2018 Nissan ARMADA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
75 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
46,984 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 26 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 39 of 75 complaints (52.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 18 | 24.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 18 | 24.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 9.3% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 5.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 4.0% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 2.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 39 |
| Service Brakes | 15 |
| Engine | 14 |
| Unknown Or Other | 10 |
| Power Train | 7 |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 |
| Air Bags | 3 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | 3 |
Electrical System: 39; Service Brakes: 15; Engine: 14; Unknown Or Other: 10; Power Train: 7; Exterior Lighting: 6; Air Bags: 3; Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 8 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 1
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 49 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 10 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 16 |
| 2026 | 6 |
2017: 1; 2019: 4; 2020: 12; 2021: 6; 2022: 10; 2023: 12; 2024: 8; 2025: 16; 2026: 6
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 18 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 18 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11307430 · 2020-02-06 (February 6, 2020)
VEHICLE SUDDENLY WOULD NOT START ON 12/21/2019, THUS LEAVING MY FAMILY AND I STRANDED IN A BRAND NEW VEHICLE. (REPORTED TO NISSAN ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE) BCI MALFUNCTION WARNING (SEE PHOTO) AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO AUTOMATICALLY APPLY THE BRAKE AS I WAS DRIVING AND I COULD NOT OVERRIDE IT. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE WHATSOEVER. VEHICLES AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM APPLIES THE BRAKES WHILE IN MOTION AND WHEN I DO NOT INTEND FOR THE BRAKES TO BE APPLIED, CAUSING SEVERE ANXIETY AND FEAR OF DRIVING MY B…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11307430 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11341450 · 2020-07-25 (July 25, 2020)
7/25/2020 NISSAN ARMADA PLATINUM RESERVE - WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE CANYON, I HAD THE BRAKES START APPLYING THEMSELVES THEN ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON WITH A MESSAGE "BCI MALFUNCTION." WE WERE ABLE TO GET PULLED OVER SAFELY AND TURN THE CAR OFF. WE THEN RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, SO WE REPEATED THE STEPS AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. AT OUR NEXT STOP, THE CAR WOULD NOT START NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES WE TRIED FROM THE NORMAL PUSH BUTTON START. WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO GET IT START BY USING REMOTE START ON THE KEY FOB. THIS IS…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11341450 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11281552 · 2019-11-21 (November 21, 2019)
I WENT OUT TO MY VEHICLE WHICH UNLOCKED WITH MY POD I WENT TO START IT AND ALL THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS CAME ON BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. I JUMPED THE BATTERY AND IT STARTED INSTANTLY SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTO STORE TO CHECK THE BATTERY WHICH THEY STATED WAS A GREAT BATTERY WITH A HIGH CHARGE. I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE TO SEE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THEIR ARMADA STARTING AT TIMES AND HAVE TO DO MANY THINGS TO GET IT TO START. I HAVE ALSO HEARD AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE THAT OTHERS AROUND ME ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBL…
Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11281552 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11382988 · 2020-12-11 (December 11, 2020)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ISSUSES. SO FAR NEEDING TO REPLACE O2SENSOR, PARKING ASSIST SENSORS, DASH SPEEDOMETER ASSEMBLY, REAR CAMERA ASSEMBLY. OTHER ISSUSE NOT REPAIRS AS OF YET, DRIVING STABILITY, AUTO HEAD LIGHT SENSORS, WHAT EVER CONTROLS STORING RADIO STATIONS, FLUCTUATING BATTERY VOLTAGE WHILE DRIVING: FLUCTUATES FROM 10 VOLTS TO 17 WHILE DRIVING.
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11382988 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11316734 · 2020-03-07 (March 7, 2020)
ON 5 SEPARATE OCCASIONS 2 ON THE SAME TRIP, WHN TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE VEHICLE WILL NOT PULL, LIKE ITS STUCK IN A GEAR AND WILL NOT SHIFT . HAPPENS AROUND 80 MPH. CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN VEHICLE WILL NOT SPEED UP AND SLOWS DOWN FROM 80 MPH TO 65 AND WILL NOT GAIN ANY SPEED, THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK 3 TIMES ALL ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES FOR SAME ISSUE, 1ST TIME NOTHING FOUND PER THEM, SECOND TIME REPLACED TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY, 3RD TIME REPLACED TRANSMISSION. STILL NOT REPAIRED
Owner-reported narrative. 48,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11316734 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11343936 · 2020-08-07 (August 7, 2020)
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY , CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL IN TRAFFIC THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE , 1ST TIME NISSAN REPLACES TRANSMISSION AND NOW THIS HAPPENS AGAIN
Owner-reported narrative. 55,850 miles reported. Look up ODI 11343936 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11289596 · 2019-12-17 (December 17, 2019)
THE ENGINE LOSES POWER SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON). WITH THE LOSS OF POWER, VEHICLE LOSES SPEED AND ACCELERATION. THIS SITUATION HAS HAPPENED ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. IN ALL CASES THE LOSS OF POWER HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, THREE OF THE TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY (I-10). THE SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED CREATES A HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR ME, MY PASSENGERS AND ANY DRIVERS AROUND ME. IN ALL CASES I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM, MOSSY NISSAN IN HOUSTON (MN). THE FIRST TIME I HA…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,878 miles reported. Look up ODI 11289596 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11680207 · 2025-08-12 (August 12, 2025)
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, there was an abnormally strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle and there was fuel on the ground. The contact stated that prior to the failure, there was no warning light illuminated. Upon further inspection, the contact discovered a crack in the fuel pump near the fuel hose connection. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacture…
Owner-reported narrative. 114,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11680207 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11693773 · 2025-10-16 (October 16, 2025)
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled several times after refueling. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the fuel pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The fuel pump was replaced. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The contact was informed that the year, make, and model were not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V676000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). The conta…
Owner-reported narrative. 157,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11693773 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11430748 · 2021-08-27 (August 27, 2021)
The Display Control Unit (DCU) has failed in my 18 Armada. My VIN is not part of the recall with the other 18 Armada models. The safety features of the collision warning system does not work because the DCU has failed. The back up camera does not work because the DCU has failed. This is a pedestrian safety issue. The Navigation system does not work because the DCU has failed. None of the control panel buttons on dash or the steering wheels work because the DCU has failed including the cruise control. The Nissan dealership has confirmed it is t…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11430748 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11662546 · 2025-05-22 (May 22, 2025)
The Display Control Unit (DCU) has failed in my 18 Armada. My VIN is not part of the recall with the other 18 Armada models. The safety features of the collision warning system does not work because the DCU has failed. This is a pedestrian safety issue. The Navigation system does not work because the DCU has failed. None of the control panel buttons on dash or the steering wheels work because the DCU has failed including the cruise control. The Nissan dealership has confirmed it is the DCU but it is not under the recall with my VIN, however it …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11662546 at NHTSA ↗