2012 Nissan Altima problems and complaints
Owners have filed 426 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Nissan Altima. The most-reported areas: Power Train (149), Engine (68), Air Bags (57).
Key takeaways
- 426 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 24 involve a crash, 2 a fire, 26 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 149 | 35% |
| Engine | 68 | 16% |
| Air Bags | 57 | 13% |
| Unknown Or Other | 56 | 13% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 49 | 12% |
| Electrical System | 44 | 10% |
| Structure | 33 | 8% |
| Service Brakes | 20 | 5% |
| Steering | 17 | 4% |
| Suspension | 17 | 4% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 16 | 4% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 10 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Nissan Altima 2 DR FWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 5/5 |
| 2012 Nissan Altima 4 DR FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Steering,suspension - filed 2026-09-22
am submitting a formal safety defect report regarding the steering system on my 2012 Nissan Altima Coupe. The vehicle exhibits a loose and unstable steering feel, accompanied by a distinct clunking impact whenever the wheel is turned, including during low‑speed maneuvering. This condition indicates a potential failure ...
Structure - filed 2026-08-16
Took the car to a repair shop to get an alignment. Was told that the frame rear cross member was so rusty that it needed to be replaced, and that if it broke while driving I would lose control of the car. The component has not been removed from the car. No one else has looked at the car. Only prior warning/message/symp...
Air Bags - filed 2026-07-24
I was working, and as I was on my way to a location a lady in front of me came to a complete stop since a couple of ducks were crossing causing me to come to a complete stop as well. As I stopped I looked into my rearview mirror I noticed the lady behind me was not stopping and then smashed into the back of me launchin...
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More for the 2012 Nissan Altima
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.