2012 Nissan Altima problems and recalls

Owners have filed 425 complaints on the 2012 Nissan Altima, and NHTSA has issued 4 recalls. The most cited component is the Power Train (149 complaints).

425
Complaints
4
Recalls
24
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
26
Injuries
71.8
Severity index

Severity index 71.8 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 71.8p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 47 of 130 by severity index among 2012 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 64% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2012 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Power TrainPower Train: 149 complaints (35.1%)149 35%EngineEngine: 68 complaints (16.0%)68 16%Air BagsAir Bags: 57 complaints (13.4%)57 13%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 56 complaints (13.2%)56 13%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 49 complaints (11.5%)49 12%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 44 complaints (10.4%)44 10%StructureStructure: 33 complaints (7.8%)33 8%Service BrakesService Brakes: 20 complaints (4.7%)20 5%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
POWER TRAIN14935.1%
ENGINE6816.0%
AIR BAGS5713.4%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER5613.2%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL4911.5%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4410.4%
STRUCTURE337.8%
SERVICE BRAKES204.7%

Complaints filed per year

034692011: 52012: 212013: 152014: 292015: 412016: 382017: 442018: 692019: 582020: 442021: 212022: 142023: 112024: 62025: 52026: 4 (partial year)1112131415161718691920212223242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20115
201221
201315
201429
201541
201638
201744
201869
201958
202044
202121
202214
202311
20246
20255
2026 (year to date)4
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 0.3x those in 2020 to 2022 (22 against 79).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
12V05500014/02/2012AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOWNISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 ALTIMA AND VERSA VEHICLES. 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.
11V40800009/08/2011AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVENISSAN 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, THROUGH JUNE 28, 2011 BECAUSE THE AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT (ACU) WAS ASSEMBLED INCORRECTLY
12V49400010/10/2012STEERINGNissan is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Altima vehicles manufactured from May 10, 2012, through July 26, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with transverse link bolts and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to proper specification.
11V37100019/07/2011SUSPENSIONNISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN ALTIMA SEDAN VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 25, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 10, 2011 AT THE CANTON, MISSISSIPPI PLANT. THE TRANSVERSE LINK BOLT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TORQUED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE

Other Nissan Altima model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 13 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-08-22. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.