Car · Nissan problems

2012 Nissan Altima problems

426 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Nissan Altima. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (35% of them). NHTSA also lists 90 service bulletins and 4 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 26. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 426 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)149 · 35%
• Engine and engine cooling72 · 17%
• Air bags57 · 13%
• Other or unknown56 · 13%
• Speed control and throttle49 · 12%
• Electrical system44 · 10%
• Body and structure33 · 8%
• Service brakes20 · 5%

13 smaller areas not shown (101 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 90 repair bulletins from Nissan for the 2012 Nissan Altima. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. NTB09-131CReceived April 29, 2026

   Body and structure

   Certification label and VIN plate replacement service information Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement "Certification Label" or "VIN Plate/Label" may be needed.

2. NTB13-027DReceived July 19, 2024

   Electrical system

   CAN communication - network diagnostic flow chart.

3. NTB13-107GReceived July 19, 2024

   Electrical system

   Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start.

4. NTB09-081KReceived June 7, 2024

   Visibility and wipers

   Windshield cracking.

5. NTB13-028IReceived June 7, 2024

   Visibility and wipers

   Removing foreign material from the window glass.

6. NTB08-097LReceived October 6, 2023

   Steering

   Diagnosis of vehicle pull (drift) and/or steering wheel off-center.

7. NTB23-053Received July 11, 2023

   Electrical system

   Silicone-based lubricant or grease CAN damage electrical components.

8. NTB03-074QReceived May 5, 2023

   Exterior lighting

   Headlamp, fog lamp, or rear combination lamp fogging.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Nissan Altima. Recall repairs are free at a Nissan dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 12V055000February 14, 2012

   Air bags

   These vehicles may be equipped with side curtain air bags that contain an incorrect propellant mixture for the initiator component used, resulting in insufficient output of compressed gas.

2. 11V408000August 9, 2011

   Air bags

   Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 nissan altima vehicles manufactured from june 15, 2011, through june 21, 2011 and model year 2012 nissan nv vehicles manufactured from june 23, 2011...

3. 12V494000October 10, 2012

   Steering

   These vehicles may have been equipped with transverse link bolts and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to proper specification.

See all 4 recalls for the 2012 Nissan Altima, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Altima will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 149 complaints · 35%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Engine and engine cooling 72 complaints · 17%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Air bags 57 complaints · 13%

• Airbag clockspring replacement$230 to $670
• Airbag / occupant sensor replacement$220 to $750

Speed control and throttle 49 complaints · 12%

• Throttle body cleaning$75 to $180
• Throttle body replacement$290 to $900

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Nissan Altima: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Nissan Altima?

Of the 426 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Nissan Altima, 149 (35%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 72 (17%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Nissan Altima reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 24 of the 426 complaints as involving a crash and 2 as involving a fire. They also reported 26 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Nissan Altima have?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Nissan Altima. Recall repairs are free at a Nissan dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 90 repair bulletins for the 2012 Nissan Altima.

More

• 2019 Altima problems
• 2018 Altima problems
• 2017 Altima problems
• 2016 Altima problems
• 2015 Altima problems
• 2014 Altima problems
• 2013 Altima problems
• 2011 Altima problems
• 2010 Altima problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Nissan recalls
• Nissan problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.