Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Nissan Versa owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle hesitated. The contact felt the hesitation coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle as the low tire pressure warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over and saw that the front passenger's side tire was completely flat and torn all the way around. The contact called roadside assistance and a spare tire was placed on the vehicle. The contact then drove to a dealer and was informed that the front passenger's side coil spring fractured, which caused the puncture and damage to the tire. The dealer replaced the front driver's and passenger's side coil springs along with the tire. After the repair, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V573000 (Suspension) which he linked to the failure. …
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and going over a pothole, the vehicle began to drift to the left. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact continued to experience the failure. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the coil springs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 164,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound while turning the steering wheel. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the failure with the coil springs. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V573000 (Suspension) for which the VIN was included. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
BOTH front coil springs suddenly without warning broke while driving collapsing the front end of the vehicle creating difficulty in steering and handling. Although this year/model are the subject of a front coil spring recall this vin does not qualify.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle. The contact noticed smoke coming from the front passenger wheel and then the wheel exploded. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the coil spring fractured against the tire. The contact called capital city Nissan of topeka kansas at [phone] and was advised to bring the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer replaced the struts, the stabilizer links, and the sway bar on the front end of the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V573000 (suspension). The failure mileage was 69,078.
I was on my way to work one morning at 430 am I was on the interstate. I felt a pull in my steering wheel and heard a big popping noise and pulled over to check on it and everything to me at that time looked OK. I keep driving 5 more mins or so and I heard the noise again and at that time my passenger tire was flat, I had to call a tow truck which costed me 160$. I thought it was just a regular tire blow out till my I take it to get fixed and my suspension had busted. I had to replace the front bumper (get it painted extra 135$), passenger side fender windshield wiper box,passenger fender well, ABS senor cable, get the suspension fixed and the plastic piece that goes along under the doors.(the long piece along the bottom) a total of 670$ out of my pocket
In 2015 was driving my 2011 Nissan Versa. It was clear weather 830 am I was on a street which speed was 40-55mph going within the speed limit the vehicle had been properly maintained since ownership when out of no where my right front end dropped which I learned was ( my front coil spring snapped) and caused my vehicle to loose control and the car to roll multiple times and me being ejected out of the vehicle and the air bags also did not deploy even though they were engaged on. Nissan did not notify me of the recent recall of the front coil spring at all. I'm currently filing a lawsuit against the company due to serious damages that have affected me greatly.
The front coil spring broke or unwound and stabbed the tire. We were just leaving, still in the driveway and had only traveled a few inches when we heard a noise and stopped. We watched the tire deflate and heard it hissing. The next day (today) we removed the tire and found that it had been stabbed. My grand-nephew found there was a recall notice. I called Nissan consumer affairs at [phone]. And left a message, then called Nissan anchorage dealership. They offered to take a look at it before they could help. That would require a 45 mile tow. They gave me a different number at Nissan: [phone]. I called and spoke with [redacted], she gave me a case #[redacted], but said my VIN wasn't in the campaign. Apparently it doesn't apply if the car is over 9 years old, and maybe the mileage is too high, it's 104,789. We are alive and unhurt because of the timing, but this could have been deadly. …
On 7/20/15 was outside heard what sounded like an explosion from garage area. Looked around couldn't find anything. Chalked it up to concrete cracking after heavy flooding in the area. 7/23/15 got in car to go to town. The car did not seem to want to move turned steering wheel and bang the sound of metal hitting concrete. Looked to see what happened and found the right front strut coil spring broke and piece of it was laying under the car. So now I know what the sound from Monday was. Of course this could have been a lot worse if had been driving. For a coil spring to unseat from strut mount while parked is an obvious manufacturer defect. Where the spring broke showed sign of old crack in steel. It had a rusted spot about a 1/4" deep one side. Have contacted Nissan and a rep. Is supposed to contact me. Car cannot be moved without risk of further damage. …
Nissan Versa 2011 hatchback sl. Front right(passenger side) coil spring snapped and hit against inner fender. Spring snapped near the top of the coil where the first full downward coil comes in contact with the uppermost end of the spring. I first noticed a noise when backing out of the driveway onto the street. Our local Nissan service department said, "haven't had that problem", and suggested I contact Nissan USA when I inquired about possible compensation for the defect. I have not received an acknowledgment or reply from Nissan. The local Nissan dealer couldn't tell me if they had the springs in stock for the repair, but in a way, would I really want them? I had to put two, aftermarket strut/spring assemblies in the car to get it back on the road a.s.a.p. Crazy for a car with 65K miles on asphalt roads. …
Related recalls
Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
Nissan (Nissan North America, Inc.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2012 Nissan Versa vehicles manufactured May 8, 2006, to November 12, 2012, that were sold or ever registered in the District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota,…
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front coil springs, free of charge. The recall began on February 2, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA investigations
Front Coil Spring Fracture
In a letter dated September 10,2015, Nissan North America,Inc. (Nissan) notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a safety defect that may result in coil spring fracture in approximately 218,019 model year (MY) 2007 through 2012 Nissan Versa vehiclesproduced from May 8, 2006 through November12, 2012 and originally sold or ever registered in the following 22 states and the District of…
Suspension complaints in other Versa years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2011 Nissan Versa?
NHTSA has 46 complaints about the suspension of the 2011 Nissan Versa, 17% of the model year's 269 complaints. The component named most often is front (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Nissan Versa suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 15V-573 (coil springs, Sep 14, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2011 Nissan Versa suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to suspension 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.