Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Nissan Versa owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I bought this used car with 25 thousand miles on it, but the transmission never worked. It is too expensive to repair and few people know how to do it, therefore I think I have to buy a new transmission. It is a CVT. I want to know where can I buy a new transmission from nisssan with some kind of discount, actually I am living in guatemala. When I bought the vehicle it was stationary. So thankful for your advice and help.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced a lack of acceleration while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was stated the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.
Transmission failed while driving on main road uphill, car rolled into oncoming traffic without and way to stop. Rolled car (backwards down hill) into closest parking lot. Dealership confirmed a failed transmission. Nissan is aware of issues with this transmission but will not recall or make ethical route to keep consumer safety a priority.
Transmission failed resulting in car losing power and making noises when accelerating. Nissan is not honoring the extended warranty for which my car is eligible and won't respond to my many calls at all. It has been 7 weeks. They are stonewalling me. They won't even tell me the name or extension of the "specialist" handling my case.
On Thursday morning, March 3, 2016, my transmission stopped working as I was driving up a hill. I was not able to drive forward. Only reverse. So I had to reverse my car off the street against oncoming and park on the side.
Jatco Cvt transmission failed at 70,200 miles. Bearings burned out, engine roaring, then sudden deceleration and acceleration.
Transmission failure as not changing gears, not starting driving when accelerator push down, shaking.
I was turning onto a side street and heard a thump under my hood on the right side of the car. There was no difficulty driving although I kept hearing thumps for days after. I went in to a garage to get my snow tires put on and the garage saw that the spring above my right front tire was sheered in half and had damaged my tire. I had it towed to the nearest Nissan and they fixed it while I went and bought new tires. About 3 months later, it happened on the left side. Then about a year after that, the spring above the right front tire broke again, so I replaced it a third time to a cost of $1200 per spring. I contacted Nissan and was told no recall was in place for this. The mechanic at the garage told me this was a common problem for this car. …
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 manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact also stated that the vehicle stalled while accelerating up hills and would occasionally roll backward. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the transmission was replaced. The failure mileage was 5,000.
Transmission complaints in other Versa years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2009 Nissan Versa?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2009 Nissan Versa, 4% of the model year's 504 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Nissan Versa transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2009 Nissan Versa, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Nissan Versa transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.