What 253 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Nissan Versa Note

2015 NISSAN VERSA NOTE SV SUFFERS FROM FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH INTERMITTENT AND DOES NOT LIGHT UP THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. CONSEQUENTLY, WHEN THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH IS WORKING, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WILL ALSO ILLUMINATE AND CAUSE THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM TO BE DISABLED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. FIRST, FAILURE TO ILLUMINATE THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WHEN BRAKING WILL FAIL TO ALERT DRIVERS THAT YOU ARE STOPPING AND PUTS YOU AT RISK FOR A REAR END COLLISION. SECOND, THE TRACTION CONTROL ALSO BECOMES DISABLED, THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD IN THE EVENT YOU LOSE TRACTION, THE VEHICLE WILL NO LONGER ASSIST WITH DRIVING STABILITY. WORSE CASE, YOU ARE REAR ENDED DUE TO THE BRAKE LIGHTS NOT ILLUMINATING AND THEN YOUR CAR LOSES TRACTION DUE TO THE IMPACT, YOU TRACTION CONTROL IS ALSO DISABLED, THEREFORE YOU ARE AT AN EVEN HIGHER RISK FOR INJURY. THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED BY SIMPLE REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH SENSOR THAT SITS BEHIND THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT IS A 1 MINUTE JOB JUST TO UNSCREW THE OLD SENSOR AND SCREW IN THE NEW ONE. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, ALTHOUGH MINOR, DUE TO THE BRAKE LIGHT NOT TURNING ON. THE DRIVER BEHIND ME REAR ENDED ME, POSSIBLY DUE TO KNOWING I WAS BRAKING UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. I HAVE NOTICED THROUGH MY REAR VIEW MIRROR ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHERE VEHICLES BEHIND ME WOULD BRAKE VIOLENTLY. I FINALLY REALIZED IT WAS DUE TO MY BRAKE LAMP SWITCH NOT ALWAYS WORKING. KEEP IN MIND, MY VEHICLE NEVER WARNED ME ABOUT MY TAIL LIGHT BEING OUT. TECHNICALLY, IT WOULDN'T, SINCE THE BRAKE LIGHT BULBS ARE FINE. THE SWITCH FAILING DID NOT ALERT ME WHEN THE BRAKE LAMPS ARE NOT ILLUMINATING. I REPLACED THE PART FOR $68.36 WITH A GENUINE PART FROM NISSAN DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER, THIS SHOULD BE A RECALLED ITEM AND NISSAN SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. THE CAR IS BARELY TWO YEARS OLD, THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11041875

DRIVING AS I NORMALLY DO ON MY NORMAL ROUTE, DOING ABOUT 30 MPH, AND CAR WOULDN'T MAKE THE CORNER. WENT OVER CURB, BENT THE RIM IN TWO PLACES, AND OF COURSE RUINED THE TIRE. IT WAS AS IF THE CAR WAS INTENT ON GOING RIGHT. NO EVIDENCE OF STABILITY CONTROL WORKING. HAVE NEVER HAD AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT. CALLED AAA AND THEY CHANGED TIRE. DROVE TO DEALER, AND WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF OVER $500.00 TO REPAIR DAMAGE. ESTIMATE INCLUDED RIM, OEM TIRE, PLASTIC WHEEL COVER ($80.00) TOLD IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO HAVE A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE SCARY THING WAS IT FELT LIKE I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE WHEEL. CRANKED STEERING HARD LEFT, CAR JUST HEADED FOR THE CURB. ROAD IS AN UPHILL TWISTY ONE THAT IS NORMALLY FUN TO DRIVE, BUT WHEN THE DRIFTED LEFT, AND I STEERED RIGHT, IT DIDN'T STRAIGHTEN OUT AND WENT OVER THE CURB.

NHTSA ODI 10927344

OUR CAR WAS TRAVELING IN A VERY SLOW SPEED ON AN ON-RAMP OF INTERCHANGE FROM FREEWAY 110 NORTH BOUND TO 105 WEST BOUND IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. THE TRAFFIC FLOW WAS IN A VERY SLOW MOVING FASHION. SINCE IT WAS AN UPHILL ON RAMP, I HAD TO STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL SLIGHTLY TO KEEP THE CAR MOVING AT A SLOW BUT STEADY SPEED. AS THE TRAFFIC GOT SLOWER, I GENTLY STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR. WHILE I WAS HOLDING DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL, SUDDENLY I HEARD A "CLUNK" NOISE AND FELT A VIBRATION. AT THIS POINT, THE CAR STARTED MOVING ON ITS OWN WITHOUT A SIGN OF SLOWING DOWN. I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO STEP ON BRAKE WITH FULL FORCE BUT FELT THE BRAKE HAVING NO PRESSURE AT ALL. AS THE CAR CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH UNCONTROLLED SPEED, THE ONLY THING I COULD DO AT THAT MOMENT WAS TO VEER THE CAR TOWARDS THE RIGHT EDGE TO AVOID DIRECT IMPACT WITH THE FRONT CAR. BY READING THE OWNER'S MANUAL, I BELIEVED THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM FUNCTION WAS BEING ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT SINCE THE DRY AND NON-SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITION DID NOT WARRANT SUCH ACTIVATION. AND WHAT MADE THINGS EVEN WORSE WAS, FOR WHATEVER THE REASON, THE CAR WAS MOVING ON ITS OWN IN AN UNCONTROLLED SPEED WHILE THE BREAK PEDAL WAS COMPLETELY LOSING THE PRESSURE DUE TO THE ABS ACTIVATION. THIS VEHICLE WAS BEING RECALLED AND SERVICED FOR SUDDEN ACCELERATION SAFETY CONCERN DUE TO THE LOWER PANEL TRIM DESIGN IN AUGUST. THE LIABILITY INSURANCE CLAIM WAS FILED FOR THE ACCIDENT. THE MILEAGE WAS 8740 AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. PHOTOS OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE ARE ATTACHED AND ALONG WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS.

NHTSA ODI 10925606

PULLED INTO PARKING SPACE, SPEED 2-3 MPH., CAR WENT INTO FULL ACCELERATION, HIT BRAKES AS HARD AS POSSIBLE,CAR JUMPED 10 FOOT PARKING DIVIDER, SIDE- SWIPED LAMP POST, HIT PARKED CAR IN REAR WHEEL AREA TEARING OFF REAR BUMPER,MY CAR LURCHED TO LEFT AND FINALLY DECELERATED. TOWED TO PREMIER NISSAN OF STEVENS CREEK SANTA CLARA,CALIF. FILED CLAIM, AWAITING INSPECTION. CASE NO. 22964507.

NHTSA ODI 10885010

COMING TO A RED LIGHT FAILED TO BRAKE AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING TO BRAKE, BUT SINCE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS TO CLOSE TO THE RIGHT SIDE PANEL OF THE CAR , WONT LET YOUR FOOT TO MOVE IT EASY AND YOUR FOOT GETS STUCK TO THE OPEN CUT AREA OF THE TRIM THAT THE NISSAN EXPERTS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM UNDER RECALL, AND THERE WERE NO BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE CAR AND WAS WITNESSED....UPDATED 01/25/16 *BF

NHTSA ODI 10819225