2012 Nissan Altima recalls and problems

The 2012 Nissan Altima has 4 recalls and 426 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is power train.

How the 2012 compares

Average

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Average complaint count among 27 Altima model years — 12th most.

4recalls

426complaints

24crashes

2fires

26injuries

75,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

4 recalls

Steering

Oct 10, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V494000 · 13,919 vehicles

Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Altima vehicles manufactured from May 10, 2012, through July 26, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with transverse link bolts and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to proper specification.

Risk: The affected bolts could become loose and fall out which may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy & notes

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the bolts to the proper torque specifications. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2012. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Air Bags

Feb 14, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V055000 · 976 vehicles

Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 altima and versa vehicles. These vehicles May be equipped with side curtain air bags that contain an incorrect propellant mixture for the initiator component used, resulting in insufficient output of compressed gas.

Original NHTSA wording

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 ALTIMA AND VERSA VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS THAT CONTAIN AN INCORRECT PROPELLANT MIXTURE FOR THE INITIATOR COMPONENT USED, RESULTING IN INSUFFICIENT OUTPUT OF COMPRESSED GAS.

Risk: The side curtain air bags May not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.

Original NHTSA wording

THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy & notes

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace one or both side curtain air bag modules, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on March 12, 2012. Owners May contact Nissan customer service at 615-725-1000.

Customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Air Bags

Aug 9, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V408000 · 54 vehicles

Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 Nissan altima vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2011, through June 21, 2011 and model year 2012 Nissan nv vehicles manufactured from June 23, 2011, through June 28, 2011 because the air bag control unit (acu) was assembled incorrectly.

Original NHTSA wording

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 15, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 21, 2011 AND MODEL YEAR 2012 NISSAN NV VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 23, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 28, 2011 BECAUSE THE AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT (ACU) WAS ASSEMBLED INCORRECTLY.

Risk: The affected acu will not operate as designed and this issue May cause the air bags not to inflate in a crash when they are designed to inflate. This could increase the risk of injury.

Original NHTSA wording

THE AFFECTED ACU WILL NOT OPERATE AS DESIGNED AND THIS ISSUE MAY CAUSE THE AIR BAGS NOT TO INFLATE IN A CRASH WHEN THEY ARE DESIGNED TO INFLATE. THIS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy & notes

Nissan will replace the air bag control unit free of charge. The safety recall began on August 22, 2011. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Suspension

Jul 19, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V371000 · 20,000 vehicles

Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Nissan altima sedan vehicles manufactured from April 25, 2011, through June 10, 2011 at the canton, Mississippi plant. The transverse link bolt May not have been torqued to the proper specification. This condition could cause the bolt to become loose while the vehicle is being driven, creating a rattling noise and vibration.

Original NHTSA wording

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN ALTIMA SEDAN VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 25, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 10, 2011 AT THE CANTON, MISSISSIPPI PLANT. THE TRANSVERSE LINK BOLT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TORQUED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE BOLT TO BECOME LOOSE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, CREATING A RATTLING NOISE AND VIBRATION.

Risk: If the bolt comes out completely, the driver May experience difficulty controlling the direction of the vehicle which could result in a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE BOLT COMES OUT COMPLETELY, THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Nissan will replace the transverse link bolts and nuts and tighten them to the proper torque specification free of charge. The safety recall began on August 8, 2011. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Power Train149

Engine72

Air Bags57

Unknown or other56

Vehicle Speed Control49

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

Autoliv Air Bag Propellant Mixture

EQ12002 · opened Feb 14, 2012 · closed May 8, 2012

Summary

The summary for this investigation, labeled EQ12-002 Autoliv Closing Resume, can be found attached separately to this resume.This EQ is closed.

2012 vs. other Nissan Altima years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2012. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2012 Nissan Altima have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2012 Nissan Altima, the latest from Oct 10, 2012 (steering). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Altima?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention power train (149), engine (72), air bags (57). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.