2012 Nissan Altima Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2012 Nissan Altima has a Complaint Index of 50 and ranks 11th worst out of 21 model years, earning a Caution verdict. NHTSA logs 426 complaints, 4 recalls, and a top problem area of Transmission & Powertrain (149 complaints, 35% share).
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 50/100
- #11 of 21 Altima years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 426
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 4
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 24
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 26
- Top issue
- Transmission & Powertrain
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 24.5
- 21.5 city / 29 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 26 / 0
Top 2012 Nissan Altima problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain149 (35%)
- Engine105 (25%)
- Airbags57 (13%)
- Other56 (13%)
- Electrical System48 (11%)
- Structure & Body41 (10%)
- Brakes27 (6%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires23 (5%)
- Steering17 (4%)
- Visibility & Wipers17 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report the vehicle unexpectedly surging forward while parking or braking, sometimes striking objects or buildings.
- Some drivers describe the transmission staying in drive even after shifting to park, requiring the engine to be shut off to stop the car.
- Several complaints describe airbags failing to deploy during moderate-speed collisions, leading to injuries.
- Owners report sudden loss of steering control, with the wheel turning right while the vehicle continued straight or became very hard to turn.
- One complaint describes brakes failing to stop the vehicle during normal driving, resulting in a collision.
- A seat belt reportedly failed to keep an occupant secured during a rear-end collision, allowing the head to strike the headrest repeatedly.
2012 Nissan Altima recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 12V494000Oct 10, 2012Steering13,919 vehicles
Steering
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Altima vehicles manufactured from May 10, 2012, through July 26, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with transverse link bolts and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to proper specification.
Risk: The affected bolts could become loose and fall out which may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the bolts to the proper torque specifications. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2012. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
- NHTSA 12V055000Feb 14, 2012Airbags976 vehicles
Air bags:side/window
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 altima and versa vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with side curtain air bags that contain an incorrect propellant mixture for the initiator component used, resulting in insufficient output of compressed gas.
Risk: The side curtain air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace one or both side curtain air bag modules, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on march 12, 2012. Owners may contact nissan customer service at 615-725-1000.
- NHTSA 11V408000Aug 9, 2011Airbags54 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 nissan altima vehicles manufactured from june 15, 2011, through june 21, 2011 and model year 2012 nissan nv vehicles manufactured from june 23, 2011, through june 28, 2011 because the air bag control unit (acu) was assembled incorrectly.
Risk: The affected acu will not operate as designed and this issue may cause the air bags not to inflate in a crash when they are designed to inflate. This could increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will replace the air bag control unit free of charge. The safety recall began on august 22, 2011. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
2012 Nissan Altima fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21.5 MPG
- Highway
- 29 MPG
- Combined
- 24.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,650
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other Altima years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Nissan Altima reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 Altima has a Complaint Index of 50 and ranks 11th worst of 21 model years, putting it in the middle of the pack with a Caution verdict.
- What problems does the 2012 Nissan Altima have?
- NHTSA complaints point to Transmission & Powertrain issues most often (149 complaints, 35% share, median mileage at failure 92,800), followed by Engine problems (105 complaints, 25% share).
- Does the 2012 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2012 Altima, covering steering bolt torque issues and two separate airbag-related campaigns.
- What year Nissan Altima should I avoid instead of 2012?
- NHTSA data shows worse Complaint Index scores for 2009 (95), 2013 (100), 2008 (85), and 2014 (90), all rated Avoid, making the 2012 model a less risky choice than those years.
- How does the 2012 Altima compare to the best Altima years?
- The 2012 Altima's Complaint Index of 50 is well above Best-rated years like 2022 (0) and 2021 (15), meaning it has meaningfully more reported problems per owner.