2017 Nissan Versa: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
62 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2012 and 2014 Nissan Versa, which have 486 and 337 complaints and scores of 26 and 45, and the 2024 car, an AVOID at 44 on a record still forming; the 2011 car is a CAUTION at 269 complaints. Buy a 2015 to 2021 car: the 2016 has 80 complaints, no recalls and a score of 92. Read the full note on the model page. 2017 specifically: a year the record favours — 62 complaints, score 85/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Nissan Versa and Murano: the years to avoid, including 2017 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 62 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 6.89
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The vehicle was involved in a side impact collision at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss after the accident, as the side impact was the drivers side door and wheel well. The air bags never deployed, despite the high rate of speed and the entire front drivers side of the vehicle being affected.
To whom it may concern the tint on all four of my doors is obstructing my site with Windows up my back window has bubbles all through it. Mike Erdman Nissan has replaced that one one time and it’s bubbled again. They refuse to replace the door window tint and said it was self inflicted. I have also tried to contact the tint department at the dealership numerous times and the dealership said they would have them call …
On 3/21/25 I was informed by Malik's Auto Repair that I need my transmission replaced after a diagnostic of my car making a vacuum noise. After researching, I found that many Nissan vehicles have been experiencing this problem. I contacted Nissan and they informed me that no recall has been made for my make and model. It is a safety issue because at any time the car could stop causing an accident or fatality. Als…
Recalls: 3 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V724000 | Air Bags:Side/Window | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2017 Versa vehicles manufactured August 1, 2016, to August 16, 2016. |
| 18V551000 | Electrical System:Ignition | 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. |
| 17V275000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Versa, and Versa Note vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a city car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 34 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $1,800
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Air Bags15 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Unknown Or Other12 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System11 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train9 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Service Brakes9 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Engine8 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
Other Nissan Versa years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Nissan Versa?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (15 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2017 Nissan Versa a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 85/100, computed from 62 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2017 Nissan Versa's most common problem?
15 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2017 Nissan Versa sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2017 Nissan Versa cost to run per year?
About $3,860 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $19,302 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2017 Nissan Versa have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2017 Nissan Versa, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 11/10/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other economys of about the same age.
What will a 2017 Nissan Versa really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 62 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 62 NHTSA complaints on record (6.9/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (11.0/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems