CarBrief

NHTSA has 75 owner complaints on file for the 2018 Nissan Armada[1]. The electrical system is named in 41 of them[2].

75owner complaints[1]
1recalls[3]
15–16MPG combined (EPA)[4]
4★NHTSA overall rating[5]

Most reported problems

Owners filed complaints across several parts of the SUV. Here are the groups, starting with the largest. - Electrical System. 41 complaints[2]. Owners describe dash lights coming on at once, a screen and radio that go dark while driving, and a car that will not start even when the battery checks out fine. Some also describe a warning message that shows up with all those lights. - Brakes. 15 complaints[6]. In the stories we read, owners describe the brakes applying by themselves while driving or backing up, often with a string of dash warnings. Some say the car then refused to restart. - Engine. 14 complaints[7]. Owners describe a car that fails to start at random, sometimes after a new battery. Others describe a loss of power when they press the gas pedal. - Unknown Or Other. 10 complaints[8]. - Power Train. 7 complaints[9]. Owners describe a transmission that will not shift properly, a shudder when pulling away from a stop, and a car that stops gaining speed on the highway. - Exterior Lighting. 6 complaints[10]. - Back Over Prevention. 5 complaints[11]. - Forward Collision Avoidance. 4 complaints[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2018 Armada is necessarily included.

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version City / highway / combined MPG Annual fuel cost
Armada 2WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic (S7), Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive[4] 14 / 19 / 16 $4,200
Armada 4WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic (S7), Regular, 4-Wheel Drive[14] 13 / 18 / 15 $4,450

Safety ratings

Version Overall Frontal Side Rollover Rollover risk
SUV AWD[5] 4 3 5 3 21.6%
SUV RWD[15] 4 3 5 3 23.6%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine Horsepower
2018 Nissan Armada with 5.6L 8-cylinder[16] 381 to 390 hp

How 2018 compares with other years

2005: 373 complaints, 3 recalls20052006: 266 complaints, 3 recalls2007: 86 complaints, 2 recalls20072008: 161 complaints, 6 recalls2009: 23 complaints, 3 recalls20092010: 48 complaints, 4 recalls2011: 40 complaints, 1 recalls20112012: 17 complaints, 1 recalls2013: 17 complaints, 2 recalls20132014: 12 complaints, 1 recalls2015: 21 complaints, 3 recalls20152017: 81 complaints, 0 recalls2018: 75 complaints, 1 recalls7520182019: 79 complaints, 1 recalls2020: 27 complaints, 2 recalls20202021: 13 complaints, 2 recalls2022: 9 complaints, 1 recalls20222023: 5 complaints, 1 recalls2024: 4 complaints, 1 recalls20242025: 21 complaints, 2 recalls2026: 9 complaints, 2 recalls2026
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Armada model year. The 2018 is highlighted[3].
Show the numbers
Model yearComplaintsRecalls
20053733
20062663
2007862
20081616
2009233
2010484
2011401
2012171
2013172
2014121
2015213
2017810
2018751
2019791
2020272
2021132
202291
202351
202441
2025212
202692

NHTSA's counts for the Armada show 75 complaints and 1 recalls for 2018[3]. Among the 21 model years listed, 14 have fewer complaints than 2018 and 6 have more[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2024 (4) and the most are for 2005 (373)[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2018 Armada?

Electrical complaints stand well ahead of every other group[2]. Brakes and engine follow far behind[6][7]. Only 2 complaints mention a crash[1]. These are unverified owner reports, so they show what people ran into and not how often it happens. If you are shopping for one, ask about starting trouble and warning lights on a test drive, and check the recall section above.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Nissan Armada?
Electrical complaints lead the list with 41 reports[2], followed by brakes with 15[6] and the engine with 14[7].
Has the 2018 Nissan Armada been recalled?
The by-year data shows 1 recall for this model year[3]. The details are in the Recalls section on this page.
How many complaints does the 2018 Nissan Armada have?
NHTSA has 75 owner complaints on file[1]. They are unverified reports from owners.
Is the 2018 Nissan Armada reliable?
In the stories we read, owners describe starting trouble and dash warnings[2]. Check the complaint and recall sections here and weigh them against your own needs.
What is the gas mileage of the 2018 Nissan Armada?
See the fuel economy section on this page for the official figures.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Nissan Armada

Compare all model years of the Nissan Armada

Other Nissan models from 2018

All Nissan models

Similar cars from 2018: suvs

All suvs we cover

Facts and sources

  1. NHTSA has 75 owner complaints on file for the 2018 Nissan Armada (2 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 1 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
  2. 41 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 42,575). NHTSA vehicle records
  3. Owner complaints and recalls for every Nissan Armada model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
  4. EPA rating for Armada 2WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic (S7), Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 14 city / 19 highway / 16 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  5. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 3 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 3 stars; rollover risk 21.6%. NHTSA vehicle records
  6. 15 complaints name the brakes component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 32,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  7. 14 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  8. 10 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  9. 7 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 48,200). NHTSA vehicle records
  10. 6 complaints name the exterior lighting component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  11. 5 complaints name the back over prevention component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  12. 4 complaints name the forward collision avoidance component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
  13. Recall 19V654, filed September 12, 2019: Back Over Prevention › Sensing System › Camera. NHTSA recall database
  14. EPA rating for Armada 4WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic (S7), Regular, 4-Wheel Drive: 13 city / 18 highway / 15 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,450. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  15. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV RWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 3 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 3 stars; rollover risk 23.6%. NHTSA vehicle records
  16. EPA Test Car List, 2018 Nissan Armada with 5.6L 8-cylinder: rated 381 to 390 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.