2012 Nissan Frontier Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
87/100
#3 most-complained of 16 Frontier years
The 2012 Nissan Frontier ranks 3rd worst out of 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 87 and 78 NHTSA complaints. Airbags (29% of complaints), transmission (26%), and engine (21%) are the top problem areas, and the year carries 3 recalls.
- Complaints
- 78
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 4 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 8 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 17
- 16 city / 20 hwy
Top 2012 Nissan Frontier problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags23 (29%)
- Transmission & Powertrain20 (26%)
- Engine16 (21%)
- Other9 (12%)
- Structure & Body9 (12%)
- Electrical System6 (8%)
- Seat Belts5 (6%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (5%)
- Fuel System1 (1%)
- Steering1 (1%)
What owners report
- Airbags fail to deploy in rear-end collisions despite significant vehicle damage.
- Airbags deploy unexpectedly at low speeds on flat roads with no collision present.
- Side curtain airbags deploy with projectile debris that strikes occupants during a crash.
- Transmission or electronic control module failures cause sudden loss of acceleration and violent jerking.
- Engine RPM drops and holds steady while the vehicle continues moving, making it hard to slow down safely.
- Engine stalls randomly while driving, cutting power steering and brakes and causing extreme hesitation.
2012 Nissan Frontier recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 14V052000Feb 12, 2014Electrical System13,535 vehicles
Electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2012 through 2014 Frontier vehicles manufactured from November 28, 2012, through December 17, 2013. In the affected vehicles, a circuit breaker may have been installed incorrectly causing the main wire harness connected to the circuit breaker to face outward, potentially contacting a metal bolt located on the A-pillar.
Risk: The bolt may wear through the wire harness covering, resulting in an electrical short which could cause a fire.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the circuit breaker orientation. If the circuit breaker orientation is incorrect, dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
- NHTSA 12V462000Sep 20, 2012Suspension, Wheels & Tires2,417 vehicles
Suspension:front:hub
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra two-wheel drive vehicles manufactured from June 19, 2012, through July 12, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with front wheel hubs that may not meet the design hardness specifications. A wheel hub that was manufactured below hardness specification may wear prematurely and eventually crack.
Risk: If the vehicle is driven in this condition, the wheel hub may break, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replaced the left and right side front wheel hub assemblies free of charge. The safety recall began on October 22, 2012. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
- NHTSA 11V592000Dec 19, 2011Engine14,718 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2011 infiniti fx, model year 2012 infiniti m, model year 2011-2012 nissan frontier, model year 2011-2012 nissan xterra, model year 2011-2012 nissan pathfinder, and model year 2012 nissan nv vehicles. Some of the bolts that connect the engine oil cooler and the engine oil filter to the engine in these vehicles may have been manufactured to below specification strength. As a result, the bolt may break at the oil filter attachment point and can cause an engine oil leak.
Risk: If there is an engine oil leak, the engine oil pressure would drop and the engine could seize, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector bolts free of charge. The safety recall began on january 30, 2012. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
2012 Nissan Frontier fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 16 MPG
- Highway
- 20 MPG
- Combined
- 17 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,800
- 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 Frontier years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Nissan Frontier reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 Frontier ranks 3rd worst among 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 87 and a verdict of Avoid relative to other Frontier years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Frontier?
- Airbags account for 29% of complaints, followed by transmission and powertrain issues at 26% and engine problems at 21%, according to NHTSA data.
- Does the 2012 Nissan Frontier have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2012 Frontier, covering the electrical system (circuit breaker orientation), suspension (front wheel hub assemblies), and engine (connector bolts).
- At what mileage do 2012 Frontier problems typically show up?
- NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage at failure of 43,000 miles overall, with airbag issues centered around 46,250 miles and engine issues around 28,000 miles.
- How does the 2012 Frontier compare to other years?
- The 2012 model's Complaint Index of 87 is higher than most other Frontier years, such as 2015 (33) and 2018 (0), making 2012 one of the years to avoid relative to the rest of the lineup.