Short answer: the Nissan Versa is America’s budget sedan — the cheapest new car in the country in its final years — and it carries the most expensive single repair relative to its price of any Nissan we cover. Every Versa carries a 3-year or 36,000-mile basic limited warranty and a 5-year or 60,000-mile powertrain limited warranty. Do the fleet math. Nissan has sold more than 1.6 million Versas in the United States, including 42,589 in 2024 and 51,310 in 2025. Almost every Versa ever sold is a front-wheel-drive car with a 1.6-liter engine and a continuously variable transmission — the CVT — and the CVT is the repair that defines this car’s ownership: a replacement typically runs $3,500 to $4,500, on a car that started at $17,390 new in 2025 and is worth far less used. Every 2012 through 2020 Versa is now past its powertrain term on time alone, and every Versa of any year crosses the line at 60,000 miles. An extended warranty for a Nissan Versa — correctly called a vehicle service contract — picks up covered mechanical and electrical repairs after the factory warranty ends. At Empire Auto Protect, plans start at $69/month, coverage is honored in all 50 states, and you can cancel at any time. This guide covers what Versa owners actually face: the two short factory clocks, the CVT settlement extensions that have now expired, the repairs owners actually pay for, and how to judge the cost honestly. Start with a free quote online or call 1-888-345-0084 — open 24/7.

What “extended warranty” means on a Nissan Versa

Only Nissan can extend its factory warranty, and what Nissan sells afterward is its own Security+Plus program, tied to the dealer network. What independent providers sell — Empire included — is a vehicle service contract (VSC): a contract that pays for covered mechanical and electrical failures after the factory terms end, at licensed repair facilities, following the contract’s authorization process. A VSC is not insurance, and it is not a factory warranty. The distinction matters on a Versa because the economics are upside down: this is a car people buy specifically to spend as little as possible, and its one big repair can cost a quarter of what the car cost new — or more than a high-mileage used Versa is worth at all. For the brand-wide picture, see our Nissan extended warranty guide, our Nissan extended warranty services page, and our Nissan Kicks extended warranty guide for the Versa’s closest sibling, which shares its powertrain story.

Two honest rules govern everything in this guide. First, anything Nissan still owes you comes first: an open recall is repaired free by a Nissan dealer at any mileage, and any Nissan CVT extension that still covers your VIN is Nissan’s bill before it is anyone else’s. Second, a service contract covers failures that happen after enrollment — a Versa whose CVT is already shuddering, slipping, or throwing judder codes has a pre-existing condition that needs diagnosis first, not a contract sold over the top of it. A healthy Versa with smooth take-up and documented fluid service is exactly the vehicle coverage is built for.

Nissan Versa factory warranty: two short clocks on a 150,000-mile commuter

Nissan’s factory coverage on the Versa is the same across every generation:

• Basic limited warranty: 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. This is the term that covers most components — electronics, infotainment, air conditioning, power accessories, and driver-assistance hardware.
• Powertrain limited warranty: 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. This covers the engine and the transmission — on nearly every Versa on the road, the 1.6-liter four-cylinder and the Xtronic CVT.

Now lay those clocks over the Versa fleet. The second generation (2012–2019, including the Versa Note hatchback sold through 2019) is past both terms on time for every car — its newest examples passed the 5-year powertrain mark in 2024. The redesigned third generation arrived for 2020 and ran through 2025, the Versa’s final US model year; its 2020 and 2021 cars are past powertrain on time today, its 2022 through 2025 cars reach the end through 2027–2030, and high-mileage commuter and fleet cars crossed at 60,000 miles years earlier regardless of the calendar — Versas rack up miles fast, because cheap commuting is the entire point of the car. The practical result: most Versas you can buy used today arrive with little or no factory powertrain coverage left, while the car itself is a simple, durable commuter owners routinely keep past 150,000 miles. The gap between a 60,000-mile factory horizon and a 150,000-mile working life is where Versa owners now live, and it sits exactly on the one component below. Our factory warranty expiration guide shows how Nissan’s clocks compare with every other brand’s.

