Menu

2011 Nissan VersaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 270 owner complaints about the 2011 Nissan Versa, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-349 the manufacturer reports only 33% of affected cars repaired.

2011 Nissan Versa
44
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.3× the Versa median · #5 of 18 years by complaints
Safety recalls6Lowest repair rate 33%Owner complaints27040 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage75kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 5, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 Nissan Versa has problems

270 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags15315
Suspension464
Steering216
Electrical system184
Engine110
Structure81
Power train80
Seat belts72
Exterior lighting60
11 other systems315

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

6 recalls

2011 Nissan Versa recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

36%repaired · 2021 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 20V-008 · Jan 9, 2020 · 307,962 vehicles · 111,354 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

56%repaired · 2019 Q4

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-401 · Jun 15, 2018 · 104,762 vehicles · 58,738 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

52%repaired · 2019 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-044 · Jan 10, 2018 · 52,614 vehicles · 27,186 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

46%repaired · 2019 Q2

Driver side: inflator module

Recall 17V-449 · Jul 17, 2017 · 515,394 vehicles · 238,431 repaired

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 2 more recalls
33%repaired · 2018 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 16V-349 · May 24, 2016 · 413,852 vehicles · 138,299 repaired

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

37%repaired · 2017 Q2

Springs: coil springs

Recall 15V-573 · Sep 14, 2015 · 218,019 vehicles · 79,936 repaired

Risk. If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Nissan.

Mileage at failure

When do air bags problems start?

75kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 48 air bags complaints. 65% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
4under 30k miles31under 100k miles17100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2011 vs. every other Versa year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Versa median. How we score

'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2011 Nissan Versa safety ratings

2011 Nissan Versa 5 HB FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
  • Rollover: 4 stars (14.0% risk)
  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2011 Nissan Versa, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
  2. Front Coil Spring FracturePE15019 · closed Oct 2, 2015
    Led to recall 15V-573
In owners' words

What Versa owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, the cruise control message illuminated. The contact stated that the air bag warning light subsequently illuminated, and the horn failed to function properly. The contact stated that the interior lighting and…
Complaint 11775932 · Nov 5, 2026 · 149,667 miles
I am submitting a vehicle safety complaint regarding my 2011 Nissan Versa SL. VIN: [XXX] Incident Date: XXX Time: Approximately 7:30 a.m. While driving to work and making a right turn from [XXX] onto [XXX], the driver-side airbag suddenly deployed without a collision or impact. Prior to the…
Complaint 11758382 · Aug 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH in a parking lot, the front driver's side air bag unexpectedly deployed without an impact to the vehicle. In addition, the air bag exploded. The contact was unsure if any warning light was illuminated. The contact…
Complaint 11685656 · Sep 8, 2025 · 172,000 miles

Own a 2011 Versa?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.