Junk Nissan Versa: check the recalls, then sell it whole

Three generations at a glance

Nissan built all three in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The hatchback went on sale in July 2006 and the sedan followed in early 2007. Production for the US market ended in December 2025.

The air bag recalls on 2007-2012 cars

Of the 2,263 complaints on 2007-2012 Versas, 930 name the air bags. Nine of the Versa's 13 air bag recalls touch those years. The three that matter most:

• 17V449, driver's side. On 2007-2011 sedans and 2007-2012 hatchbacks, the propellant in the driver's frontal inflator can degrade after long-term exposure, and the inflator can rupture and throw metal fragments.
• 16V349, passenger side. It covers 2007-2011 Versas first sold or ever registered in the states on the recall's list, Alabama, California and Florida among them, for the same rupture risk.
• 20V008, passenger side. Inflators built without a desiccant, the drying agent that keeps moisture out. NHTSA's notice warns of an explosion that can throw sharp fragments.

A Nissan dealer does recall work. Open recalls on your own car show up when you type its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If the car is going to a buyer instead of back on the road, tell the buyer about any open air bag recall.

Springs, pedals and a shifter

The 2009 is the Versa year with the most complaints, 504, and 167 of them name the suspension. Recall 15V573 points at salt. On 2007-2012 Versas sold or registered in a list of salt-belt states, a front coil spring can fracture, touch the tire and puncture it. A later recall, 17V637, added 2012 hatchbacks.

Two more recalls on the second generation. On 2012-2015 sedans and 2014-2015 Notes, console trim can catch the driver's shoe and slow the move to the brake pedal (15V507). On the 2012 automatic, the shifter could be moved out of Park when it shouldn't (12V032).

The CVT years, 2012-2019

The power train leads the complaints on every Versa from 2013 to 2015, ties the air bags on the 2016, and leads again on the 2019. Nissan handled it with two warranty extensions instead of recalls. Each stretched the CVT's original five-year, 60,000-mile coverage by another two years and 24,000 miles:

• 2012-2017 Versa sedans and 2014-2017 Versa Notes, from May 11, 2020
• 2018-2019 Versa sedans and Versa Notes, from May 23, 2023

The coverage includes the CVT and its internal parts, the valve body, the torque converter, the cooler kit and reprogramming of the transmission control module. Nissan's owners site lists an older 10-year, 120,000-mile CVT extension, but only for 2003-2010 models. It leaves out the 2011-2012 first-generation cars, and even a 2010 Versa is now 16 model years old.

The last Versa, 2020-2025

The final generation has 260 complaints across six model years. On the 2024, 39 of 96 name the engine. Its recalls: a 2020 fuel tank wall that may be too thin and leak when filled past half (20V112), lost power steering assist on 2021 cars (22V693 and 23V496), and a driver's air bag inflator on 2023-2024 cars that can absorb moisture and deploy improperly (24V154).

Complaints and recalls by model year

NHTSA's complaint and recall files as of October 10, 2026, with Versa Note filings folded in. The recall column counts every campaign that lists the year, so one campaign can appear in several rows.

Before you pay for a repair

1. Open recalls first. Air bag and spring recalls are dealer work. They don't make the car run, but they change what you are selling.
2. A 2018-2019 with a bad CVT? Ask a dealer whether the 2023 extension still applies by date and mileage.
3. Outside every warranty? Price the repair in writing, then check what a Versa like yours sells for when it runs. Our bad transmission guide explains the symptoms and the usual repair choices.
4. Rusted springs or a failed inspection? Read selling a car that failed inspection before sinking money into suspension work.

Selling it whole

Ask for an offer online or call (877) 421-6008. Describe the problem in plain words: won't start, slips in drive, air bag light on, spring snapped. Say whether it rolls and where it's sitting. Leave the wheels, battery and catalytic converter in place, and mention anything already pulled. At pickup you'll need the title and your ID. The after you sell page covers plates and state paperwork.