2012 Nissan Murano Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
60/100
#7 most-complained of 16 Murano years
The 2012 Nissan Murano has a Complaint Index of 60 and ranks 7th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Top complaint areas are transmission/powertrain (30 complaints) and airbags (26 complaints), with 1 recall on record.
- Complaints
- 135
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 4 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 4 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 20
- 18 city / 23 hwy
Top 2012 Nissan Murano problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain30 (22%)
- Airbags26 (19%)
- Other25 (19%)
- Visibility & Wipers19 (14%)
- Engine15 (11%)
- Brakes13 (10%)
- Electrical System13 (10%)
- Structure & Body10 (7%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires7 (5%)
- Steering5 (4%)
What owners report
- Brake pedal reportedly sinks toward the floor and fails to slow the vehicle promptly, in one case leading to a crash.
- Vehicle reportedly lurches or shoots forward/backward unexpectedly at low speed when shifting into reverse or drive, causing minor collisions.
- Owners report the vehicle loses power or hesitates for several seconds when accelerating from a stop, with no check engine light or diagnostic codes present.
- A parked vehicle reportedly caught fire near the engine area, requiring fire department response and resulting in the vehicle being towed and destroyed.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy during a collision that totaled the vehicle, despite the other vehicle's airbags deploying.
- Sunroof reportedly shattered while driving at highway speed, requiring dealer diagnosis and replacement.
2012 Nissan Murano recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- NHTSA 12V068000Feb 22, 2012Suspension, Wheels & Tires2,983 vehicles
Tires:pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 murano and rogue vehicles, manufactured from november 23, 2011 through january 11, 2012. During assembly, the tire pressure monitoring system (tpms) was not activated. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 138,âtire pressure monitoring system.â
Risk: A non-active tpms cannot warn a driver that a tire is underinflated. Underinflated tires can result in tire overloading and overheating, which could lead to a blowout and possible crash.
Remedy: All of the affected vehicles are still in dealer inventory. Dealers have been instructed to activate all of the tire pressure monitoring systems.
2012 Nissan Murano fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18 MPG
- Highway
- 23 MPG
- Combined
- 20 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,250
- 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 Murano years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Nissan Murano reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2012 Murano a Complaint Index of 60, ranking it 7th worst among 16 model years, with a Caution verdict. It has fewer complaints than the 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2015 model years but more than most Muranos from 2016 onward.
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Murano?
- NHTSA complaints show Transmission & Powertrain issues most often (30 complaints, 22% share), followed by Airbags (26 complaints, 19%) and Visibility & Wipers issues like sunroof failures (19 complaints, 14%).
- Does the 2012 Nissan Murano have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists one recall (campaign 12V068000) for the 2012 Murano, covering a tire pressure monitoring system that was not activated during assembly. It is not a do-not-drive recall.
- At what mileage do 2012 Murano problems typically show up?
- Median mileage at failure across all reported issues is 65,000 miles. Transmission complaints have a median mileage of 75,000, while Visibility & Wipers issues appear earlier, at a median of 40,050 miles.
- Should I avoid the 2012 Nissan Murano compared to other years?
- The 2012 Murano carries a Caution verdict, worse than newer years like 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, which all rate Good or Best. But it fares better than 2010, 2014, 2015, and 2025, which are rated Avoid.