2012 Nissan Xterra: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
16
Complaints
2
Recalls
0
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
0
Injuries
0.0
Severity index
Severity index 0.0 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 6 | 37.5% |
| AIR BAGS | 4 | 25.0% |
| ENGINE | 4 | 25.0% |
| TIRES | 1 | 6.2% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 6.2% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 6.2% |
The single most-reported system is POWER TRAIN, cited in 6 of 16 complaints (37.5%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 1 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 1.8x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11V592000 | 19/12/2011 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | NISSAN 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 |
| 12V462000 | 20/09/2012 | SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB | Nissan 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 |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.