 2021 · Transmission · 112,000 miles · TN

The transmission failed at only 112,000 miles while I was on the interstate at 65 MPH.

Filed Jul 2, 2020 · Transmission · 58,664 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 nissan versa. The contact stated that the CVT warning light illuminated while driving. The vehicle was taken to reedman toll nissan of drexel hill, 5018 township line rd, drexel hill, pa 19026 to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be repaired or replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the CVT transmission was replaced once before. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,664.

Filed Jun 25, 2020 · Transmission · 68,500 miles · VA

My daughter was driving from ohio to virginia when her car stopped working while on the highway. The car would not go when accelerated. This could have cause a fatality. Had the car towed several times to finally end up at a nissan dealer in charlottesville, va. The service technical said that her transmission need to be replaced. This is a known problem with nissan and was a past recall. Because the recall to fix the transmission has expired, nissan refused to fix it. The car only has 68,500 miles on it and the transmission is dead. This is not a normal case and I would like for nissan to extend this recall and fix the car as this could have caused my daughter to lose her life.

Filed Jun 21, 2020 · Transmission · 100,000 miles · NY

Transmission failed after only eight years with proper maintenance. I reversed out of my driveway and into the busy highway and when I put it in drive it would not move at all. I am very lucky that the oncoming traffic noticed I was having issues or I would certainly be dead. My mechanic said it is not worth it to replace the transmission because it will only fail again and again. I have been advised to get rid of the vehicle and purchase a new one, it seems nissan's CVT transmissions have had a lot of issues that are widely known. It is unfortunate that nissan is allowed to continue selling lemons. My very first car was a 1981 monte carlo and the transmission on that car never had to be replaced, I used that car until 2016 and the only reason I got rid of it was that the frame buckled if that car can go 35 years with no transmission problems, then there is absolutely no excuse for a 2012 transmission to fail in 8 years.

Filed Jun 17, 2020 · Transmission · 115,800 miles · TN

The transmission has had ongoing issues since manufactured. Nissan has known of the issue but has made patch work of the issue instead of replacing the transmission. Since the recall deadline was may 9,2020 they are recommending the transmission to be replaced but unwilling to repair it under the recall at my cost. In good faith of the company, they knew of the issue and should cover the majority of the cost and I was willingly to pay a portion however they are not willing to help. I was unable to take the car to their shop before the deadline due to the government lockdown. The code that the always comes up on when the check engine light comes on is p0486. The have replace the valve body and reprogrammed several times but the check engine light come on and the reprogram it and did not want to replace the transmission until after their recall was expired. I have barely put 4300 miles on it since the patch job they did. They said that this patch would correct the issue and the same issue should not happen again.this is my daily driver and the light would stay on but went off prior to my first visit in june but on three days later. The dealership couldn?t get me in until june 10.

Filed May 29, 2020 · Engine, Transmission · 78,189 miles · CA

P0846 fluid pressure sensor - replacement of transmission control valve body/ replace complete transmission. I got a check engine light which showed p0846 code in mid 2018. However the check engine light disappeared after a while. The light reappeared now in 2020 showing the same faulty code. I went to dealership to check it out and they said that this is a common issue in nissans 2012 versa and that I will need to replace the transmission. They told me that the warranty has also expired as the vehicle is above 84000 miles. ( I got this light at 79k miles with the same code and it had disappeared.) I had photographed it with dates and time showing . Nissan told me that they will not help in any way and that I will need to cover the complete cost. Vehicle works pretty okay I don't feel any issues in it.

Filed May 15, 2020 · Transmission · 53,000 miles · WI

My 2012 versa, won't shift gears, stalls and even with the gas all the way down, it won't accelerate. Took it to nissan rossen in milwaukee, wi. For a diagnostic, result: transmission failure, cost to replace it $4,200.00. I see a lot of complaints for the same issue. Also if there is a recall for that why my VIN number is not included? Nissan should be liable for that issue and repair the affected cars. Note : my transmission went off at 53000 miles.

Filed Jan 29, 2020 · Transmission · 90,000 miles · PA

My CVT transmission went out just 5 months after purchasing the vehicle from the used car dealership, ebersole of lebanon. The vehicle has 94,000 miles on it currently. It is an automatic CVT transmission and tends to slip in and out of gear a lot. The vehicle has these problems when sitting, driving and accelerating as well.

Filed Nov 4, 2019 · Transmission · 35,000 miles · FL

The CVT transmission slips and gives uneven acceleration under all circumstances. This is extremely dangerous when merging into traffic or turning into oncoming traffic. This is a known issue to nissan na & many lawsuits have been filed over the years. The first transmission was replaced at 20,000 miles & another was just replaced at 85,000 miles. Nissan knows that they are providing an inferior product, based on the # of lawsuits it has faced over the years concerning the CVT. Not only is the product unreliable, it is also dangerous to the driver, the vehicle's occupants and anyone else who may affected by an accident caused by CVT failure.