2013 Nissan Versa Problems, Recalls & Reliability
294 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2013 Nissan Versa, alongside 1 recall campaign and 4 defect investigations. It scores 42/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 85,952 miles.
Below average
Where 2013 sits among all Versa years
What owners report
“Car was parked in a parking spot. It was able to move in reverse; however, when in 'drive' no power/gas was going to the vehicle. We had it towed to a service center and was told vehicle needed a new transmission.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Versa
“I was driving at a normal speed on the street and all of a sudden the car starts to slow down and comes to a sudden stop i tried to press the gas and does not run. I have been stuck in the middle of the road not being able to drive. I almost got rear ended due to the sudden stop with no warning or…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Versa
“Driving in a straight line on a highway going 65 mph , stepped on brake pedal and it went all the way to the floor- no brakes at all. Coasted to slow down and tried again at 55 mph and brakes worked. Am trying to get ahold of dealership.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Versa
“I was driving my car at the stop the engine turn off without any alarm this the second time this thing happen to my car”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Versa
“Car is experiencing transmission problems including: Shifting problems, hesitation on acceleration, delayed shifting, lack of power, shuddering, revving and/or surging RPMs, etc.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Versa
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 201 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 57,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 29,400 and 86,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Nissan Versa sedan vehicles manufactured June 9, 2011, to March 11, 2015, and 2014-2015 Nissan Versa Note vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to March 11, 2015. The affected…
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will modify the console trim panel, free of charge. The recall began on September 14, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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,…
Model years named: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Led to recall campaign 15V507000.
Technical service bulletins
160 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and electrical — are on file for the 2013 Nissan Versa. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2013 Nissan Versa reliable?
The 2013 Nissan Versa drew 294 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 42/100, scored against the model's worst year (2012).
What are the most common 2013 Nissan Versa problems?
The top reported problems for the 2013 Nissan Versa are transmission & drivetrain (73 complaints), other (36), and brakes & stability (34).
At what mileage do 2013 Nissan Versa problems show up?
Owners most often report 2013 Nissan Versa problems around 57,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 29,400 and 86,000 miles.
Does the 2013 Nissan Versa have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2013 Nissan Versa. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.