Here Are The Nissan Armada Years To Avoid
Nissan Armada by AJM STUDIOS — CC-BY-SA-4.0
The Armada has been one of Nissan’s full-size SUV offerings since its debut in 2004. It has received plenty of great reviews from satisfied drivers over the years, even as it moved from being based on the Nissan Titan to the Nissan Patrol, changing up some of its design. Although the Nissan Armada is a formidable entry in the SUV market, not every year model is great. With that being said, here are the Nissan Armada years to avoid.
Quick Answer: Avoid Nissan Armada Year Models 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, & 2017
Most Nissan Armada year models are great SUVs that you’ll be highly satisfied with, but the Nissan Armada years to avoid have some troublesome issues that could endanger you and your passengers. You’ll want to stay away from the 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2017 Armadas because they have widespread reports of brake and transmission failures. With so many other reliable Armadas to choose from, there’s no reason to buy one of these faulty models.
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Which Year Models of Nissan Armada are Safe to Buy Used?
The Nissan Armada has been around for less than two decades, but in that time, most of its year models have been widely successful and are safe to buy used. Good SUVs will keep you and your passengers safe without worry, and the following Armada year models certainly fulfill that role:
- Nissan Armada 2007
- Nissan Armada 2009
- Nissan Armada 2010
- Nissan Armada 2011
- Nissan Armada 2012
- Nissan Armada 2013
- Nissan Armada 2014
- Nissan Armada 2015
- Nissan Armada 2016
- Nissan Armada 2018
- Nissan Armada 2019
- Nissan Armada 2020
The best Armada years you can buy are the 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020 year models. All of these have been deemed extremely safe vehicles, each having few to no complaints to their name. Of those that do have a few complaints, the reports are few and far between, and it’s highly unlikely that those issues would ever happen to you. For some cases, driver error was the biggest problem, not some actual defect with the car.
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Even those that didn’t make it in that list are certainly safe and worth buying, but they do have some reports that are worth addressing. The 2007 Nissan Armada has had a few reports of problems with the brakes, specifically the emergency brake light being illuminated and refusing to go away. One driver experienced rough jerking and rumbling too. As there have been so few reports, though, you should be fine with your 2007 year model. Interior accessory defects are the main issue that have been reported with the 2011 Armada. There was a single report each of CD player, speaker, and cabin air filter malfunctions.
The 2015 Nissan Armada actually has very few complaints against it, but the complaints are each concerning enough that we thought they were worth addressing. At only 3,000 miles, one 2015 Armada had its steering wheel lock up, and another experienced rear axle failure. This probably won’t happen to you, but problems cropping up that early is something to be aware of. However, as long as you have a trusted mechanic take a look at the used 2007, 2011, or 2015 Armada you have your eye on, and they give it the all-clear, you should have nothing to worry about.
Which Year Models of Nissan Armada to Avoid:
Pretty much every car has had a few missteps over the years, and the Nissan Armada is no exception. It’s worth clarifying that these aren’t even bad cars, they’re just not as reliable as the other years available, so it’s not worth getting one of these. Here are the Nissan Armada years to avoid:
- Nissan Armada 2004
- Nissan Armada 2005
- Nissan Armada 2006
- Nissan Armada 2008
- Nissan Armada 2017
THE MOST RELIABLE YEARS FOR THE NISSAN ARMADA
Many people love Nissan’s full-size SUV, which is why Nissan keeps making it. If you plan to buy a used model, you’re wondering which is the most reliable year for Nissan Armada.
2004 and 2005 are the primary Nissan Armada years to avoid as they both have a much higher number of reported problems than any other Armada. Issues with the brakes are the worst problem with both of these models. After about 90,000 miles, the brakes in these cars have been widely reported to start obnoxiously grinding together and ceasing to work, which can present actual danger if it happens at the wrong moment. This isn’t worth risking, especially when there are so many Armada year models out there that won’t give you this scare. The 2004 Armada is the worst year model for the car because its suite of problems is rounded out by engine problems such as unintended acceleration and engine failure. Avoid the 2004 model at all costs.
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The 2006 model has similar problems to the 2005 model, with most reports being related to the brakes having stopped working. There are fewer complaints about the 2006 model, so it’s probably a little safer, but it’s still worth avoiding. 2008 Armadas are plagued by both brake malfunctions and interior accessory defects. Multiple people have claimed that the overhead console actually fell down onto them, which is highly concerning, and costs about $2,000 to fix.
The 2017 Nissan Armada actually doesn’t have that many reported issues, but the ones it does have are all about one troubling problem, so you should avoid that year. Most people who had a problem with it said that the transmission is faulty and doesn’t shift properly, and that’s a huge issue as it could cause your car to react poorly in dangerous situations. For the safety of you and anyone traveling with you, avoid the 2017 model, as well as the other aforementioned ones on the above list.
Nissan Armada Problem Counts by Year
These are the most prevalent issues stated by drivers on platforms like carproblems.com, carcomplaints.com, and Car Talk Community. Major problems include braking problems, sticky gear shifts, and interior accessory malfunctions.
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