Most common 2010 Nissan Cube problems
Share of the 56 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Cube complaints by model year
Best Cube years: 2014, 2012. Years to avoid: 2009, 2010. Compare all years →
2010 Nissan Cube recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Cube vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may rupture or detach from the steering wheel during air bag deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the front air bag inflator serial number, and replace the inflator as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 9, 2026.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage
Nissan is recalling model year 2009-2010 Nissan cube vehicles manufactured from January 30, 2009 through July 30, 2010. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will develop a special protector and attach it to the gasoline recirculation tube at the location of the filler neck connector. This service will be performed free of charge.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2010 Nissan Cube:
Driver Airbag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE25005 on June 13, 2025, to assess the scope, root cause, and potential defect in 2009 Model Year (MY) Nissan Cube vehicles equipped with Takata PSDI-X air bag inflators.At the time the investigation was opened, analysis by Nissan and Takata (now New Leaf LLC) indicated that a rupture occurred at a weld point between the inflator cap and…
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.
What 2010 Nissan Cube owners say
Electrical system all 20 →
Problem is the anti theft module located on the steering column has malfunctioned for my wife's 2010 Nissan Cube keyless ignition. Vehicle would not restart for my wife after sitting for 5 hours, luckily she was not way off somewhere. From what I've seen Nissan did a recall of a similar defective module on other models but did not include the Cube. Nissan doesn't even have the parts readily available for repair. Vehicle has been sitting at a repair shop for over a month now. This should be a safety issue as it could leave people totally stranded in the middle of nowhere with no meaningful way to repair the vehicle. The part number of the module is 487001 FA0C. It is believed that Nissan did not recall the Cube because of the low quantity of vehicles manufactured in relation to the other problem models.
Electronic steering column lock (escl) was malfunctioning, as diagnosed by a Nissan dealer. The car was parked on the side of the road, and it would not start, no engine, or into acc mode because the escl did not sense the brake pedal being pressed or the wheel in locked position. Pushing the brake pedal too start the car did nothing, and engine start button did not work but a solid amber key icon on the dash board would come up and disappear. The car had to be towed to the dealership. Did some research, and it turns out that Nissan had problems w 2009 same escl part = steering lock part# on my unit - we have photos -487001fa0b manufacture date 09-30-09 the same as the only Cube model year recalled.- from 2009-2010 including Cube 2009 and altima/maxima 2010 which seemed to share the same escl part used my Cube 2010 which is not part of the recall. …
Steering
Problem is the anti theft module located on the steering column has malfunctioned for my wife's 2010 Nissan Cube keyless ignition. Vehicle would not restart for my wife after sitting for 5 hours, luckily she was not way off somewhere. From what I've seen Nissan did a recall of a similar defective module on other models but did not include the Cube. Nissan doesn't even have the parts readily available for repair. Vehicle has been sitting at a repair shop for over a month now. This should be a safety issue as it could leave people totally stranded in the middle of nowhere with no meaningful way to repair the vehicle. The part number of the module is 487001 FA0C. It is believed that Nissan did not recall the Cube because of the low quantity of vehicles manufactured in relation to the other problem models.
Electronic steering column lock (escl) was malfunctioning, as diagnosed by a Nissan dealer. The car was parked on the side of the road, and it would not start, no engine, or into acc mode because the escl did not sense the brake pedal being pressed or the wheel in locked position. Pushing the brake pedal too start the car did nothing, and engine start button did not work but a solid amber key icon on the dash board would come up and disappear. The car had to be towed to the dealership. Did some research, and it turns out that Nissan had problems w 2009 same escl part = steering lock part# on my unit - we have photos -487001fa0b manufacture date 09-30-09 the same as the only Cube model year recalled.- from 2009-2010 including Cube 2009 and altima/maxima 2010 which seemed to share the same escl part used my Cube 2010 which is not part of the recall. …
Air bags
The contact owned a 2010 Nissan Cube. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH at an intersection and making a left turn, the front passenger's side near the front bumper of the vehicle collided with another vehicle. The contact stated that all the air bags deployed, with the exception of the front driver's side air bag. The contact sustained a neck injury and a gash cut on his left leg near the calf. No medical attention was required. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V230000(AIRBAGS). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 138,000.
The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Cube. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V230000 (AIR BAGS), the dealer discovered that the vehicle was not equipped with a front driver's side air bag. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased as a used vehicle from Marty Cancila Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram (2175 N Hwy 67, Saint Louis, MO 63114); who had not disclosed that the vehicle was not equipped with the air bag. The Nissan dealer had ordered an air bag for the recall repair. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 139,000.
2010 Nissan Cube engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 27 / 31 / 29 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 25 / 30 / 27 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2010 Nissan Cube a good car?
Based on 56 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 Cube rates use caution: 1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Cube at the same age. It is one of the Cube 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 2010 Nissan Cube?
The electrical system — 20 complaints, 36% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition. Next are the steering (17) and air bags (8).
How many recalls does the 2010 Nissan Cube have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2010 Nissan Cube, the most recent from April 9, 2026 (inflator module). 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 Cube?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2009 and 2010. See the full Nissan Cube years comparison.
At what mileage do 2010 Nissan Cube problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 46% 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.