YearToAvoid

2012 Nissan Murano Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 15 engine complaints for the 2012 Nissan Murano, 11% of its 135 total complaints that year, with a median failure mileage of 40,500. No related recall is listed. Common reports include stalling at highway speed and one fire.

Engine complaints
15
11% of 135
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
40,500 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden stalling while driving at highway speeds such as 65 or 70 mph, with the vehicle able to be restarted afterward but no warning lights triggered.
  • Some describe the engine losing power on acceleration from a stop, with the gas pedal unresponsive for a few seconds before power suddenly returns.
  • One owner reported the vehicle catching fire while parked, which was extinguished by the fire department and led to the vehicle being towed.
  • Others noticed a coolant odor outside the vehicle, and a dealer replaced an engine cooling fluid hose without permanently fixing the issue.
  • One driver reported hearing a loud bang from the engine followed by a temporary loss of steering control while driving on a highway.
  • A few owners mention the engine racing at high RPM or blowing smoke from the exhaust unexpectedly, with no prior warning indicators.

When 2012 Nissan Murano engine complaints were filed

First complaint Dec 28, 2012, latest Nov 16, 2020.

2012 Nissan Murano engine complaints: complaints filed per month2Dec 2012Jan 2014Oct 2014Jan 2016Jun 2018Apr 2019Oct 2019
15 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2012 to Nov 2020; peak Dec 2014 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2012 Nissan Murano

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Murano model year

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

  1. 201012 (6%)
  2. 20119 (6%)
  3. 201215 (11%)
  4. 20137 (9%)
  5. 201412 (8%)
  6. 201539 (19%)
  7. 201623 (21%)
  8. 201719 (18%)
  9. 201828 (25%)
  10. 20196 (14%)
  11. 20202 (5%)
  12. 20213 (19%)
  13. 20220 (0%)
  14. 20230 (0%)
  15. 20242 (40%)
  16. 20255 (23%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2012 Nissan Murano have?
NHTSA lists 15 engine complaints for the 2012 Murano, which is 11% of the 135 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Nissan Murano engine?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for the 2012 Murano's engine complaints.
At what mileage do 2012 Murano engine problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for engine-related complaints on the 2012 Murano is 40,500 miles.
What kind of engine problems do 2012 Murano owners report?
Owners most often report sudden stalling at highway speed, intermittent power loss on acceleration, coolant odor, and one reported engine fire.
Is the 2012 Murano engine worse than other model years?
With 15 complaints and an 11% share, the 2012 Murano's engine complaint rate is lower than years like 2015 through 2018, which show higher shares of 18% to 25%.

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.