Reliable Auto DB

2013 Nissan Versa reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2013 Nissan Versa holds 204 complaints after 14 years, a rate of 18 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Versa years here — over the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Accelerator pedal.

2012 Nissan Versa
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

204

Per year

18

Recalls

1

Years on the road

14

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (73 of 204), then Service brakes (32) and Speed control (27). Those filings include 18 that report a crash, 9 that report an injury, and 2 that report a death.

Next to 2012 and 2014

The 2012 Versa has 486 complaints, 27 per year, and the 2014 has 338 complaints, 39 per year. The 2013 has fewer complaints per year than the 2012. The 2013 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2013 Nissan Versa. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall speed control, accelerator pedal 2015-08-12 · NHTSA campaign 15V507000
Summary Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Nissan Versa sedan vehicles manufactured June 9, 2011, to March 11, 2015, and 2014-2015 Nissan Versa Note vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to March 11, 2015. The affected vehicles have a center console trim panel that may catch the driver's shoe and delay the transition from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal.
Remedy Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will modify the console trim panel, free of charge. The recall began on September 14, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Complaints by component (204 total)

Powertrain
73
Service brakes
32
Speed control
27
Engine
26
Air bags
22
Structure
18
Electrical system
12
Steering
8
Fuel and propulsion system
7
Suspension
6
Visibility and wipers
5
Exterior lighting
3
Seat belts
3
Seats
3
Engine and engine cooling
2
Fuel system, gasoline
2
Hydraulic brakes
2
Tires
2
Wheels
2
Adaptive and mobility equipment
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Equipment
1
Visibility
1
Show 15 more Show less
Crash-flagged

18

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

9

Death reports

2

Complaints filed per year

1201221201315201416201518201621201734201814201915202018202115202272023520242202522026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "I purchased this vehicle from a private owner. I see that there was a recall on the transmission and since there are no recalls at the moment I believe the original owner must have had it repaired. I am having the same…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-04-22
  • "The transmission hoses don't stay on well, I have had to take it to a specialist mechanic on two separate occasions because it's a CVT and no dip stick transmission. Reached 102,000 mi and transmission started to…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-01-08
  • "See attached document for complaint."
    Service brakes · filed 2025-11-19
  • "The driver side door is stuck in the closed position and will not open. The only way for the driver to get out of the car is to move to the passenger seat and open the passenger side door. To get inside and drive the…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2025-01-07
  • "The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Versa. The contact stated upon inspecting the vehicle, she noticed water intrusion in the tail lights and headlights. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the…"
    Electrical system · filed 2024-12-26

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2013 Nissan Versa 4 DR FWD 4 stars 3 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Versa 1.6L, 4-cyl Manual 5-speed Front-wheel drive 27 35 30 MPG $2150
Versa 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 31 40 35 MPG $1850
Versa 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic 4-speed Front-wheel drive 26 35 30 MPG $2150

Specs and fitment

Second generation (N17 sedan), 2012–2019
Body styles Sedan
Oil SAE 5W-30 with API Certification Mark (10W-30 conventional may be used as temporary alternative per manual) , 3.75 qt capacity
Tire size 185/65R15

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 15V-507 covers certain 2012-2015 Nissan Versa sedan vehicles (and 2014-2015 Versa Note vehicles in the same campaign). The center console trim panel may catch the driver's shoe and delay moving from the accelerator to the brake pedal, which lengthens stopping distance and increases crash risk. Remedy: dealers modify the console trim panel free of charge. When NHTSA lists Versa sedan and Versa Note together, the published unit count is shared across both.

Compare

Previous year 2012 Nissan Versa Next year 2014 Nissan Versa See every Nissan Versa model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Nissan Versa reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2013 Nissan Versa holds 204 complaints after 14 years, a rate of 18 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Versa years here — over the median of the other years, which is 10. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Accelerator pedal.

What are common problems with a 2013 Nissan Versa?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (73 of 204), then Service brakes (32) and Speed control (27). Those filings include 18 that report a crash, 9 that report an injury, and 2 that report a death.

Is the 2013 Nissan Versa more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2012 Versa has 486 complaints, 27 per year, and the 2014 has 338 complaints, 39 per year. The 2013 has fewer complaints per year than the 2012. The 2013 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014.

Has the 2013 Nissan Versa been recalled?

The 2013 Nissan Versa has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2013 Nissan Versa?

Owners have filed 204 complaints about the 2013 Nissan Versa with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2013 Nissan Versa get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2013 Nissan Versa is 31.7 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Nissan Versa take?

N17 (2012-2019) manuals list SAE 5W-30 with the API Certification Mark. N18 (2020-on) lists 0W-20 full synthetic (ILSAC GF-5). Confirm the filler-cap grade for your year.

What tire size does a Nissan Versa use?

N17 sedans commonly use 185/65R15. N18 sedans list 195/65R15, 205/55R16, and 205/50R17 depending on trim.

What does NHTSA recall 15V-507 cover on early Versas?

Certain 2012-2015 Versa sedans (and 2014-2015 Versa Note in the same campaign): the center console trim may catch the driver’s shoe and delay moving from accelerator to brake.