Most common 2018 Nissan Armada problems
Share of the 75 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Armada complaints by model year
Best Armada years: 2014, 2012, 2013. Years to avoid: 2025, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2004. Compare all years →
2018 Nissan Armada recalls (1)
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
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.
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.
What 2018 Nissan Armada owners say
Electrical system all 41 →
BCI (Back-up Collision Intervention) Malfunction. It's random when this comes up on the dashboard warning lights. It lights up several other things as well. It doesn't allow you to use the cruise control, or the 4-wheel drive. It disables the ABS and traction control. I don't know how this is not a recall, because I see several forums talking about this issue for this vehicle specifically in this year. We took it to the dealership, and they brushed it off, and claimed they didn't know how to fix it. It has caused multiple problems and has put my family at harms risk due to it disabling the safety features.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that the lights needed to illuminate the speedometer and tachometer were inoperable. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the instrument cluster needed to be replaced and it was a known failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall associated to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
Brakes
BCI (Back-up Collision Intervention) Malfunction. It's random when this comes up on the dashboard warning lights. It lights up several other things as well. It doesn't allow you to use the cruise control, or the 4-wheel drive. It disables the ABS and traction control. I don't know how this is not a recall, because I see several forums talking about this issue for this vehicle specifically in this year. We took it to the dealership, and they brushed it off, and claimed they didn't know how to fix it. It has caused multiple problems and has put my family at harms risk due to it disabling the safety features.
There is a common known issue with the Armadas that Nissan has not addressed, where you will randomly get a "BCI Malfunction" warning, sometimes corresponding to a warning about the ABS System. The car will not shift out of the current gear when this happens, until you turn it off and back on again. If you are really unlucky, like I am, this will progress to the car randomly applying the brakes and initiating hard stops, in traffic. This happened to me two days ago in traffic and I narrowly escaped an accident. I had to get the car towed home and it still intermittently does this. The brakes locked up so badly that the car was covered in smoke and appeared to be on fire. This is terribly unsafe, and Nissan needs to fix it, because it is more likely that an Armada owner WILL encounter this, than that they won't, and people are going to be injured and/or killed, if they have not already. …
Engine & cooling
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 contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 157,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Armada. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
2018 Nissan Armada engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.6L 8-cyl | 7-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.6L 8-cyl | 7-speed automatic | 4WD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Nissan Armada a good car?
Based on 75 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Armada rates avoid: 2.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Armada at the same age. It is one of the Armada years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Nissan Armada?
The electrical system — 41 complaints, 55% of all complaints for this model year, most often about instrument cluster/panel. Next are the brakes (15) and engine & cooling (14).
How many recalls does the 2018 Nissan Armada have?
There is 1 recall for the 2018 Nissan Armada, the most recent from September 12, 2019 (camera). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Armada?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2012 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2004. See the full Nissan Armada years comparison.
At what mileage do 2018 Nissan Armada problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 48,000 miles; 54% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.