2012 Nissan Titan Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
31/100
#10 most-complained of 14 Titan years
The 2012 Nissan Titan ranks 10th worst of 14 model years, with a complaint index of 31 and a "Good" verdict relative to other Titan years. It has 22 NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls, with Airbags as the top problem area (32% of complaints).
- Complaints
- 22
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes / fires
- 4 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 14.5
- 12.5 city / 17.5 hwy
Top 2012 Nissan Titan problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags7 (32%)
- Engine6 (27%)
- Structure & Body5 (23%)
- Brakes4 (18%)
- Fuel System2 (9%)
- Electrical System1 (5%)
- Other1 (5%)
- Steering1 (5%)
What owners report
- Side and frontal airbags reportedly failed to deploy during crashes, including one at 25 mph and another at 55 mph, sometimes resulting in injury.
- Owners report exhaust manifold cracks on both sides of the engine, with one truck needing the right side replaced twice by 130,000 miles.
- Some describe the exhaust flange behind the front separating due to corrosion, letting heat melt the rear wiring harness.
- Door handles and latches reportedly freeze or fail in cold weather, trapping occupants inside or leaving the door unable to close.
- One owner reported the parking brake failing to release at highway speed, locking the rear wheel and dropping debris on the road.
2012 Nissan Titan recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 12V143000Apr 4, 2012Other26,626 vehicles
Equipment:other:labels
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 titan and armada vehicles, manufactured from august 12, 2011, through march 13, 2012. The part 567 certification labels on the vehicles do not contain rim size information. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, âtire selection and rims.â
Risk: The omission of the rim size may lead to an incorrect tire/wheel combination which may increase the likelihood of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will supply owners with a new label and instructions on how install the label or the owner will have the option of taking their vehicle to a nissan dealer to have the new label installed free of charge. The safety recall began on may 28, 2012. Owners may contact nissan at 1-615-725-1000.
- NHTSA 12V102000Mar 14, 2012Other918 vehicles
Equipment:other:labels
Certain model year 2012 nissan titan vehicles, manufactured from june 10, 2011, through july 22, 2011, equipped with the sports appearance package have incorrect seating capacity information displayed on the tire placard. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims."
Risk: An incorrect capacity label may lead to vehicle overloading. Vehicle overloading may increase the likelihood of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will supply owners with a new label and instructions on how install the label or the owner will have the option of taking their vehicle to a nissan dealer to have the new label installed free of charge. The safety recall began on may 28, 2012. Owners may contact nissan at 1-615-725-1000.
2012 Nissan Titan fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 12.5 MPG
- Highway
- 17.5 MPG
- Combined
- 14.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $4,475
- 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 Titan years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Nissan Titan reliable?
- Compared to other Titan model years, the 2012 ranks 10th worst out of 14 years tracked, with a complaint index of 31 and a "Good" verdict. It has fewer complaints than several later years like 2017 and 2018.
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Titan?
- NHTSA complaints point to Airbags (32% of complaints, median mileage 96,388), Engine (27%, median mileage 56,000), and Structure & Body issues (23%, median mileage 60,000) such as door latches.
- Does the 2012 Nissan Titan have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2012 Titan, both related to incorrect labeling: one for missing rim size information on certification labels and one for incorrect seating capacity on the tire placard. Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
- Which Nissan Titan years should I avoid instead of 2012?
- Based on NHTSA complaint index, 2017 (100), 2018 (85), and 2021 (92) are rated "Avoid," while 2012, with an index of 31, ranks better than most other years.