AI Damage2017 Nissan NV3500: common problems
Owners of the 2017 Nissan NV3500 filed 19 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and vehicle speed control. The maker issued 37 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 19
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 37
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 63% of all complaints
- 2 Vehicle speed control 26% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 21% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 5% of all complaints
- Engine: 12 complaints (63% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 5 complaints (26% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (21% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 15.
- Steering: 1 complaints (5% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 19 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 15 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Fuel system | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Suspension | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Wheels | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The motor developed rod knock as the vehicle was traveling down the highway. The low oil pressure light came on along with an audible warning. This vehicle has previously been repaired by the dealer for the same issue at 97,273 miles (the engine needed to be replaced).
On July 4, 2023 I was backing out of a driveway and put my vehicle back into Drive. A piece out of the steering column fell at my feet. I pulled back into the driveway and could not get the vehicle to shift into park to be able to remove the keys from the ignition. We used the emergency brake.
Passenger seat heater heating element burned through foam cushions of bottom of seat. Contacting bottom steel seat support. Cabin filled with smoke and forced me to pull vehicle over on side of road. Smoke stopped after vehicle was turned off and seat was inspected. Visible burn on bottom of cushion.
Two times within 12 months our check engine light came of and the engine started making noise like two metal discs are rubbing against each other. This has happened when we just recently fill up the tank and then have a large temperature swing from hot to cold.
Turning off the air conditioner can cause the sound to go away and power to be restored. I know of other nvp's who are having the same problem, at least one that has been brought to the same dealer as mine.
This loud noise is worse if the ac is on. It will sometimes completely stop after having the car off for a while. But some days it is roaring immediately when the van is started in the morning.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,437 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the NV3500 has 3 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 19, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other…
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label =…
- VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- WINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply…
SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or…
- 12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information…
12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V battery testing. These…
- INTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
- HEADLAMP, FOG LAMP, OR REAR COMBINATION LAMP FOGGING This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NHTSA lists 37 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Nissan NV3500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, vehicle speed control, powertrain. Total complaints: 19. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (37%), loss of power / limp mode (16%), warning lights, check engine (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2017 Nissan NV3500?
NHTSA lists 37 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2017 Nissan NV3500 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2017 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.