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Nissan VersaModel year report

2010 Nissan Versa Problems

Compared with other Nissan Versa years

More complaints than typical for this model

70/100 1.6× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with a typical complaint level and no open NHTSA investigation: 2013

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
269filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
65,000miles, 155 complaints with mileage
Recalls
7campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
28 mpgcombined, 1.6L 4-cyl FWD · 26 city / 33 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2010 Nissan Versa (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about two things: front coil springs that crack and fragment (frequently in states where winter road salt is used), and Takata air bag inflator recalls that left many owners waiting months or longer for parts. Both come up across a wide mileage range, from under 20,000 to well past 150,000 miles, and other reports cover air bag warning lights, suspension noises, and a scattering of electrical and engine faults.

  1. Suspension

    Front coil spring cracks and breaks

    • 44 complaints (16%)
    • median 55,000 mi at 5.8 yrs old (41 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $544 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2013–2022

    Complaints describe a bang, snap, or clunk from a front wheel arch, after which the car handles loosely or the broken coil rubs against the tire. In several reports owners or technicians found a fractured or corroded coil, sometimes with a groove worn into or a puncture in the tire; some say both sides broke at different times. Dealers replaced springs in some cases, and several owners were told a regional recall existed but did not cover their state, even when they drive on salted roads. Reported from roughly 18,000 to over 150,000 miles, often on cars driven in winter road-salt states, and sometimes while parked or at low speed.

    Recall 15V5730003 related service bulletins

    What to check: Have a mechanic inspect both front springs for cracks or heavy corrosion at the lower coil, and ask whether the coil spring recall (15V573000) was performed. Check tire inner sidewalls for rubbing.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My front coil spring broke while driving; very dangerous. I had it towed to a local mechanic. It is still in the shop. Tonight I found your recall website and learned the front coil springs are listed for recall. I never received notification from Nissan about the recall. I suspect they are not notifying customers.”

    NHTSA complaint #10820321, filed 2016-01, 38,000 miles

    “I was making a right turn when I hear a snap and then passenger tire gets popped and deflates. At an intersection going 10 to 15 MPH. It turns out my front spring on the passenger side collapsed and has snapped a peice of spring into my tires blowing it. I haven't driven this car for long, and drive quite safely. I since had to purchase new fires and now stuck with my springs still collapsed. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10733624, filed 2015-07, 54,400 miles
  2. Air bags

    Takata air bag inflator recall, parts unavailable

    Mentioned in 8 of 60 sampled complaints

    Many complaints are about the Takata inflator recalls rather than a failure in use: owners say they got notices but dealers or Nissan told them replacement parts were months away, or did not offer a loaner vehicle. Some report the dealer declined the repair because their inflators were not Takata brand. These reports describe the recall process rather than a symptom. Mostly filed between 2016 and 2019 on vehicles across a wide mileage range, including cars with over 100,000 miles.

    Recall 20V008000Recall 18V401000Recall 18V044000Recall 17V449000Recall 16V3490002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check the VIN against open recalls and confirm with the dealer that the inflator recalls were actually completed, not just scheduled.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We keep receiving these notices even after communicating to cease sending them. The vehicle was destroyed in an accident in october 2017 and the insurance paid for purchasing it then sold it to someone else. We do not own the vehicle. Please stop sending the notices. The air bags worked fine in the accident.”

    NHTSA complaint #11326714, filed 2020-05, 10,000 miles

    “Sometime in the last 3 or 4 months the air bag light came on and would not go off. Took car to garage nov. 24,2020 to repair the light and was informed that the air bags needed to be replaced. The garage informed me that there was a recall for airbags by Nissan covering the time frame my car was built . Nissan rejected the recall repair because the air bags installed in my car were not tikata brand air bags. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11377401, filed 2020-12, 62,323 miles
  3. Air bags

    Air bag warning light stays on

    • 31 complaints (12%)
    • median 80,000 mi at 7.8 yrs old (14 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2014–2025

    Owners report the air bag warning light illuminating and staying lit while parked or driving, sometimes with the passenger-side indicator showing the seat as unoccupied. A few were told the spiral cable or clock spring needed replacement. Some note the light returned after the Takata inflator repair was done, or that the horn stopped working. Reported from about 34,000 to 155,000 miles, in some cases years after purchase.

    Recall 17V449000

    What to check: Turn the key to on and confirm the air bag light goes out; if it stays lit, ask for the stored codes to be read and check whether the recall repairs were completed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “After having takata airbag replaced from recall horn stopped working then after awhile started honking when turning steering wheel. After that horn went off non stop while engine off. Had to un hook battery.”

    NHTSA complaint #11253370, filed 2019-09, 87,000 miles

    “The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. However, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 73,001. The VIN was not available.”

    NHTSA complaint #10655070, filed 2014-11, 73,001 miles
  4. Engine

    Engine stalls or hesitates; starting trouble

    Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe the engine cutting out at low speed without warning, a stutter at higher speed with flickering dash lights, and occasional no-crank when the key is turned. Some owners had a leaking fuel pump replaced, and one was told about piston slap in two cylinders. In a few cases the air conditioning compressor and belt failure left the car stalled. Scattered from 300 to about 154,000 miles, including several reports under 30,000 miles.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test a cold start and a warm restart, watch for a check engine light, and listen for a rattle or knock when the engine is cold.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “When I was driving back home from class approx 11:45 am, I turned on the air conditioned and the car slowed down and started shaking. I pressed the emergency light and pulled off the road to a shoulder. I wait a few minutes turned the car and it started shaking and making the loud noise. I turned off the air conditioning system and I drove home.”

