2012 Nissan Maxima Transmission & Powertrain Problems
NHTSA lists 18 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2012 Nissan Maxima, 17% of its 107 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 90,000. No related recalls are listed for this component.
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints
- 18
- 17% of 107
- Crashes reported
- 0
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 90,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical transmission symptoms owners report
- Owners report the vehicle hesitating, jerking, or failing to accelerate from a stop or at highway speed, sometimes with rpms spiking without corresponding acceleration.
- Multiple owners describe full transmission failure requiring replacement, with some units failing a second time after being replaced.
- Some owners report a whining or grinding noise during acceleration above 60 mph paired with a check engine light and a step motor function code.
- One owner reported a blown CVT hose that produced smoke from the hood and left the car unable to move forward or backward.
- One complaint described transmission failure occurring after a code was read as trans code p1778, with high rpm and loss of power at highway speed.
When 2012 Nissan Maxima transmission complaints were filed
First complaint May 14, 2014, latest Jul 1, 2025.
Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2012 Nissan Maxima
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Maxima model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many transmission complaints does the 2012 Nissan Maxima have?
- NHTSA lists 18 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2012 Maxima, which is 17% of the 107 total complaints filed for that model year.
- At what mileage do 2012 Maxima transmissions typically fail?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this component is 90,000 miles.
- Is there a recall for the 2012 Nissan Maxima transmission?
- No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this component on the 2012 Maxima.
- Did the transmission complaints cause any crashes or injuries?
- NHTSA data shows 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries linked to these 18 transmission complaints.
- How does 2012 compare to other Maxima years for transmission complaints?
- The 2012 Maxima's 18 complaints (17% share) are lower than the 2013 model year's 24 complaints (39% share) and similar to the 2011 model year's 22 complaints (21% share).