2013 Nissan Versa: problems, recalls and what it’s worth
NHTSA has 1 open defect investigation (not a recall). Known weak spot on this generation: CVT transmission (Jatco). 1 recall campaign to confirm with a dealer. A lot of owner complaints, 36% about transmission & drivetrain.
Cold test drive: hesitation off the line, judder under light throttle at 30–45 mph, a whine that rises with speed, or the tach flaring without acceleration. Look for a CVT replacement or reprogram in the service history.
Known problems on the 2013 Nissan Versa
CVT transmission (Jatco) $3,300–$5,000 to fix
The Jatco CVT on this generation is a documented failure point — shudder around 30–45 mph, RPM flare, whining, then failure, frequently 60k–120k mi. Nissan extended the powertrain warranty to 84 mo / 84k mi on many of these and settled class actions.
Check for: Cold test drive: hesitation off the line, judder under light throttle at 30–45 mph, a whine that rises with speed, or the tach flaring without acceleration. Look for a CVT replacement or reprogram in the service history.
Basis: NHTSA complaint clusters; Nissan CVT extended-warranty program; multiple class-action settlements
Known patterns for this year and model, not findings about one car. A well-kept example may already have had the fix. Costs are rough US shop prices.
2013 Nissan Versa recalls
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2013 Nissan Versa. Repairs are free at a dealer for the brand, and a dealer can confirm by VIN which were already done.
- Throttle & speed control
A delay in the application of the brake pedal would lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increase the risk of a crash.
Details 15V507000
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.
Fix: 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.
2013 Nissan Versa safety investigations and free repairs
Under investigation (not a recall):
- Desiccated air bag inflator rupture since Sep 2021
Ask the seller if the car has had this problem.
Free repairs to ask about (warranty extensions):
- Transmission: CVT Class Action Owner Notification Attention: Dealer Principal, Sales, Service & Parts Managers In early November, current and former owners and…
- Exhaust and emissions: OBD II EVAP Tube Warranty Enhancement The update below was sent out to Regions and Dealers in August of this year.
A dealer for the brand can check these by VIN.
Source: NHTSA, Sep 24, 2026.
2013 Nissan Versa safety and fuel
From NHTSA’s crash tests and the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov.
What owners complain about
204 complaints filed with NHTSA for this year and model, which is a lot.
Share of complaints that mention each area. One complaint can mention several.
Other Nissan Versa years
2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
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