One engine, one transmission: the CVT is the whole Versa story

The second-generation Versa (2012–2019) uses a single powertrain for almost every car: Nissan’s 1.6-liter HR16DE four-cylinder, rated at 109 horsepower, paired with the Xtronic CVT — a five-speed manual was also offered on base cars and is the exception that proves the rule, because manual Versas do not carry the risk in this section. The third generation (2020–2025) kept the formula and improved the numbers: the same 1.6-liter family, now rated at 122 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque, again paired with the Xtronic CVT on nearly every trim, with a five-speed manual on the base S only. It is a simple, economical powertrain — and the CVT inside it is the defining out-of-warranty exposure in the entire Nissan line. A CVT has no fixed gears; it drives through a belt and pulleys, and when it wears, the symptoms are shudder and judder on take-off, hesitation, whining, and eventually loss of drive. Most shops replace rather than rebuild a failed CVT, because the unit requires specialized tooling and factory calibration.

Nissan’s own history with this transmission is the honest center of the Versa story, and it cuts in the owner’s favor first. After class-action litigation over CVT failures, Nissan extended CVT warranty coverage on the 2012–2017 Versa Sedan and the 2014–2017 Versa Note from 60 months or 60,000 miles to 84 months or 84,000 miles — covering the CVT assembly, internal components, valve body, torque converter, and control module reprogramming — and a later settlement extended the same 84-month / 84,000-mile CVT terms to certain 2018–2019 Versa Sedan and Versa Note cars. Read the dates, because they decide everything today: 84 months from a 2017 car’s in-service date ended in 2024, from a 2018 car in 2025, and from a 2019 car in 2026 — and every one of those cars also crosses at 84,000 miles regardless. For the overwhelming majority of Versas, Nissan’s CVT safety net has now expired on time, on miles, or both. If your VIN is one of the rare late cars still inside an extension window, use it — that coverage is Nissan’s bill first, and no one should sell you a contract as a substitute for it. For everyone else, the extension’s history proves the risk was real while confirming it is now the owner’s alone.

One more honest boundary. A CVT that is already shuddering, slipping, hesitating, or setting judder codes is a pre-existing condition. Filing it as a fresh claim after enrollment is not how any legitimate contract works, and Empire will not sell you one on that basis. The Versa that qualifies cleanly is the one that pulls away smoothly, holds speed without surging, and shows no warning lights today — no shudder, no slip, no whine, fluid service on the receipts. That car is not “too healthy to need coverage.” It is the car whose next 90,000 miles contain the risk, and it is the only version of this purchase that works.

The timing chain is not a bill coming due — and Nissan’s free fixes come first

Two Versa topics generate needless fear, and both deserve straight answers. First, timing: every Versa engine — the 109-horsepower second-generation 1.6 and the 122-horsepower third-generation 1.6 — uses a timing chain, not a timing belt. There is no belt, and there is no scheduled timing replacement interval — nothing like the four-figure belt service some rival engines demand around 100,000 miles. The chain is lubricated by engine oil and designed for the life of the engine. That does not make it immortal: on high-mileage cars, worn tensioners and guides can produce a rattle at startup, and a rattle is a diagnosis-now symptom, not background noise. But the maintenance that protects the chain is simply on-time oil changes — maintenance no service contract pays for.

Second, the free fixes. Any open recall on your Versa is repaired free of charge at any Nissan dealer, at any mileage, and the CVT extensions described above are Nissan’s coverage wherever a VIN still qualifies. Confirming your car’s recall status and extension status by VIN is step one — before coverage, before anything. A recall is Nissan’s bill, forever, and no contract from any company should ever be positioned as paying for it. Where a non-recall CVT or electrical failure occurs after every Nissan term on a part your contract lists, that is a different matter — and exactly the kind of bill this guide is about.

CVT fluid discipline belongs in the same honest category. The CVT lives or dies on its fluid, and stretching service is the fastest way to turn a healthy transmission into a pre-existing condition no contract can help with. CVT fluid service — typically around $180 to $300 at current shop rates — is maintenance: no service contract covers it, and it is the cheapest protection on this car you will ever buy. Keep the receipts, and let coverage carry the failures maintenance cannot prevent.

