2013-2017 Nissan Versa Note 1.6L Engine (HR16DE): Longevity, Problems, and Specs

In 2013, Nissan offered a very unusual vehicle for the US - the Versa Note. It was well-known in other countries Nissan Note with a facelift and shorter range of available engines. We perfectly understand now that the introduction of the Versa Note model was a pure experiment of the company to get attention from the seekers of budget-friendly cars. And the experiment wasn't that bad, we should say.

Today, we'll tell you about the 1.6L 4-cylinder HR16DE engine that was used in the Nissan Versa Note in the American market - about its problems, longevity, and other important features. The key focus is on durability because when it comes to Nissan, you never know how many years a certain unit is going to live and how much money it's going to ask for when broken.

Key features and my opinion about the engine

• Production years:2005-now
• Average lifespan of HR16DE:190,000-220,000 miles
• Fuel supply type:port injection
• Power range:105-120 hp
• Fuel efficiency:good
• Engine block material:aluminum
• Engine reliability score:high
• The most common problems:bad oil consumption, stretching timing chain, weak phaser, no lifters.

What will you want to know about the 1.6L engine in the Versa Note?

Unfortunately, you can't buy this vehicle new now, it was discontinued in 2017. But it seemed like a good investment with a base price of about $12,500. This was one of the cheapest new vehicles you could buy. And it looked cool, by the way. But was it that cool in terms of technology and engineering? Let's see.

The 1.6-liter engine under the hood of the Versa Note was actually engineered by, you won't believe, Renault! Nissan and Renault are partners and many European-engineered solutions are included in Nissan vehicles all over the world. We know for sure that this is a solid engine with proper specs and great durability.

But still, some important features are to be considered:

• so, this is a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder HR16DE engine that offers 109 horsepower and 107 ft-lb of torque, not that much, but the vehicle is compact and light;
• this engine features two fuel injectors per cylinder, it's good for fuel economy, but it's not that good for maintenance costs when the engine has high mileage on it;
• the engine is coded HR16DE and it was used in so many vehicles of Renault and Nissan that this list even looks ridiculous to us;
• after some adjustments, Renault used this engine for hybrid vehicles and it's still in production for this purpose;
• the engine is naturally aspirated, of course, and no turbochargers or whatever are used here, the construction is pretty straightforward;
• this engine ensures that the Nissan Versa Note really offers great gas mileage - 27 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on highways;
• the 1.6L engine was coupled with a good 5-speed manual transmission for the S trim and also CVT for all higher trims.

If we wanted to buy the used Nissan Versa Note, we would certainly search for the S trim with the manual transmission. Why? Because the Nissan CVT is far from being really good in terms of longevity. After happily driving your Versa Note for 90,000 miles, you will have to replace or repair the CVT (which ridiculously comes at the same cost).

Other than that, this is a proper engine to own even if you are going to buy the vehicle used. It's economical, very silent, vibration-free, not extremely problematic, and easy to repair and maintain. Also, the maintenance cost is not that huge which is important.

What's the durability of the Nissan Versa Note 1.6-liter engine?

While Nissan claims this engine is set to survive 130,000 miles, we believe it can go up to 200,000 miles with no major problems and expensive repairs. Of course, this is only possible if your engine is properly maintained and looked after when it's needed.

The lifespan is not huge, but you just compare it with other small-displacement engines that were available on the market at that time and see that it's a good unit. We've seen Versa Note vehicles with more than 250K miles on their odometers and this is not the limit. The key question is how much you are ready to invest in your car.

Of course, you will still have some minor problems within 200K miles with your Nissan Versa Note. And in this article, we'll try to shed light on the most common issues that are possible with this engine. First, we should tell you that we like this engine and don't think it's bad.

What are the common problems with the 1.6L Nissan engine?

The Versa Note is going to surprise you with how good its engine is. When someone bought this vehicle new, they definitely didn't think their Versa Note will be so cool in terms of the engine. But we've analyzed forums and talked to mechanics to understand which problems have been the most common with these engines.

Here is the list of possible issues you should consider:

1. Timing chain stretching

The timing system is powered by the chain in the 1.6L Nissan Versa Note engine. The chain is set to serve as long as the car goes, so it shouldn't be replaced at a certain moment of the vehicle's life. But every other Versa Note has problems with the timing chain somewhere near 120,000 miles or a little later.

If your chain stretches and jumps a tooth, the risks of bent valves and broken pistons are very high. It means, after this happens it's cheaper to replace the engine than to repair it. The best strategy is to replace the timing chain even before it starts rattling or something - at 120K miles.

2. Cold start issues

Although this engine wasn't new in 2013, some unpleasant issues still weren't corrected by Nissan. The cold start problem was there in 2006 when the engine was introduced. After that, Renault and Nissan made a lot of recalls, modifications, and fixes, but the cold start issue was still there.

We noticed that the later-years 1.6L engines weren't that bad in terms of cold start. Maybe, some proper modifications were made, but we aren't sure about that.

3. Piston ring problems and oil consumption

Unfortunately, between 30,000 and 50,000 miles, this engine is going to start burning some oil. Nissan used bad piston rings and they quickly deteriorate and start letting some oil into the combustion chamber. This oil burns out and forms some contaminations all over the engine. Also, the oil level drops.

You should be careful and control the level of oil in the engine. Once it's near the minimum level on the dipstick, you should add some engine oil. Otherwise, the engine is going to just break down and this will lead to immense expenses on your side.

4. Valve adjustment needed

This is quite an old engine that was introduced more than 15 years ago. And it doesn't have any lifters or other equipment for the automatic adjustment of valves. So, every 60,000 miles, you will need to pay to have the valves adjusted.

This is not as cheap as you may think. And if you fail to adjust the valves, the engine will lose its advantages such as fuel economy, power, smooth work, etc.

5. Minor issues that happen too often

This engine is reliable and durable in the long run. But if you get the 100,000-mile Nissan Versa Note, you will need to invest some money in it. And you will have to do that all the time. One weekend you may notice that one of the engine mounts is dead. Another weekend you may see the idle RPM going up and down because of some engine sensor failing.

Also, owners often complain that the alternator drive belt makes noises. After a cold start, the belt screams like hell and it stops screaming right after the engine warms up a little. This is most likely because of the faulty belt tensioner.

What should you do to drive your Nissan Versa Note 1.6L longer?

• Regular oil changes and oil filter replacements are a religion for this engine. Bad and dirty oil will kill the 1.6L Nissan engine very quickly.
• Every 60K miles you should have the valves adjusted. Otherwise, this engine will gradually deteriorate and eventually break down.
• You don't need premium gas for this vehicle, the regular one will be fine. But you should buy only clean gasoline with no harmful addons in it.
• Don't think about driving aggressively because this is certainly not what this engine was made for. Just calm family driving is recommended.

Final words

You will be surprised by the seemingly weak and shabby 1.6L Nissan HR16DE engine in the Versa Note. This is not the most powerful powerplant Nissan and Renault have ever made. But it's a very solid unit with proper power, a good lifespan, few possible problems, and with great fuel economy. With proper maintenance, the engine can go a lot of miles and years without taking lots of money out of your pocket.