    NHTSA complaint #10605661, filed 2014-06, 67,000 miles

    “Heard noise coming from engine. Went to dealership. Car is 4.5 years old...not even paid off yet but about 4,000 miles over warranty. I was at the dealership for almost 31/2 hours. They had to dismantle my whole engine to diagnose the problem. I was even charged an hour of labor because it took them so long to figure out what the noise was. Finally, the service manager, came out to speak to me. Apparently they had discovered piston slap in two of my cylinders. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10682979, filed 2015-02, 64,000 miles

Buying note. Inspect the front springs closely, especially on a car from a salt-belt state, and confirm the Takata inflator recalls were actually completed plus any other open campaigns through a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection that includes the exhaust and a cold start covers most of the remaining reports.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 269 consumer complaints for the 2010 Nissan Versa. 155 of the complaints include a mileage, and 32% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 65,000 miles. Of all complaints, 20 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 8 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns and 100 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 13 Nissan Versa model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 70 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Brakes (6), Latches, locks and linkages (6), Transmission and drivetrain (6), Vehicle speed control (5), Seats (4), Tires (4), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (3), Electronic stability control (2), Exterior lighting (2), Seat belts (2).

Example complaints

Air bags: “My front passenger door was closed and my side airbags deployed. My 4 year old son was in his car seat in the back seat on the passenger side when the air bags deployed. My car was in drive but I was not moving, I was dropping a friend off at home. It was on a city street. Nissan is refusing to pay for a rental until they come and look at my car, which they said would take 6 to 8 weeks.”

NHTSA complaint #11123958, filed 2018-09, 103,000 miles

Suspension: “My front left suspension coil just broke while driving over a sewer cover on a side street. The front left end of my car dropped a not and a metal piece of coil flew out from the bottom of my car which I recovered. I see this is an issue that had a recall, also never got the airbag recalled.”

NHTSA complaint #11219535, filed 2019-06, 71,639 miles

Electrical system: “Prior to being apart of the takata inflator recall, I did not realize that citizens could report erroneous and dangerous part failures in their automobiles prior to a dangerous incident. Having gone through the takata recall, I am now a more aware consumer and want to report an incident involving failing door assemblies on Nissan Versa hatchback's. The right front door lock actuator failed on my 2010 Nissan Versa hatchback several years after ownership. It is unclear if this happened during or after driving, but it was discovered when the car was stationary. …”

NHTSA complaint #11164012, filed 2018-12, 77,283 miles

Engine: “I had my mechanic check my car after I heard noise/vibration coming from the car when stopped at a light. It turns out the muffler is rusting from the manifold back: including catalytic converter, center and rear muffler, hardware and gaskets and the heat shield needs secured. The car is just over 50,000 miles, not a lot and Nissan should be replacing this free of charge but I will probably have to pay for it. This is a danger and they should build their parts better to handle road salt in the winter months.”

NHTSA complaint #10821281, filed 2016-01, 50,713 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

32% of the 155 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 41,450 and 94,000 miles.

9%0–105%10–2519%25–5026%50–7521%75–10014%100–1507%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (155 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 65,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’11’13’15’1784’19’21’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2010 Nissan Versa. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Versa · sedan FWDnot rated4 / 4———
Versa Hatchback · hatchback FWDnot rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2010 Nissan Versa version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Versa FWD1.6L 4-cyl5-speed manual263429$2,300
Versa FWD1.6L 4-cyl4-speed automatic263328$2,400
Versa FWD1.8L 4-cylCVT283430$2,250
Versa FWD1.8L 4-cyl6-speed manual263128$2,400
Versa FWD1.8L 4-cyl4-speed automatic243227$2,500

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 7 recalls for the 2010 Nissan Versa → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 100 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 100 bulletins →

Other model years of the Nissan Versa

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202512320535—Too new
2024961,3501535Too new to compareToo new
20233711,000153522 · FewerToo new
20222010,1500535—Rising
2021326,000353531 · FewerRising
20206415,000253548 · TypicalStable
20192420,0001434—Stable
20185728,652243034 · FewerFalling
20176227,0073—3037 · TypicalFalling
20168134,262043023 · FewerStable
201516846,000143052 · TypicalFalling
201420755,518243068 · MoreFalling
201320452,000143047 · TypicalFalling
201248660,08810430100 · MoreFalling
201126964,000622877 · MoreFalling
201026965,0007—2870 · MoreFalling
200950463,5007—29100 · MoreFalling
200838152,0007—2899 · MoreFalling
200735455,1078—28Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Nissan Versa model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2010 Nissan Versa?

Owners of this model year most often write about two things: front coil springs that crack and fragment (frequently in states where winter road salt is used), and Takata air bag inflator recalls that left many owners waiting months or longer for parts. The issues reported most often: Front coil spring cracks and breaks; Takata air bag inflator recall, parts unavailable; Air bag warning light stays on.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2010 Nissan Versa have?

NHTSA recorded 269 consumer complaints for the 2010 Nissan Versa as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2010 Nissan Versa is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 130 complaints (48% of the total), followed by suspension with 69.

Has the 2010 Nissan Versa been recalled?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2010 Nissan Versa get?

The EPA rates the 2010 Nissan Versa (Versa, 1.6L 4-cyl) at 28 mpg combined, 26 city and 33 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,400 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2010 Nissan Versa reported?

Among the 155 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 65,000 miles and the middle half falls between 41,450 and 94,000 miles; 32% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.