Most common Nissan Versa repairs owners pay for out of warranty

These are the bills that actually arrive on Versas after the factory terms end. Ranges are typical shop ranges from current market cost guides — context for judging coverage, never a quote from Empire:

• CVT replacement — typically $3,500–$4,500. The Versa’s defining repair, and the most punishing ratio in this guide: on an older Versa worth $5,000 to $8,000, one CVT replacement can approach the value of the entire car. Most shops replace rather than rebuild a failed CVT, and the failure window owners report most — roughly 70,000 to 100,000 miles — sits entirely past Nissan’s 60,000-mile term and, for most cars now, past the expired 84,000-mile extensions too.
• CVT valve body and control repairs. The step before full replacement on some cars: when judder and hesitation trace to the valve body or control module rather than the belt and pulleys, the repair is smaller than a full unit — still a four-figure bill on a budget car, and still past every Nissan term on most of the fleet.
• Air conditioning and electrical. Compressors, infotainment and display hardware, driver-assistance electronics, lighting modules, and power accessories are all basic-warranty items whose coverage ended at 36,000 miles, years before the failures typically start — on cars whose owners bought them precisely because they cannot absorb surprise bills.
• Alternator, starter, sensors and fuel-system parts. The supporting cast of a high-mileage commuter. Individually moderate, they arrive without warning and the car does not move until they are fixed.
• Steering and suspension. Struts, wheel bearings, and steering components wear on a car owners keep for 150,000 miles of commuting. Individually moderate, collectively relentless — the slow drip that makes high-mileage ownership expensive even when the powertrain behaves.

Read the pattern, not just the prices: one big-ticket powertrain item (the CVT) whose cost rivals the car’s value, surrounded by a ring of four-figure and high-three-figure items, all arriving in the mileage window — 60,000 to 150,000 miles — where the Versa spends most of its life and where Nissan covers none of it.

What an Empire plan covers on a Nissan Versa

Empire Auto Protect sells vehicle service contracts at several coverage levels, and the right level depends on which Versa you own. Powertrain-focused coverage protects the engine, transmission, and drivetrain — the Versa’s catastrophic-bill zone — while broader stated-component and exclusionary-style plans extend to the air conditioning, electrical system, steering, and suspension, subject to the contract’s covered-parts list. Every plan is priced from your vehicle’s year, mileage, and trim.

• Plans from $69/month, with the exact price set by your Versa’s year, mileage, coverage level, deductible, and term.
• Honored in all 50 states at licensed repair facilities — your own shop included — following the contract’s authorization process.
• Open 24/7. Humans answer around the clock, with a human-supervised AI agent also answering after hours — because a commuter that fails on a Sunday night still has to get its owner to work on Monday.
• Cancel at any time. Empire’s model is monthly and straightforward: customers pay monthly and can cancel for any reason; refunds cover only the unused portion after cancellation, never time the policy was in effect.
• A technology platform, not a mailer. Covered claims move through a digital process designed for same-day approval, with direct, fast handling — service approved in minutes where the claim is covered and documented.

Empire is rated 4.4 stars on Google — check the live rating before you buy, as you should with any provider.

Nissan Versa extended warranty cost: how to judge it honestly

At Empire, plans start at $69/month. Always convert a monthly price into a total contract cost before you compare anyone’s offer, ours included: $69/month is $828 over 12 months, $1,656 over 24 months, and $2,484 over 36 months. For the full breakdown of how service-contract pricing works, see our vehicle service contract cost guide and the extended car warranty cost guide.

Now set that total against the repair list above. One CVT replacement at a typical $3,500–$4,500 costs more than four full years of coverage at the starting price — and on a Versa, it can cost close to what the car itself is worth, which is the decision owners actually face: pay for the transmission, or scrap a car whose engine, body, and everything else still work. That comparison — total contract cost versus the one or two real repairs a 60,000-to-150,000-mile Versa is likely to need — is the whole decision, and any seller who will not put both numbers in front of you is asking you to decide blind. Your exact Empire price depends on your vehicle: a low-mileage 2024 and a 140,000-mile 2016 will not price the same, and a higher-mileage vehicle may be offered a different coverage level. The quote is free and takes minutes — get your Versa’s exact number here.

