2012 Nissan Altima Airbags Problems
NHTSA lists 57 airbag complaints for the 2012 Nissan Altima, 13% of all complaints for the year, tied to 14 crashes and 16 injuries. Two related recalls (12V055000 and 11V408000) address side curtain airbag propellant and airbag control unit defects.
- Airbags complaints
- 57
- 13% of 426
- Crashes reported
- 14
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 16
- Median mileage
- 51,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 2
Typical airbag symptoms owners report
- Airbags fail to deploy during frontal or side-impact collisions at speeds around 35-45 mph, despite significant vehicle damage.
- Airbags reportedly deploy with a significant delay after impact, sometimes activating only after the driver has begun exiting the vehicle.
- Side or curtain airbags fail to deploy in rollover or multi-tree crash scenarios, leaving occupants without protection.
- Seat belts fail to properly restrain occupants during rear-end collisions, compounding injuries when airbags also fail to deploy.
- Airbags do not activate in low-to-moderate speed collisions around 25 mph, leaving drivers with bruising or other injuries.
When 2012 Nissan Altima airbag complaints were filed
First complaint Jan 9, 2012, latest Jul 24, 2026.
Airbags recalls for the 2012 Nissan Altima
- 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.
Airbags complaints by Altima model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many airbag complaints does NHTSA have for the 2012 Nissan Altima?
- NHTSA lists 57 airbag complaints for the 2012 Altima, making up 13% of all 426 complaints filed for that model year.
- Are there airbag recalls for the 2012 Nissan Altima?
- Yes. Recall 12V055000 covers side curtain airbags with an incorrect propellant mixture, and recall 11V408000 covers a defective air bag control unit; neither recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning.
- Did the 2012 Altima's airbag problems cause injuries or crashes?
- NHTSA data links the airbag complaints to 14 crashes and 16 injuries, with no fires reported.
- At what mileage do airbag problems typically show up on the 2012 Altima?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for airbag complaints is 51,000 miles.
- Is the 2012 Altima worse than other years for airbag complaints?
- The 2012 Altima's 57 airbag complaints and 13% share are lower than 2013's 514 complaints (22% share) and 2014's 208 complaints (19% share), suggesting later years reported more airbag issues.