YearToAvoid

2012 Nissan Maxima Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

77/100

#4 most-complained of 14 Maxima years

The 2012 Nissan Maxima has a Complaint Index of 77 and ranks 4th worst out of 14 model years, earning an Avoid verdict. Airbags are the top problem area with 27 complaints (25% share) and a median failure mileage of 30,650.

Complaints
107
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
6 / 2
Injuries / deaths
7 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
22
19 city / 26 hwy

Top 2012 Nissan Maxima problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags27 (25%)
  2. Other24 (22%)
  3. Electrical System20 (19%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain18 (17%)
  5. Engine14 (13%)
  6. Structure & Body12 (11%)
  7. Steering10 (9%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers4 (4%)
  9. Brakes2 (2%)
  10. Fuel System1 (1%)

What owners report

  • Airbags fail to deploy during moderate-to-severe crashes, including head-on and T-bone collisions.
  • Airbag control unit and occupant weight sensor faults trigger warning lights and can total the car after minor rear-end impacts.
  • Vehicle rolls out of park on its own while parked, leading to unattended collisions.
  • Engine compartment catches fire while parked after normal driving use.
  • RPMs surge and the vehicle revs unexpectedly at highway speed, with some owners reporting repeat transmission failures even after replacement.
  • Steering feels like it locks up briefly during a lane change at highway speed.
2012 Nissan Maxima complaints: complaints filed per quarter132011 Q42014 Q22016 Q12017 Q42019 Q22021 Q12022 Q42025 Q3
134 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q4 to 2026 Q1; peak 2014 Q1 (13).

2012 Nissan Maxima recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2012 Nissan Maxima fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,650
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
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 Maxima years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Avoid100275022
2011Avoid85106022
2012Avoid77107022
2013Caution5462022
2014Caution6296022

All Nissan Maxima years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Nissan Maxima reliable?
Compared with other Maxima model years, the 2012 ranks 4th worst out of 14 years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 77 and a Nissan Maxima verdict of Avoid.
What is the biggest problem with the 2012 Nissan Maxima?
Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 27 of 107 complaints (25% share), with 5 crashes and 1 fire linked to that category, at a median mileage of 30,650.
Does the 2012 Nissan Maxima have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 0 recalls for the 2012 Nissan Maxima.
How does the 2012 Maxima compare to other years?
The 2012 model's Complaint Index of 77 is lower than the 2010 (100) and 2011 (85) but worse than 2013 (54) and later years like 2018 (38) and 2019 (31), which rank Good.
What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Nissan Maxima?
EPA rates the 2012 Nissan Maxima at 22 mpg combined (19 city / 26 highway), with an annual fuel cost of $3,650.

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.