Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Nissan Versa owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Check engine light came on. Took car to auto shop and had them use the code reader. The code thrown was for cylinder 1 misfiring. Under further investigation it was found to the valve cover gasket needed replaced. After replacing the valve cover gasket the torque strut mount plugs and engine coils the car seemed to run fine. About 3 hours later the car started having trouble accelerating and the engine started to shake bad. And hour later while at a red light the car stalled out and wouldn't start again. Had to have the car towed. Noticed a good amount of oil leaked in the bottom of the engine.
Heard noise coming from engine. Went to dealership. Car is 4.5 years old...not even paid off yet but about 4,000 miles over warranty. I was at the dealership for almost 31/2 hours. They had to dismantle my whole engine to diagnose the problem. I was even charged an hour of labor because it took them so long to figure out what the noise was. Finally, the service manager, came out to speak to me. Apparently they had discovered "piston slap" in two of my cylinders. I was told that there is no way to "fix" the problem other than replacing the engine. He said he did an estimate on the parts as between three to four thousand dollars....plus labor. The manager was very sympathetic towards me as I cried. …
Driving in snowy/icy conditions. Vehicle started angle towards oncoming vehicle (large power company bucket/boom truck). The trucks driver (there were more than one) saw me coming at him. The truck moved to the side of the road to avoid me. I collided into the driver corner of the large truck head-on. Bumper went into the engine. Tail-end of my vehicle swung around to meet his driver side with my passenger side. When my vehicle broke loose from the bumper, the whole front end came off and part of the engine came out. Once I collided with my passenger side, I spun around hitting the rear of my vehicle as well. I slid back across the road as I was spinning into a small area near a fence. That is where the vehicle stopped. I had to be cut out of the vehicle. Now.... After all this; the only air bag that blew was the curtain bag on the passenger side. …
Fuel pump shut off the car while driving and left stranded at 18,000 mi., engine blown at 25,000 mi., now fort wayne Nissan wants to jerk me around on a front suspension problem. The car makes a wobble sound when taking off after startup that they say is a ABS safety test. Problem is it never made that sound before, and only after engine replacement. Not only do they say the sound is nothing they say the car doesn't wobble and refuse to replace the defective parts while it was under warranty. Its almost like the brakes are not working too. I paid them 500$ for front brakes and the car still struggles to stop and I assume that is because of the front suspension problems. I am so afraid that the springs are bad just like I see in the forums. My dad owned this car first put the first 6K miles on it. This has been a lemon since the day I got it with 6K miles on it. Something has to be done. …
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that an unknown module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V449000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called a local dealer (Nissan of mobile, 1015 e interstate 65 service rd s, mobile, al 36606, [phone]) and was informed that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 154,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The Nissan Versa is at 96000 miles. The first 2 times it happens was on the street, turning from parking lots to street. The car experienced a sudden accelerate, for a short moment (about 2 seconds). Those 2 times was 1 hour apart. The next times the incident happens was on the highway. From the stop light to entering the freeway, which needs acceleration. The car experienced a rapid shake, sudden accelerates.the accelerations happens very closely to each other, only seconds apart, and more noticeble. The tachometer shakes around 2 to 3. The car was driven off the freeway and back to the parking structure. When transfering, the car still experienced the sudden shakes and acceleration. It hasn't been operated since then due to safy concerns.
This is a 2010 Nissan Versa. I bought the car brand new. Has 35K miles on it. Already replaced transmission in 2013. Have had numerous tire issues that the mechanics can't seem to figure out, when I take it to the dealer, they want to charge high dollars and the issue still exists. Today while backing straight out of my driveway I heard a huge bang followed by the car not moving forward or backwards. My neighbor came out and informed me that the ball joint on the right front passenger side had snapped. He also indicated that this shouldn't happen to a car from 2010 and with such low mileage. This car has been a nightmare and money pit.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Nissan Versa. While the contact was driving home, the air conditioner stopped functioning and a burning electrical odor was present. After arriving home, the vehicle stalled without warning and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the air conditioner compressor and belt failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact called an unknown Nissan dealer and was informed to schedule an appointment. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000.
After driving home from the airport, we noticed something was not right. Less than two days later, I can barely drive my car without radiating pain from every little road bump. Took my car to the shop and shelled out over a grand to replace both front spring/struts. Now, less than 2 months later, my car is making a horrific rattling sound that shakes the entire car and I believe something is wrong (or even missing) from my exhaust pipe connection. After this, I did some research and the darn springs were recalled in October of 2015. Mine broke in March with less than 60000 miles
I had my mechanic check my car after I heard noise/vibration coming from the car when stopped at a light. It turns out the muffler is rusting from the manifold back: including catalytic converter, center and rear muffler, hardware and gaskets and the heat shield needs secured. The car is just over 50,000 miles, not a lot and Nissan should be replacing this free of charge but I will probably have to pay for it. This is a danger and they should build their parts better to handle road salt in the winter months.
Engine complaints in other Versa years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2010 Nissan Versa?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2010 Nissan Versa, 9% of the model year's 269 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Nissan Versa engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2010 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 2010 Nissan Versa engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 57,000 miles, and 15% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 1 injury to engine & cooling 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.