When should a Nissan Versa owner buy coverage?

• Buy while the car is healthy. A service contract covers failures that happen after enrollment, not conditions the vehicle already has. The Versa that pulls away smoothly, whose CVT fluid service is on the receipts, whose recalls are documented complete, and which shows no warning lights today is exactly the vehicle that qualifies cleanly — and exactly the vehicle whose next 90,000 miles contain the bills in the list above. Waiting until the CVT starts shuddering turns a coverable car into a diagnosis-first car.
• Buy as the powertrain clock runs out — which, for the 2012–2021 fleet, has already happened. If yours is a 2012 through 2021, the factory hand-off — and, for the older cars, the CVT extension hand-off too — is behind you. If yours is a 2022 through 2025, the 5-year powertrain term ends through 2027–2030, and every car crosses at 60,000 miles regardless. Those hand-off points are where coverage earns its keep.
• Used buyers: buy at purchase, after an inspection. A used Versa’s factory cover is defined by its original in-service date, not your purchase date — most used Versas arrive with little or no factory powertrain cover left at all. Have the inspection confirm completed recalls, a documented CVT fluid history, smooth take-up from a stop with no shudder or surging, and a quiet engine at startup — the specific checks this car’s risk profile starts with. An inspection that says the car is healthy is the moment to put coverage in place: the inspection tells you the car is sound, and the contract carries the risk from there.

Ready when you are: get a free quote or call 1-888-345-0084 — open 24/7, with coverage honored in all 50 states.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Nissan Versa extended warranty cost?

At Empire Auto Protect, plans start at $69/month. Your exact price depends on your Versa’s year, mileage, coverage level, deductible, and term. Always convert the monthly price to a total contract cost before comparing providers — $69/month is $828 over 12 months and $2,484 over 36 months.

How long is the Nissan Versa factory warranty?

Every Versa carries a 3-year or 36,000-mile basic limited warranty and a 5-year or 60,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, whichever comes first. Those terms are the same on the second and third generations.

Is my Nissan Versa already out of warranty?

On time, yes for 2012 through 2021 Versas — the 5-year powertrain term has ended for all of them — and 2022 through 2025 cars reach the end through 2027–2030. Every Versa also crosses at 60,000 miles regardless of year. Confirm your in-service date with Nissan in writing.

What engine and transmission does the Nissan Versa have?

The second generation (2012–2019) uses a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 109 horsepower. The third generation (2020–2025) uses a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 122 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque. Nearly every Versa pairs its engine with Nissan’s Xtronic CVT; a five-speed manual was offered on base cars.

Does the Versa have a timing belt or a timing chain?

A timing chain. Every Versa engine uses a chain with no scheduled replacement interval. On-time oil changes protect it, and a rattle at startup on a high-mileage vehicle should be diagnosed promptly.

Did Nissan extend the Versa CVT warranty?

Yes — and for most cars it has now expired. Nissan extended CVT coverage on 2012–2017 Versa Sedan and 2014–2017 Versa Note cars to 84 months or 84,000 miles, and a later settlement gave certain 2018–2019 Versa Sedan and Versa Note cars the same terms. Eighty-four months from those in-service dates ended between 2024 and 2026. Check your VIN with Nissan: if your car is still inside an extension, that coverage comes first.

How much does it cost to replace a Versa CVT?

Typically $3,500 to $4,500 at current shop rates — a range from market cost guides, not a quote from Empire. On an older Versa that can approach the value of the whole car, which is why the CVT is the central fact of Versa ownership after the factory warranty ends.

Is Empire Auto Protect insurance?

No. Empire sells vehicle service contracts, which are not insurance and are not an extension of Nissan’s factory warranty. Empire is open 24/7 at 1-888-345-0084 and is

Comparing providers as well as prices? Our guide to car warranty companies shows how to check who actually stands behind a contract before you sign.

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