On September 17, 2026, my 2018 Nissan was involved in a severe rear-end collision on a freeway. The vehicle sustained extensive damage and was declared a total loss. None of the airbags deployed. I am concerned that the airbag/SRS system may not have functioned as designed. After the collision, I observed exposed components in the severely damaged rear area. I cannot confirm whether these components were part of the airbag or crash sensor system. Immediately after the collision, I believe I may have briefly seen an airbag-related warning or message on the instrument panel. I was shaken after the crash and cannot confirm the exact message. I experienced back pain, mild dizziness, and a nosebleed following the collision and subsequently sought medical treatment. The crash was documented by the California Highway Patrol, and the vehicle was also inspected/documented for the insurance claim. The vehicle has not, to my knowledge, been inspected by Nissan specifically for the airbag/SRS issue. I am requesting an investigation into whether the airbag/SRS system functioned properly during this collision.
The worst 2018 Nissan Versa problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical17
- Airbags15
- Engine14
- Transmission10
- Brakes6
- Acceleration4
- Body2
- Steering2
- Visibility2
- Wheels2
- Driver assistance1
- Fuel system1
- Lights1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2018 Nissan Versa
Stalling 8Airbag light 7No deployment 5Check engine light 5Jerking 5
Recalls 2
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Risk
- The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1‑800‑867‑7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1‑800‑662‑6200.
Recall number 19V654000 · Recall details
Electrical system: ignition
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over time, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
- Risk
- If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1‑800‑867‑7669.
Recall number 18V551000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2018 Nissan Versa
Defect investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
EA21002
Technical service bulletins for the 2018 Nissan Versa 89
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
- DTC B00A0-00 stored
- 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
- Software update for infotainment issues
2018 Nissan Versa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4‑cyl | FWD | 26-31 | 35-39 | 29-34 |
What 2018 Nissan Versa owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
On September 17, 2026, my 2018 Nissan was involved in a severe rear-end collision on the freeway. The vehicle sustained extensive rear-end damage and was subsequently determined to be a total loss. None of the airbags deployed during the collision. Immediately after the crash, I believe I may have briefly seen an airbag-related warning or message on the instrument panel. However, I was extremely shaken at the time and cannot confirm the exact warning or wording that appeared. The rear of the vehicle was severely damaged. After the collision, I observed an exposed component in the damaged rear area that appeared to be associated with the vehicle's sensor or safety system, and this area had been directly impacted in the collision. I cannot independently confirm whether this component is an airbag/crash sensor. I am concerned about whether the airbag/SRS system functioned as designed during this collision. The vehicle damage has been documented with photographs, and the crash was documented by law enforcement. I am submitting this complaint so that the federal safety agency can evaluate whether the airbag/SRS system operated properly and whether there may be a safety-related defect.
Car jerks and doesn’t go into gear right away. Never know when it will happen. There is a notice from Nissan that it happens because of short in tail light. Happened approx 3 yrs ago and has started again but worse. It is available for inspection No recall but very unsafe. While attempting to cross street it didn’t go into gear and I was almost hit. Also almost rear ended cause driver behind me didn’t expect me to not go into gear Took in 3 yrs ago and tail light fixed. Now new mechanic tried fixing it but it only worked about a week. Have to take it back in so he can try fixing it again. Same code keeps coming up Check engine light came on and off for last three weeks. Doesn’t stay on so I can’t tell when it will happen. Very dangerous! Should be recalled
2018 Nissan Versa transmission issues. i have 2018 Nissan Versa with 116,993 miles. Transmission is starting to skip and slip. it was diagnosed as a possible chain slip. there was bulletin out for this issue in which Nissan has known about. Nissan was contacted to see if they could warranty the transmission, but was told they were not going to cover it. There was warranty extension, but only for 84,000 miles. nissan was unwilling to help fix it and wanted to charge $210 to diagnose it. this is saftey issue because there are probably other nissan Versas out there with the same issue. the point is that there is an issue which knows about. vehicle should be fixed under warranty. car was bought used 4 years ago. tsb is NTB20-036a
My car was parked out front my house. Weather has been in the 60’s no major differences. I walked outside ant 1pm and noticed the entire back windshield was shattered. There was no impact marks, no hole in the window. I’m not sure how this has happened and thankfully we were at home and not driving.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that while driving approximately 4 MPH, the vehicle was shaking violently. There were no warning lights illuminated. When the heater was activated, there was a loud clanking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure reoccurred. While stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle stalled and was towed to the same independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with a faulty computer, coils, and a defective crankshaft sensor. There was also paper found inside the heater system. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
Out of nowhere my airbag light start blinking, I ran the code and got a P2096 which apparently is not related to the airbag I took it to Firestone to get it checked out and they told me they cannot do anything about the airbag light I would have to go to my dealership for help with that. No one seems to know what to do.
I was driving on the express way in rush hour traffic, and my car started to judder and rpm were reving high.i tried to accelerate and the car just stop in mid traffic, I had to have the car towed home,and from home to the nissan dealership. They told me that my transmission had failed and needed to be replaced.i had no warning light or any other problem and I could have been hurt really bad if the car behind me hadn't stop and help me get out of the rush hour traffic.
loss of power when using turn signal on highway changing lanes and making left or right turn on city streets. Once the signal is off I can accelerate. Left turn signal becomes more rapid as well. The Versa has a manual transmission. recurring issue for a month.
Has an issue with the mass flow air sensor. I had this car for 7 months with 84,000 miles on it and noticed instantly that it had poor mileage and stalled a lot. Check engine came on the first time and I took it to have a diagnostic test and a P101 code came on, a couple of days later the car wouldn't start. Replaced the mass flow air sensor and the car was driveable but it had the same poor gas mileage and stalling that it did the first time. Went out again within a week for the 2nd time. Got it replaced recently a third time and Im still having acceleration, poor gas mileage, and stalling. Car isn't safe to drive and does not pass the smog test .
Compare the 2018 Nissan Versa
Versa vs Ford FiestaVersa vs Honda FitVersa vs Hyundai AccentVersa vs Kia RioVersa vs Chevrolet SonicVersa vs Toyota Yaris
Other model years
2007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Questions about the 2018 Nissan Versa
Is the 2018 Nissan Versa reliable?
Owners have filed 57 complaints about the 2018 Nissan Versa, fewer than a typical Versa model year.
What is the 2018 Nissan Versa year score?
The 2018 Nissan Versa scores 82 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Nissan Versa: 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 2018 Nissan Versa?
Electrical system, with 17 complaints, typically around 45,000 miles. Next is airbags (15).
How many recalls does the 2018 Nissan Versa have?
2 recalls, covering back over prevention and electrical system.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Nissan Versa electrical?
Yes, 1 recall: 18V551000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Nissan Versa have the most electrical problems?
The Nissan Versa model years with the most electrical complaints are 2012 (34 complaints), 2007 (29 complaints) and 2008 (25 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2018 Nissan Versa get?
Official estimates for the 2018 Nissan Versa range from 29 to 34 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.6L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 26-31 city and 35-39 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2018 Nissan Versa?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history