Car · Nissan problems

2012 Nissan Versa problems

486 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Nissan Versa. The most reported area is air bags (34% of them). NHTSA also lists 106 service bulletins and 10 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: 31. Deaths: 1.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 486 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Air bags167 · 34%
• Power train (transmission and drive)163 · 34%
• Engine and engine cooling56 · 12%
• Other or unknown51 · 10%
• Electrical system34 · 7%
• Speed control and throttle33 · 7%
• Service brakes32 · 7%
• Suspension28 · 6%

14 smaller areas not shown (105 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 106 repair bulletins from Nissan for the 2012 Nissan Versa. 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. NTB19-071DReceived October 22, 2024

   Air bags

   If you confirm DTC B00A0-00 (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR UNIT) is stored, AND OCS zero point reset cannot be performed, (continued on the next page).

3. NTB13-027DReceived July 19, 2024

   Electrical system

   CAN communication - network diagnostic flow chart.

4. NTB13-107GReceived July 19, 2024

   Electrical system

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

5. NTB09-081KReceived June 7, 2024

   Visibility and wipers

   Windshield cracking.

6. NTB13-028IReceived June 7, 2024

   Visibility and wipers

   Removing foreign material from the window glass.

7. NTB08-097LReceived October 6, 2023

   Steering

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

8. NTB23-053Received July 11, 2023

   Electrical system

   Silicone-based lubricant or grease CAN damage electrical components.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2012 Nissan Versa. Recall repairs are free at a Nissan dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 18V401000June 15, 2018

   Air bags

   In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to...

2. 17V449000July 18, 2017

   Air bags

   The affected vehicles have a driver frontal air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to moderate absolute humidity, temperatures, and...

3. 17V144000March 6, 2017

   Air bags

   Degradation of the side impact sensor connector pins may cause the curtain and seat-mounted air bags to deploy unexpectedly if the door is slammed.

See all 10 recalls for the 2012 Nissan Versa, 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 Versa will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

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

Air bags 167 complaints · 34%

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

Power train (transmission and drive) 163 complaints · 34%

• 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 56 complaints · 12%

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

Electrical system 34 complaints · 7%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

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)

0 of 17 characters

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 Versa: questions

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

Of the 486 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Nissan Versa, 167 (34%) name air bags, and 163 (34%) name power train (transmission and drive). 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 Versa 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 40 of the 486 complaints as involving a crash and 6 as involving a fire. They also reported 31 injuries and 1 death. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Nissan Versa have?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2012 Nissan Versa. 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 106 repair bulletins for the 2012 Nissan Versa.

More

• 2014 Versa problems
• 2013 Versa problems
• 2011 Versa problems
• 2010 Versa 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.