2009 Nissan VERSA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
503 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
63,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 348 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 178 of 503 complaints (35.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 25 | 5.0% |
| Steering behavior | 23 | 4.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 17 | 3.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 14 | 2.8% |
| Engine operation | 12 | 2.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 1.2% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 178 |
| Suspension | 175 |
| Steering | 27 |
| Wheels | 26 |
| Engine | 18 |
| Power Train | 17 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 16 |
| Unknown Or Other | 15 |
Air Bags: 178; Suspension: 175; Steering: 27; Wheels: 26; Engine: 18; Power Train: 17; Engine And Engine Cooling: 16; Unknown Or Other: 15
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 60 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 65 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 90 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 70 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 53 |
| 150,000 and above | 10 |
Under 25,000: 60; 25,000 to 49,999: 65; 50,000 to 74,999: 90; 75,000 to 99,999: 70; 100,000 to 149,999: 53; 150,000 and above: 10
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (90). 155 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 |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 10 |
| 2010 | 19 |
| 2011 | 19 |
| 2012 | 15 |
| 2013 | 42 |
| 2014 | 56 |
| 2015 | 88 |
| 2016 | 53 |
| 2017 | 119 |
| 2018 | 35 |
| 2019 | 17 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2008: 4; 2009: 10; 2010: 19; 2011: 19; 2012: 15; 2013: 42; 2014: 56; 2015: 88; 2016: 53; 2017: 119; 2018: 35; 2019: 17; 2020: 9; 2021: 7; 2022: 2; 2023: 2; 2024: 2; 2025: 2; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 17 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 10250949 · 2008-12-06 (December 6, 2008)
ON OCTOBER 28, 2008, I PURCHASED MY FIRST VEHICLE ' A 2009 NISSAN VERSA FROM TIM DAHLE NISSAN. MY EXPERIENCE WITH TIM DAHLE NISSAN HAS BEEN BOTH FRUSTRATING AND DISCOURAGING. THE INCOMPETENCE AND LACK OF CARE EXHIBITED BY THE SALESMEN AND GENERAL MANAGER IS BEYOND BELIEF. THE DAY THAT I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, MY SALESMAN RICH VANPATTEN DID NOT CARE TO MENTION TO ME THAT THE NISSAN VERSA DOES NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH AN ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. I DISCOVERED THIS FACT WHILE READING THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND REALIZED THAT ABS IS AN OPTIONAL PACKAGE THA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10250949 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10252862 · 2008-12-26 (December 26, 2008)
THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN NON-RESPONSIVE THREE TIMES ON MY 2009 NISSAN VERSA. WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES - THERE IS NO RESPONSE. FORTUNATELY, WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES A SECOND TIME THEY RESPOND. THE FIRST TWO TIMES WERE AT SPEEDS BELOW 20MPH. TODAY THE 26TH OF DEC. 2008 THE BRAKES WERE NON-RESPONSIVE (FIRST PUSH) AT 50 MPH. ON SECOND PUSH THE CAR SWERVED FIRST LEFT THEN RIGHT - I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND ON THE THIRD PUSH THE CAR BRAKED AS EXPECTED. HAVING BRAKES BE NON-RESPONSIVE AT ANY TIME IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM. I MADE THE DEALER AWA…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10252862 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10348302 · 2010-08-09 (August 9, 2010)
2009 NISSAN VERSA. AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS WITH CAR AND ABOUT 15K MILES LATER, I STARTED HEARING A "THUMP" NOISE ON THE STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER AND GOT IT FIXED. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER AT ABOUT 30K, IT BEGAN TO DO THE SAME THING. I TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND GOT IT "FIXED". AT ABOUT 40K IT STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. I DON'T HAVE WARRANTY ON IT ANY MORE SO I HAVEN'T TAKEN IT TO GET FIXED. HOWEVER, I'VE BEEN READING THREADS ONLINE ABOUT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE, TO THE EXTENT THEY'VE CRASHED DUE TO THE CAR NOT TURNIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10348302 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10359899 · 2010-10-10 (October 10, 2010)
NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND FRONT DRIVER SEAT FAILED WHEN VEHICLE HIT FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED. THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT FAILED WITH BACK OF DRIVER SEAT FALLING ON TO REAR SEAT DURING COLLISION. SEATBELTED DRIVER WAS TURNED SIDEWAYS DURING COLLISION WITH LEFT ARM IMPACTING STEERING COLUMN SEVERELY INJURING LEFT UPPER EXTREMITY. THESE FAILURES OCCURRED ON 2009 NISSAN VERSA 4DR SEDAN WITH 400 ODOMETER MILES PURCHASED FROM NEW CAR DEALER TWO DAYS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10359899 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10289502 · 2009-10-23 (October 23, 2009)
WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED MY NEW 09 NISSAN VERSA I HAD A START UP ISSUE AND THEN IT WENT AWAY, NOW APPROX ONE YEAR LATER AFTER PURCHASE I HAD START UP ISSUES...TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY PUT IN A FUEL PUMP REGULATOR, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING THIS IS A VERY KNOWN PROBLEM. THOUGHT I WOULD ADVISE YOU SINCE I ALSO HEARD SOME PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO REPLACE THIS OFTEN AND SOME ARE LOSING POWER WHEN DRIVING THERE CARS ON HIGHWAYS...I HOPE THIS NEVER HAPPENS FOR ME SINCE I HAVE TO KIDS!!!! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 7,306 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289502 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10340681 · 2010-06-29 (June 29, 2010)
AT ABOUT 32,000 MILES, THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE IN TRAFFIC, AND THE CAR (2009 NISSAN VERSA) WAS PUSHED INTO A PARKING LOT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND LEFT OVERNIGHT. THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FUEL PUMP FAILURE. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE PRESSURE SENSOR, BUT THE ENTIRE FUEL PUMP ASSY WAS REPLACED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10340681 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10411493 · 2011-07-08 (July 8, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN VERSA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE AS UNABLE TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF OR REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A MECHANISM WITHIN THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS BROKEN, NOT ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK. THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS REPLACED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,519.
Owner-reported narrative. 64,519 miles reported. Look up ODI 10411493 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10451509 · 2012-03-13 (March 13, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN VERSA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN SHE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WAS FLAT. THE FAILURE RECURRED REPEATEDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIRE MUST HAVE BEEN LEAKING. THE CONTACT EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE TIRES AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE HERSELF AND NOTICED THAT THE MONITORING VALVE FOR THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTU…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10451509 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10411302 · 2011-07-06 (July 6, 2011)
WHEN I WENT TO PROCEED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AFTER BEING STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER. IT MADE CLUNKING NOISES AND EVEN THOUGH I KEPT GIVING IT MORE GAS I BARELY MADE IT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. I THEN STEERED INTO THE SHOULDER AND TURNED OFF THE CAR, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND STARTED IT AGAIN. THE ENGINE STARTED BUT I STILL HAD NOISES AND NO POWER TO MOVE FORWARD. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT NEW AND HAVE ALL THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE DONE. THEY DID A THOROUGH INSPECTION AND SEVERAL ROAD TEST…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,434 miles reported. Look up ODI 10411302 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10437585 · 2011-11-28 (November 28, 2011)
HORN NOT RELIABLE AND WILL NOT ALWAYS WORK OR MAKES A LOW "SICK" SOUND, HAD TO HAVE FUEL VALVE REPLACED AS CAR WOULDN'T START, HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY, HAD TO REPLACE DOOR PANELS AS MATERIAL ON ARM RESTS CAME OUT. *KB
Owner-reported narrative. 20,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10437585 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10460575 · 2012-06-04 (June 4, 2012)
FUEL PUMP OVER-CURRENT CONDITION RESULTING IN OPENING OF FUEL PUMP ELECTRICAL SUPPLY FUSE. PER SERVICE TECHNICIAN, THIS IS INDICATION OF PENDING FUEL PUMP FAILURE. WHEN FUSE BLEW, CAR WENT FROM 65 TO 0 MPH IN LESS THAN EIGHT SECONDS ON US 75, MILE MARKER 49. SHOULD THIS HAD OCCURRED TWO DAYS EARLIER ON INTERSTATE 80, BETWEEN THE I-480 AND 680 INTERCHANGE IN OMAHA, MULTIPLE FATALITIES WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. CASE NO. [XXX] FILED WITH NHTSA ON 6/4/12. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(…
Owner-reported narrative. 58,088 miles reported. Look up ODI 10460575 at NHTSA ↗