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2018 Nissan Versa

Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

54 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 11, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Buywillitcar.com

Why buy?

Electrical system problems dominate (30% of complaints).

Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)100
Severity (30%)72
Recall load (20%)95
Trend (10%)68

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20172026

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2018 Nissan Versa, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k mi

Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (16) · Engine (14) · Airbags (13) · Transmission & drivetrain (9)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Electrical system

30%

16 complaints · 5 in the last 2 years

loss of power when using turn signal on highway changing lanes and making left or right turn on city streets. Once the signal is off I can accelerate. Left turn signal…

Engine

26%

14 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years

loss of power when using turn signal on highway changing lanes and making left or right turn on city streets. Once the signal is off I can accelerate. Left turn signal…

Airbags

24%

13 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years

While driving the car airbag icon appeared on dashboard blinking

Transmission & drivetrain

17%

9 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years

I was driving on the express way in rush hour traffic, and my car started to judder and rpm were reving high.i tried to accelerate and the car just stop in mid traffic…

Recalls (2)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Back Over Prevention · 19V654000

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.

Electrical System · 18V551000

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over time, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.

Risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.

Before you hand over money

Check the VIN for open recalls

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2018 Nissan VERSA beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2018? See how every Versa model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Nissan Versa against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2018 Nissan Versa as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.