CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2014-2017 Nissan Versa Note has an expensive CVT transmission failure defect that shows up plainly in our complaint data.

In late 2019, the CVT defect was subject to a class action settlement. However the settlement only covers transmission repairs up to 7 years after purchase or 84,000 miles (whichever occurs first).

Because many owners commonly drive 20,000 miles/year or more, Versa Note owners experiencing CVT transmission problems may find they are not covered by this settlement due to the mileage limitation.

8.9

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$3,310
Average Mileage:
74,200 miles
Total Complaints:
16 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace transmission (10 reports)
  2. not sure (6 reports)
2014 Nissan Versa Note transmission problems

transmission problem

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2014 Nissan Versa Note Owner Comments

problem #16

Aug 082019

Versa Note SV 1.6L

  • CVT transmission
  • 25,250 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

CVT is well known for being no matter what car it is installed in. Nissan knows this and only offered to pay half the cost with me paying the other half. They should have paid for it all! I had very few miles on a 4 year old car with barely 25,000 miles. I just worry it will go out again with the new one If so, I'm going to require Nissan to replace it at their costs. Why isn't there a recall on all CVTs? The class action lawsuit only applied to recent uses of the CVT, because it was a settlement to avoid higher costs to fix the problem their engineers created. Nissan should step up to the plate and accept the blame. I personally recommend that you steer away from any vehicle with a CVT.

- Daniel M., Fort Worth, US

problem #15

Jun 172019

Versa Note SV 1.6L

  • CVT transmission
  • 88,000 miles

Just like others, the CVT transmission is really bad. When I drive into the freeway, the RPM went up to 4000, but the speed only can reach to 50 MPH. I need to release the pedal for 2 to 3 second, let the RPM drop, then the speed can increase to 60 MPH sometime. It feel you lose all power in the freeway, and It is very dangerous driving in freeway at low speed. I went to the Nissan dealership, and they said the warranty has expired, and need to pay 5000 for replacing transmission. Nissan know the CVT problems, but they don't offer the extend warranty for this model. We need to stand up and file the complaint.

- Alan K., San Lorenzo, US

problem #14

Jul 012019

Versa Note S Plus 1.6L

  • CVT transmission
  • 83,000 miles

I brought that car new in 2014. Took it to the dealer for all scheduled maintenance. Then the transmission fails after 5 years, and just over 80,000 miles.

Never going to buy a Nissan with a CVT again.

- Gabriel B., Gainesville, FL, US

problem #13

Jun 102020

Versa Note 1.6L

  • CVT transmission
  • 86,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My wife bought a car, and after she passed away from cancer I decided to sell it. I sold it to a friend's daughter and she drove it for about a week and had problems with the transmission slipping. She took it to a mechanic and he said that this model of 2014 Nissan Versa Note was notorious for bad transmission problems, so I gave my friends daughter back her money. I took it to the Nissan dealer where my wife had purchased the vehicle and they said it was past warranty at 85,000 miles and it would cost $3,000 dollars to fix it. They updated the computer program and checked the transmission fluid because I initially thought it might be low and went to check the transmission fluid and found It didn't have a place to put in fluid, strange! In my lifetime I will not ever purchase a vehicle from this company after I have seen online how they shirk from their responsibility of taking care of their customers and such a faulty product. Stay far, far away from this company.

- James J., Cedarville, OH, US

problem #12

Sep 202020

Versa Note

  • Automatic transmission
  • 67,232 miles

The Nissan Versa Note has around 108200 Km. The transmission response is slow and when I called Nissan Canada and they advised me that its not covered under warranty and there is no recall. The Company needs to take some ownership for their Nissan Cars sold to the public. I requested them that Nissan should replace or fix transmission at No cost to customer. The Nissan Dealer and service shop in Cobourg did not really look into the problem inspite of being at low Km . Nissan Customer care asked us to register vehicle online. I am now left with a car that my kids go to school. I would like to request Nissan Customer Care to recall this vehicle and troubleshoot diagnostic issues with the car. This experience is the worst when the company does not stand behind their customers. I request Nissan Company to take some ownership and assist in fixing the transmission issues at No cost . A transmission should not fail at this much low kilometers.

- yatinkumar, Port Hope, ON, Canada

problem #11

Jun 012020

Versa Note SV 1.6L

  • CVT transmission
  • 98,000 miles

Well, we went to help my disabled parents move from AZ to AL. On our way back to MO we get about 2.5 hrs from home and it started slipping really bad to the point we would have to pull off the road and let it cool down. Then we would drive about 20-30 mins and pull off again. We then had a great friend drive down and pick up us and the car onto a flatbed trailer and drive up the rest the way home. The next morning I started calling around and found it is out of warranty now.

- Michael P., Marshfield, US

problem #10

May 102019

Versa Note

  • CVT transmission
  • 64,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This problem would have cost about $4k, Extended Warranty saved me.

- Adele D., LAKEWOOD, WA,

problem #9

Jan 012019

Versa Note SV 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 69,000 miles

I have read all of your complains and I know how it feels to have been rip off by Nissan. They knew all along that there was a problem with the CVT. I bought my car new at Town North Nissan in 2014 and after 4 years now with only 69,000 miles, I am driving it and my engine was slipping once when accelerating or changing speeds. Took it to my mechanic and for sure he told me it was my transmission. Since my warranty has expired barely after 60000 miles, I don't know what I am going to do. Dealer offered to help me but not promising any yet. Maybe they said 50% or even 100 % covered. Now that I read all this complaints, I don't want to keep this car, because I cant not trust them. Even if I paid to fix it, this problem can happen in a year or sooner. I can't afford to fix it again, not worth it. I will file a complaint too. Thanks for your advice.

