YearToAvoid

2012 Nissan Armada Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Best The 2012 Nissan Armada ranks 17th out of 21 model years, with a complaint index of 20 and a Best verdict. It has 17 NHTSA complaints, 1 recall, and 1 reported fire, making it one of the lowest-complaint Armada years.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
20/100
#17 of 21 Armada years
Verdict
Best
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
17
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
1
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
1
Top issue
Brakes
Best nearby year
2014
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
14.5
12.5 city / 18.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0

Top 2012 Nissan Armada problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes4 (24%)
  2. Fuel System4 (24%)
  3. Structure & Body4 (24%)
  4. Electrical System3 (18%)
  5. Other3 (18%)
  6. Airbags2 (12%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (6%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain1 (6%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers1 (6%)

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 brake pedal sinking toward the floor with the brake and VDC lights on before the truck slows, sometimes tied to a failing brake booster or master cylinder.
  • Some describe the parking brake failing to hold on an incline, letting the vehicle roll away on its own.
  • A rear parking brake cable bracket reportedly snapped, dropping the cable onto the drive axle and causing grinding noise.
  • Owners describe stalling at highway speed with shuddering before the engine quit, sometimes requiring a tow and refusing to restart.
  • One owner reported smoke and flames from under the steering column and console while the vehicle was parked, with no injuries.
  • Power window motors reportedly failed on multiple doors, sometimes while parked or while driving.
2012 Nissan Armada complaints: complaints filed per month2Sep 2013Oct 2014May 2015Nov 2017Apr 2018Jun 2020Apr 2023Apr 2025
17 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2013 to Jun 2025; peak May 2015 (2).

2012 Nissan Armada recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 12V143000Apr 4, 2012Other26,626 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 titan and armada vehicles, manufactured from august 12, 2011, through march 13, 2012. The part 567 certification labels on the vehicles do not contain rim size information. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, â“tire selection and rims.â”

    Risk: The omission of the rim size may lead to an incorrect tire/wheel combination which may increase the likelihood of a crash.

    Remedy: Nissan will supply owners with a new label and instructions on how install the label or the owner will have the option of taking their vehicle to a nissan dealer to have the new label installed free of charge. The safety recall began on may 28, 2012. Owners may contact nissan at 1-615-725-1000.

2012 Nissan Armada fuel economy and fuel cost

City
12.5 MPG
Highway
18.5 MPG
Combined
14.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,475
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 Armada years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Caution5048414
2011Good4540114.5
2012Best2017114.5
2013Good2517214.5
2014Best512114.5

All Nissan Armada years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Nissan Armada reliable?
Among Armada model years, 2012 has one of the lowest complaint indexes at 20 and carries a Best verdict, ranking 17th worst out of 21 years tracked.
What problems does the 2012 Nissan Armada have?
NHTSA complaints for this year center on brakes (24% of complaints), fuel system (24%), and structure/body issues (24%), with a median failure mileage around 60,000 to 68,000 miles depending on the area.
Does the 2012 Nissan Armada have any recalls?
NHTSA lists one recall for the 2012 Armada, covering incorrect rim-size information on the certification label; it is not a do-not-drive recall.
Did the 2012 Nissan Armada have any fires reported?
NHTSA logged 1 fire complaint for the 2012 Armada, involving smoke and flames near the steering column while parked, with 1 injury reported and no deaths.
How does 2012 compare to other Armada years?
The 2012 Armada's complaint index of 20 is far below high-complaint years like 2005 (100) and 2006 (95), which carry Avoid verdicts.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.