2012 Nissan ALTIMA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Nissan ALTIMA has 577 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 7.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (26% of all complaints), specifically: 2012 nissan altima. consumer writes in regards to clutch failure *tgw the consumer stated the clutch went to the floor and there was a spongy feel. the dealer found white grease in the fluid. the clutch master cylinder and salve cylinder were replaced several times. *jb. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports 28 crash reports 22 injuries

577

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

7.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

149 complaints

26%

• 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CLUTCH FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE CLUTCH WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS A SPONGY FEEL. THE DEALER FOUND WHITE GREASE IN THE FLUID. THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER AND SALVE CYLINDER WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. *JB
• ALTIMA WAS SERVICED AT A DEALERSHIP LESS THAN A WEEK AGO FOR OIL AND FILTER CHANGE. I WAS DRIVING THE 2012 ALTIMA FROM WORK ON 4/10/14. IT LOOKED THE CAR WAS STALLING ON THE HIGHWAY MULTIPLE TIMES. I SLOWED DOWN AND MANAGED TO GET HOME, ALL ALONG IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STOP ANY TIME, LUCKILY
• 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CVT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE STARTED NOTICING LITTLE GLITCHES, IN OTHERWISE SMOOTH RIDES. THEN HE STARTED EXPERIENCING A 2-3 SECOND DELAY BETWEEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY MOVING. ON WEDNESDAY APR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CLUTCH FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE CLUTCH WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS A SPONGY FEEL. THE DEALER FOUND WHITE GREASE IN THE FLUID. THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER AND SALVE CYLINDER WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. *JB”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

72 complaints

12%

• 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA RENTAL VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAME TO A NEAR COMPLETE STOP ON THE LEFT- OF- MIDDLE LANE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY SLOWED DOWN FROM 60 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND BEGAN TO SHAKE AND JERK. TH
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PUSH TO START BUTTON, WHICH POWERED THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF, WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE PUSH-TO-START BUTTON TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DEALER VEHICL
• PURCHASED MY 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA COUPE 8/2/2012. IN JUST OVER 30 DAYS THE PAINT WAS COMING OFF THE REAR BUMPER ON BOTH SIDES NEAR THE REAR TIRE WHERE THE BUMPER MEETS THE BODY OF THE CAR. TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE THE BUMPER REPAINTED. WITHIN 60 DAYS THE PAINT WAS COMING OFF IN THE SAME PLACE AGAIN.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“2012 NISSAN ALTIMA RENTAL VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAME TO A NEAR COMPLETE STOP ON THE LEFT- OF- MIDDLE LANE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY SLOWED DOWN FROM 60 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND BEGAN TO SHAKE AND JERK. TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

58 complaints

10%

• DRIVING LONG DISTANCES MY CAR OVERHEATS, LOOSES POWER GOING FROM 70 MPH DOWN TO 40 MPH IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. I AM FORCED TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND LET IT RESET ITSELF. IT HAS ALWAYS MADE A WHINING NOISE DURING ACCELERATION, AND THE BRAKES HAVE SQUEAKED FROM DAY ONE. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO NISSAN
• I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THE MORNING OF 6/25 ON THE HIGHWAY. MY SUNROOF WAS OPEN AND MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS OPEN. I HEARD A LARGE BANG THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT AND TINY PIECES OF SHATTERED GLASS FLEW IN THROUGH MY OPEN SUNROOF. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND NOTHING THAT HIT MY C
• TODAY WAS THE SECOND TIME I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF LONG. MY CAR BEGAN TO LOSE SPEED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 60 MPH. WHILE I HAD THE GAS PEDAL DOWN COMPLETELY ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, AS THE CAR COULD NOT GAIN SPEED. I COU

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“DRIVING LONG DISTANCES MY CAR OVERHEATS, LOOSES POWER GOING FROM 70 MPH DOWN TO 40 MPH IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. I AM FORCED TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND LET IT RESET ITSELF. IT HAS ALWAYS MADE A WHINING NOISE DURING ACCELERATION, AND THE BRAKES HAVE SQUEAKED FROM DAY ONE. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO NISSAN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

56 complaints

10%

• I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND WAS TRAVELING AT SPEED OF THE ROAD AND I WANTED TO MAKE A FULL STOP BUT I HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME! I PUSHED AND PUSHED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE NEVER BRAKE!! ALSO MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY!! THERE IS PHYSICAL AND BODILY DAMAGE TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME! ALSO MY CAR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ERRONEOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE F
• THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY TURNS ON WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS INDICATES THAT IF THERE WERE AN ACCIDENT WHILE THIS WARNING LIGHT IS ON; THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WOULD NOT GO OFF; WHICH CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 13 crashes

“I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND WAS TRAVELING AT SPEED OF THE ROAD AND I WANTED TO MAKE A FULL STOP BUT I HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME! I PUSHED AND PUSHED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE NEVER BRAKE!! ALSO MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY!! THERE IS PHYSICAL AND BODILY DAMAGE TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME! ALSO MY CAR ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

49 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WERE POSITIONED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT INADVERTANTLY DEPRESSED BOTH PEDALS SIMULTANEOUSLY. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NO
• MY BRAKE PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE TO THE GAS PEDAL. I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN DRIVING. I HAVE HIT BOTH PEDALS SEVERAL TIMES NOW. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED ASAP!!! *JS
• THE PEDALS ARE POSITIONED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. MY HUSBAND COMPLAINED OF THIS A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN HE DROVE MY CAR BECAUSE HIS SHOE GOT CAUGHT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HE WAS LIFTING HIS FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL. THEN, YESTERDAY, THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME. I NEARLY DROVE MY CAR THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WERE POSITIONED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT INADVERTANTLY DEPRESSED BOTH PEDALS SIMULTANEOUSLY. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 577 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CLUTCH FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE CLUTCH WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS A SPONGY FEEL. THE DEALER FOUND WHITE GREASE IN THE FLUID. THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER AND SALVE CYLINDER WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. *JB
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA RENTAL VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAME TO A NEAR COMPLETE STOP ON THE LEFT- OF- MIDDLE LANE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY SLOWED DOWN FROM 60 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND BEGAN TO SHAKE AND JERK. TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: DRIVING LONG DISTANCES MY CAR OVERHEATS, LOOSES POWER GOING FROM 70 MPH DOWN TO 40 MPH IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. I AM FORCED TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND LET IT RESET ITSELF. IT HAS ALWAYS MADE A WHINING NOISE DURING ACCELERATION, AND THE BRAKES HAVE SQUEAKED FROM DAY ONE. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO NISSAN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND WAS TRAVELING AT SPEED OF THE ROAD AND I WANTED TO MAKE A FULL STOP BUT I HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME! I PUSHED AND PUSHED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE NEVER BRAKE!! ALSO MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY!! THERE IS PHYSICAL AND BODILY DAMAGE TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME! ALSO MY CAR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)