2012 Nissan Altima reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 2012 Nissan Altima from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 577
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- POWER TRAIN
- 145 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 4
- see below
- Reported harm
- 40 reported crashes · 39 injuries · 5 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#865
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Nissan median
+355
median 222 across 220 Nissan records
Vs 2010-2014
+285
median 292 complaints in 613 records
Top component share
25%
Power Train: 145 complaints
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
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
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. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. 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?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 2012 Nissan Altima. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.