- Lina M., Round Rock, US

problem #8

Oct 012018

Versa Note 1.6L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 77,126 miles

My four year old Versa Note started revving high and not going down, stayed at four rpms. Then when it did go down to the two, it just stopped. I was on a highway with five year old in the car. Could have been so serious. I got to side road with the flashers on, returned to highway when traffic died down, flashers all the way home. Put the car in the next week. as I was waiting on paycheck for repairs and get told my four year old car needs new transmission. A $5000 bill. Nissan then offered me $1000 for my car as a trade in, but I still had to pay them the 24 months owing. Like are you serious? I had the extended warranty but was over by 24000mi. CVT transmissions in this car were recalled in 2010, problem not solved. Very disappointed in Nissan. Like brand new cars should last more then four years.

- Gwenny S., thorold, ON, Canada

problem #7

Aug 162018

Versa Note SL

  • Automatic transmission
  • 69,900 miles

I own a 2014 Nissan Versa Note. After 2 years and 35,000 miles the transmission started slipping and it was replaced under warranty. It's been almost exactly 2 years since it was replaced and now my car is at almost 70,000 miles and the transmission is slipping again. I called Nissan and they said there was nothing they could do because it was now out of warranty. I just think it's ridiculous that these transmissions only last 35,000 miles each. It's not worth putting the money into if it's just going to happen again. That's definitely not something that should need to be replaced so frequently.

- Gus S., Lacona, US

problem #6

Jun 022018

Versa Note SV 1.6L

  • CVT transmission
  • 103,342 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle stranded my son and myself in East Texas. Checked internet and found Nissan knows there is a problem. Called to have CVT replaced. I am a single mom / teacher salary and cannot afford 4,000 + to have a transmission replaced that should still be good. Had it diagnosed at Nissan, need a new CVT. Nissan consumer affairs refuses to replace or help with cost because I am at 103,000 + on a warranty that states 5 years or 60,000 miles.

According to the information at http://www.lemonlawcase.com/problem-vehicles/nissan-cvt-problems/ "Nissan installed CVT transmissions with known defects without warning consumers".

The article states that "Nissan extended the warranty on vehicles equipped with the CVT transmission from 5 years or 60,000 miles to 10 years or 120,000 miles. The extension covers repairs, replacements, and towing for issues related to the continuously variable transmission. For the warranty to be effective, vehicle owners must take their Nissan to a dealership for repairs."

The problem is even though they know it is the same CVT transmission in the Versa Note, they will not repair because it is only on some models, not all.

- singlemomteacher, Katy, US

problem #5

Mar 022018

Versa Note

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,000 miles

We decided to go to car dealership to get a newer car so it would last. Well I guess we were wrong. Transmission went at 70,000 miles. We still owe $9000. Would rather get rid of the car.

- remlahc, Vero Beach, US

problem #4

Jan 232018

Versa Note SV 1.6L

  • CVT transmission
  • 37,100 miles

My CVT died at 37,000 miles. Apparently, a new transmission is no longer an option; however, the new transmission is still listed for $500 more than a re-manufactured. That means you can pay $500 more and get nothing. It takes some digging to find that out.

My car had been stolen and the insurance paid it off before it was found. It has not been wrecked. The insurance company "brands" the car which still voids the warranty. CVT type transmissions are garbage.

- Todd B., Portland, US

problem #3

Jul 012017

Versa Note ES

  • Automatic transmission
  • 38,000 miles

The Nissan Versa Note is a work horse for me and I need it to travel back and forth to work. I cannot afford to replace the transmission and I shouldn't have to do that after reading the complaints. I'm going to see if I can trade it in on another vehicle with this problem.

- Michelle H., St Petersburg, US

problem #2

Feb 282017

Versa Note SV

  • CVT transmission
  • 160,000 miles

I am a current customer of a dealership in Gainesville, Florida. I have bought at least 2 brand new Nissan vehicles from them . I was planning to buy another Nissan now that I just retired. However with this experience I am going to look somewhere for my new vehicle other than a Nissan.

This Nissan Versa Note I bought it in November 2013. I never had any problems with any brand car makes before 5 years after purchase.

The dealership wants to "fix" the CVT problem at $ 4000.00! Everyone is aware of the CVT programming problem with this model. Even Nissan issued a Service Bulletin to try to fix it.! At no avail. My advice, stay away from Nissan vehicles!.

- Gerardo M., Gainesville, FL, US

problem #1

Apr 222016

Versa Note S 1.6L

  • CVT transmission
  • 51,000 miles

CVT started slipping as seen by Tachometer jumping up and hearing the engine rev up as I went up a small hill (much like if I had a clutch to push in on a regular transmission) Later that day on the way home on the Interstate on Level Road did the same thing. Pulling up a small hill as I proceed to the dealership and giving it gas to get up that hill, CVT made a very loud 'thump' (like I popped the clutch). Car is not safe to drive now. Car has only 51,000 miles on it. Initially I was going to bring the car back to the dealership the next day, but as I drove home the problem got significantly worse, so I took it directly to the dealership on my way home, as I felt it was an unsafe vehicle to drive.

Update from Feb 3, 2019: CVT that was replaced at 51,000 Miles under warrant by Nissan with a Refurbished CVT... has made it to 103,000 miles and has started slipping again.....

Car is back at the dealer, and I'm wondering if Nissan is going to replace it again, or not.

- sjtsnix, Murrieta, CA, US

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