Is dashboard melting common on the 2012 Nissan Altima?

NHTSA lists 17 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2012 Altima, 4% of its 426 total complaints, and most describe a sticky, melting dashboard causing windshield glare.

Does the 2012 Nissan Altima have a recall for the dashboard glare issue?

No. NHTSA shows no related recalls tied to the Visibility & Wipers complaints for this year.

At what mileage does the dashboard glare problem usually appear?

The median mileage at failure among reported complaints in this area is 66,625 miles, though some owners noted issues at lower mileage.

Were there crashes or injuries linked to the dashboard glare complaints?

NHTSA data shows zero crashes, zero fires, and zero injuries reported among these Visibility & Wipers complaints.

How does the 2012 Altima compare to other years for this issue?

The 2012 Altima's 4% share of complaints in this area is lower than the 2010 model's 7% and the 2019 and 2020 models' 6%, but similar to several other years.

2012 Nissan Altima Visibility & Wipers Problems

Owners filed 17 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2012 Nissan Altima, 4% of its 426 total complaints. The dominant issue is a melting, sticky dashboard that produces windshield glare, with median failure mileage of 66,625. NHTSA lists no related recall for this area.

Visibility & Wipers complaints: 17; 4% of 426
Crashes reported: 0
Fires reported: 0
Injuries reported: 0
Median mileage: 66,625 mi
Related recalls: 0

Typical visibility and wiper symptoms owners report

Dashboard surface turns sticky, shiny, and glossy over time, throwing a reflective glare onto the windshield.
Glare from the melted dash is most noticeable in daylight or when sunlight or headlights hit it directly, making it hard to see the road.
Some owners describe needing to sit up or lean over to find a clear line of sight around the glare.
One owner reported a sunroof shattering without warning while driving at highway speed.
Owners say the problem started small near the windshield edge and spread toward the steering wheel over time.
Several owners said dealers acknowledged the melting dash but offered no fix while the vehicle was out of warranty.

When 2012 Nissan Altima visibility and wiper complaints were filed

First complaint Apr 22, 2013, latest Nov 5, 2022.

17 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2013 to Nov 2022; peak Aug 2019 (2).

Visibility & Wipers recalls for the 2012 Nissan Altima

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Visibility & Wipers complaints by Altima model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

201028 (7%)
20116 (2%)
201217 (4%)
201360 (3%)
201425 (2%)
201531 (3%)
201612 (2%)
20173 (1%)
20183 (1%)
201915 (6%)
202010 (6%)
20212 (3%)
20221 (3%)
20232 (7%)
20242 (5%)
20251 (14%)

Frequently asked questions

Is dashboard melting common on the 2012 Nissan Altima?: NHTSA lists 17 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2012 Altima, 4% of its 426 total complaints, and most describe a sticky, melting dashboard causing windshield glare.
Does the 2012 Nissan Altima have a recall for the dashboard glare issue?: No. NHTSA shows no related recalls tied to the Visibility & Wipers complaints for this year.
At what mileage does the dashboard glare problem usually appear?: The median mileage at failure among reported complaints in this area is 66,625 miles, though some owners noted issues at lower mileage.
Were there crashes or injuries linked to the dashboard glare complaints?: NHTSA data shows zero crashes, zero fires, and zero injuries reported among these Visibility & Wipers complaints.
How does the 2012 Altima compare to other years for this issue?: The 2012 Altima's 4% share of complaints in this area is lower than the 2010 model's 7% and the 2019 and 2020 models' 6%, but similar to several other years.