2012 Nissan Altima reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2012 Nissan Altima — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 577
- 64 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- POWER TRAIN
- 145 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 4
- see below
- Reported harm
- 40 reported crashes · 39 injuries · 5 fires
What owners report fails — 2012 Nissan Altima
- POWER TRAIN 145
- ENGINE 68
- AIR BAGS 56
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 56
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 48
4 recalls on record for the 2012 Nissan Altima
- NHTSA 12V494000 · 2012 · SUSPENSION The affected bolts could become loose and fall out which may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a
- NHTSA 12V055000 · 2012 · AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
- NHTSA 11V371000 · 2011 · SUSPENSION IF THE BOLT COMES OUT COMPLETELY, THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE WHICH CO
- NHTSA 11V408000 · 2011 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-I THE AFFECTED ACU WILL NOT OPERATE AS DESIGNED AND THIS ISSUE MAY CAUSE THE AIR BAGS NOT TO INFLATE IN A CRASH WHEN THEY
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2012 Nissan Altima
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2012 Nissan Altima units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Nissan Altima reliable?
NHTSA has 577 consumer complaints on record for the 2012 Nissan Altima and 4 recalls. The most-reported problem area is power train (145 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2012 Nissan Altima units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Altima?
Owners most often report problems with: power train (145), engine (68), air bags (56), unknown or other (56). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2012 Nissan Altima?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.