The 2011 Nissan Cube has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 5 recurring issue clusters, led by “Electrical system no-start failure.” Nissan owner's manuals split service into Schedule 1 (severe) and Schedule 2 (normal). Most US drivers fall under Schedule 1. The biggest preventable failure on Nissan vehicles is CVT transmission damage from extended fluid intervals — owners of Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Pathfinder, and Murano with CVT should not skip it.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2011 Nissan Cube.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Action #EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 200…
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2 NHTSA complaints · 2013-05 → 2018-06
“SINCE NOV OF 2014 I HAVE DEALT WITH PERSISTENT START-UP ISSUE WITH MY 2011 NISSAN CUBE. THE VEHICLE SIMPLY CAN FAIL TO START AT ANY TIME AND WITHOUT WARNING. IT HAS PUSH BUTTON IGNITION”
“ON APRIL 26, 2013 WHILE LEAVING THE GROCERY STORE WITH MOM & NEWBORN MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED CERRITOS NISSAN & ASKED WHAT THE WARRANTY MILEAGE WAS ON THERE VEHICLES WHICH THEY INFORMED ME 36K”
SEAT BELTS
2 NHTSA complaints · 2017-11 → 2019-05
“PASSENGERS SEAT BELT BECAME UNBOLTED FROM BODY OF CAR. THE BOLT THAT HELD THE BOLT TO THE CAR AT THE FLOOR BY THE DOOR WAS JUST HANGING ON THE BELT. THERE WAS ABOUT AN INCH OF THREADS ON THE BOLT”
“EVERY SO OFTEN THE AC OR THE FAN DOESN'T WORK AFTER STARTING THE CAR, SOMETIMES FOR DAYS AT TIME. THEN IT WILL JUST START WORKING RANDOMLY USUALLY WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. ALSO THE DRIVER SEAT BELT WILL UNCLICK RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES”
STRUCTURE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2 NHTSA complaints · 2019-05 → 2020-06
“2011 CUBE, REAR DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. NO DOOR HANDLE IN SIDE OF VEHICLE, NO WAY TO OPEN. THIS IS A REAL HAZARD. I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS, FROM OTHER CUBE OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR”
“REAR BACK DOOR DOES NOT OPEN EVEN U U TRY TO LOCK & UNLOCK,JUST HAPPEND OUT OF THE BLUE .ALSO THE RIGHT DRIVER WINDOW ONE ROLL DOWN”
POWER TRAIN
15 NHTSA complaints · 2014-11 → 2023-03
“On March 24, 2023 Friday, I was picking my child up when I noticed a loss of power and acceleration at the gas pedal. This was then followed by a loud, whining sound while in traffic. Luckily, we were not hit when the car lost power”
“AT 110K MY CAR STALLED. MID SUMMER 2020 I STARTED MY CAR IT BEGAN TO DRIVE THEN STOPPED MOVING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON LIBERTY ST IN SPFLD, MASSACHUSETTS. I HAD TO BE PUSHED OUT OF THE ROAD INTO THE CUMBERLAND FARMS THAT WAS TO THE LEFT FRONT OF ME”
“WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP OUR NISSAN CUBE INTERMITTENTLY ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY AND IS NOT RESPONSIVE TO DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WILL THEN LURCH FORWARD AS THOUGH IT IS DOWN SHIFTING AND TAKES OFF”
AIR BAGS
5 NHTSA complaints · 2013-06 → 2018-07
“INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH WHERE SOMEBODY MADE A LEFT HAND TURN IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS GOING 40 STRAIGHT ON THE ROAD. SLAMMED ON MY BREAKS BUT STILL HIT THE TURNING CAR. THE WHOLE FRONT CRUMPED SO THE CAR WAS TOTALED BUT THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *TT”
“I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHEN A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF ME. I TRIED TO AVOID IT. I CRASHED MY CAR INTO THE GUARD RAIL CRUSHING THE WHOLE FRONT END. (I HAVE PICTURES) THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL”
“TAKATA RECALL...HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY OTHER INFO OTHER THAN 'MATCH FOUND', ALONG WITH THE STATEMENT THAT IT SHOULD BE FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SHOULD I TAKE IT TO A NISSAN DEALER; OR WAIT TO HEAR SOMETHING FROM SOMEONE?”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 13, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 13, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Replace synthetic-blend or full-synthetic oil every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1. Schedule 2: 7,500 miles. VR30DDTT (3.0L twin-turbo): full synthetic only.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate tires every 5,000 miles. Front-wheel-drive Nissans (Altima, Sentra, Versa) wear front tires fast — don't skip rotations.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Nissan officially calls CVT fluid 'lifetime,' but independent technicians and Nissan TSBs recommend replacement every 60,000 miles to prevent CVT failure. Use Nissan NS-3 fluid only — substitutes destroy the belt-and-pulley system.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$360–$500
Shop
~$255–$355
DIY
~$80–$180
CVT fluid is manufacturer-specific and pricey — do NOT substitute conventional ATF.
Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Rogue and Pathfinder front pads typically last 35,000-50,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 2 years. Dark or amber fluid indicates moisture contamination.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles, sooner if driving on dusty unpaved roads.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Iridium-tipped spark plugs are rated 105,000 miles on QR25, MR20, and VQ35 engines. VR30DDTT: 60,000 miles due to higher cylinder pressures.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Nissan Long-Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue/green): first change at 105,000 miles, then every 75,000. Do not mix with other coolant chemistries.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Rogue AWD, Murano AWD, Pathfinder 4WD: replace transfer case fluid and rear differential fluid every 60,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$105–$140
Shop
~$75–$100
DIY
~$15–$40
AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. Located behind the glove box on Altima, Rogue, and Sentra.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
13 crashes 2010–2024
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
2
complaints mentioning a crash
1
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2011 Nissan Cube reflects Nissan's published service intervals and the Maintenance Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.