YearToAvoid

2012 Nissan Juke Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 33 engine complaints for the 2012 Nissan Juke, 38% of its 87 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 65,000. No related recalls are listed for this vehicle's engine.

Engine complaints
33
38% of 87
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
65,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners describe sudden loss of power or stalling at speed, sometimes on the highway, with the car coasting down before regaining power.
  • Several complaints describe timing chain failures, including one where the engine seized and another where oil covered the motor from a gash in the timing chain cover.
  • Some drivers report the vehicle stalling at low speeds (around 20-35 mph) and needing several minutes before it would restart.
  • Owners describe strong gas fumes entering the cabin through the air conditioning system.
  • One complaint describes unintended rapid acceleration at highway speed that required braking to slow the car.
  • A CVT-related complaint describes a rapid, unexpected drop in speed while driving on the freeway, accompanied by the check engine light.

When 2012 Nissan Juke engine complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 13, 2012, latest Oct 23, 2025.

2012 Nissan Juke engine complaints: complaints filed per month2Aug 2012Apr 2014Nov 2015Aug 2018Apr 2019Oct 2019May 2022Jul 2023
33 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2012 to Oct 2025; peak Dec 2018 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2012 Nissan Juke

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Juke model year

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

  1. 201173 (48%)
  2. 201233 (38%)
  3. 201343 (42%)
  4. 201419 (32%)
  5. 201515 (44%)
  6. 20169 (32%)
  7. 20177 (50%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems on the 2012 Nissan Juke?
NHTSA lists 33 engine complaints for the 2012 Juke, which is 38% of the 87 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Nissan Juke engine?
NHTSA does not list any related recalls tied to the engine complaints for the 2012 Juke.
At what mileage do engine problems typically appear on the 2012 Juke?
The median mileage at failure among reported engine complaints is 65,000 miles.
What kind of engine failures do owners report on the 2012 Juke?
Owners describe stalling, sudden loss of power, timing chain damage, and gas fumes entering the cabin, based on NHTSA complaint narratives.
Did engine complaints on the Juke cause crashes or injuries?
NHTSA records 0 crashes and 1 injury among the reported engine complaints for the 2012 Juke.

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.