2012 Nissan Frontier problems and recalls

Owners have filed 78 complaints on the 2012 Nissan Frontier, and NHTSA has issued 3 recalls. The most cited component is the Air Bags (23 complaints).

78
Complaints
3
Recalls
4
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
8
Injuries
79.2
Severity index

Severity index 79.2 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 79.2p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 38 of 130 by severity index among 2012 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 71% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2012 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Air BagsAir Bags: 23 complaints (29.5%)23 29%Power TrainPower Train: 20 complaints (25.6%)20 26%EngineEngine: 12 complaints (15.4%)12 15%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 9 complaints (11.5%)9 12%StructureStructure: 7 complaints (9.0%)7 9%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 6 complaints (7.7%)6 8%Seat BeltsSeat Belts: 5 complaints (6.4%)5 6%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 5 complaints (6.4%)5 6%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
AIR BAGS2329.5%
POWER TRAIN2025.6%
ENGINE1215.4%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER911.5%
STRUCTURE79.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM67.7%
SEAT BELTS56.4%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL56.4%

Complaints filed per year

08162012: 62013: 42014: 92015: 162016: 42017: 92018: 42019: 72020: 42021: 32023: 72024: 32025: 21213141516161718192021232425
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20126
20134
20149
201516
20164
20179
20184
20197
20204
20213
20237
20243
20252
Filings in 2023 to 2025 were close to 2019 to 2021 (12 against 14).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
14V05200012/02/2014ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERSNissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2012 through 2014 Frontier vehicles manufactured from November 28, 2012, through December 17, 2013. In the affected vehicles, a circuit breaker may have been installed incorrectly causing the main wire harness c
11V59200019/12/2011ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGNISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 INFINITI FX, MODEL YEAR 2012 INFINITI M, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN FRONTIER, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN XTERRA, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN PATHFINDER, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 NISSAN NV VEHICLES. SOME OF THE BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE ENGIN
12V46200020/09/2012SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUBNissan is recalling certain model year 2012 Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra two-wheel drive vehicles manufactured from June 19, 2012, through July 12, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with front wheel hubs that may not meet the design hardness specifications. A whee

Other Nissan Frontier model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 10 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.