2012 Nissan FRONTIER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2012 Nissan FRONTIER has 98 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (23% of all complaints), specifically: myself and one passenger were off-roading in my 2012 frontier pro-4x going over a bumpy surface and without warning the side airbags went off! luckily no one was injured, but we both got quite a scare due to the noise and lack of visibility. there is no damage to the front end nor were we at any deg.

5 crash reports 9 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

23 complaints

23%

• MYSELF AND ONE PASSENGER WERE OFF-ROADING IN MY 2012 FRONTIER PRO-4X GOING OVER A BUMPY SURFACE AND WITHOUT WARNING THE SIDE AIRBAGS WENT OFF! LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT WE BOTH GOT QUITE A SCARE DUE TO THE NOISE AND LACK OF VISIBILITY. THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END NOR WERE WE AT ANY DEG
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE DEALER REFE
• DRIVING ON STRAIGHT HIGHWAY I DRIVE EVERY DAY AND BOTH CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOY WITHOUT IMPACT. *TR

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

“MYSELF AND ONE PASSENGER WERE OFF-ROADING IN MY 2012 FRONTIER PRO-4X GOING OVER A BUMPY SURFACE AND WITHOUT WARNING THE SIDE AIRBAGS WENT OFF! LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT WE BOTH GOT QUITE A SCARE DUE TO THE NOISE AND LACK OF VISIBILITY. THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END NOR WERE WE AT ANY DEG”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

20 complaints

20%

• WITHOUT MUCH WARNING SIGNS OR WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT, ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING AND MADE A HORRIBLE NOISE. AFTER INSPECTION BY THE SHOP, ALL SIX BOLTS ATTACHING THE FRONT DRIVE TO THE TRANSFER BOX WERE GONE. THE PARTS WENT LOOSE CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE UNDERNEATH THE TRACK, WHICH WAS
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE FRONT END VIBRATED AS THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE LINE BOLTS WERE SEPARATED AND CAUSED THE FRONT DRIVER'
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN JERKIN VIOLENTLY AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO BOUNCE OFF A SIDE RAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO ADVISED THAT THE ELECTRIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“WITHOUT MUCH WARNING SIGNS OR WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT, ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING AND MADE A HORRIBLE NOISE. AFTER INSPECTION BY THE SHOP, ALL SIX BOLTS ATTACHING THE FRONT DRIVE TO THE TRANSFER BOX WERE GONE. THE PARTS WENT LOOSE CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE UNDERNEATH THE TRACK, WHICH WAS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

13 complaints

13%

• DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE A/C STOPPED WORKING THEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE NEXT DAY WENT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THIS WAS THE FOURTH ENGINE THAT HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM. THE ENGINE HAS TO BE CHANGE AND I WAS 300 MILES AWAY FROM HOME. LOOSING MONEY AND TIME. *TR
• AGAIN! WHILE TRAVELING APX 55 MPH, VEHICLE LOST POWER, ENGINE SURGING, SPUTTERING, SOME WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH ILLUMINATED. WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND DRIVE ANOTHER MILE OR 2. NO LUCK. VEHICLE WAS TOWED 80 PLUS MILES BACK TO DEALER. ANOTHER CRANK POSITION REPLACED AND PROBLEM WAS FIXED FOR NOW, THIS IS
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN JERKIN VIOLENTLY AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO BOUNCE OFF A SIDE RAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO ADVISED THAT THE ELECTRIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE A/C STOPPED WORKING THEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE NEXT DAY WENT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THIS WAS THE FOURTH ENGINE THAT HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM. THE ENGINE HAS TO BE CHANGE AND I WAS 300 MILES AWAY FROM HOME. LOOSING MONEY AND TIME. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

9 complaints

• SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SEPT., 2014, AND MAY 2015. MY AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING. WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JANUARY, 2015. PROBLEM IS A FAULTY A/C CLUTCH. UNFORTUNATELY, CLUTCH AND COMPRESSOR ARE ONE UNIT. NISSAN OF NORTH AMERICA SAID NISSAN DEALER HAD TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM FOR THEM TO MAKE A DECISION, S
• I FIRST NOTICED THE INCIDENT TODAY IN A DOWNTOWN AREA, SPEED OF 35 MPH. UPON REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR THE RPM DROPPED TO 1000, NOT LOWER, AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE AT THE 35 MPH. AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY I WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE EVENT. AS I ENTERED OUR STREET I BRAKED REDUCIN
• THE 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER HAS A RUBBER GROMMET ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL WHICH TRIGGERS SAFTEY SWITCH. THE GROMMET GOES BAD AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. CANNOT BE JUMPED. MUST BE TOWD OR FIXED ON THE SPOT. THESE GROMMETTS GO BAD IN 15,000 MILES AND IT COST 15.00 FOR A NEW ONE. YOU CANNOT MAINTAIN A PIEC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SEPT., 2014, AND MAY 2015. MY AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING. WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JANUARY, 2015. PROBLEM IS A FAULTY A/C CLUTCH. UNFORTUNATELY, CLUTCH AND COMPRESSOR ARE ONE UNIT. NISSAN OF NORTH AMERICA SAID NISSAN DEALER HAD TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM FOR THEM TO MAKE A DECISION, S”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

7 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT HEAD REST COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED. THE HEAD REST WAS POSITIONED DOWNWARD, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S HEAD TO BE FORCED TO LOOK DOWN. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE HEAD RE
• ON THE WEEKEND SEPTEMBER 17 2016 A RED AIR BAG LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD WAS AND IS BLINKING INTERMITTENT. I CALLED THREE NISSAN DEALERS AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT IS MOST LIKELY THE OCS SENSOR. UPON ASKING ABOUT THE RECALL ON NISSAN OCS SENSOR I WAS TOLD THAT THE FRONTIER WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. WE
• THE SEATBELT HAS BEEN REPLACE TWO TIME AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL ON, NOW YOU GOT TO REPLACE THE SEAT CUSION THIS COST 1766.67, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ME AND MY WIFE WAS IN LAKE CITY S.C. ON HW 52 AND THE AIR BAG STARTING FLASHING FOR THE SECOND TIME.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT HEAD REST COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED. THE HEAD REST WAS POSITIONED DOWNWARD, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S HEAD TO BE FORCED TO LOOK DOWN. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE HEAD RE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 98 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: MYSELF AND ONE PASSENGER WERE OFF-ROADING IN MY 2012 FRONTIER PRO-4X GOING OVER A BUMPY SURFACE AND WITHOUT WARNING THE SIDE AIRBAGS WENT OFF! LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT WE BOTH GOT QUITE A SCARE DUE TO THE NOISE AND LACK OF VISIBILITY. THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END NOR WERE WE AT ANY DEG
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: WITHOUT MUCH WARNING SIGNS OR WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT, ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING AND MADE A HORRIBLE NOISE. AFTER INSPECTION BY THE SHOP, ALL SIX BOLTS ATTACHING THE FRONT DRIVE TO THE TRANSFER BOX WERE GONE. THE PARTS WENT LOOSE CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE UNDERNEATH THE TRACK, WHICH WAS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE A/C STOPPED WORKING THEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE NEXT DAY WENT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THIS WAS THE FOURTH ENGINE THAT HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM. THE ENGINE HAS TO BE CHANGE AND I WAS 300 MILES AWAY FROM HOME. LOOSING MONEY AND TIME. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SEPT., 2014, AND MAY 2015. MY AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING. WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JANUARY, 2015. PROBLEM IS A FAULTY A/C CLUTCH. UNFORTUNATELY, CLUTCH AND COMPRESSOR ARE ONE UNIT. NISSAN OF NORTH AMERICA SAID NISSAN DEALER HAD TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM FOR THEM TO MAKE A DECISION, S
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)