Is the 2012 Nissan Altima a bad year?
426 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 149, 15× a quiet Altima year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 70k–114k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 2 of 129 filed since 2016.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2012 Altima owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 94,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 149 (35%) | 70k–114k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 49 (12%) | 60k–125k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 72 (17%) | 54k–107k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Suspension | 17 (4%) | 77k–125k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 (1%) | 56k–112k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Stability control | 5 (1%) | 35k–111k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 57 (13%) | 29k–81k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Electrical system | 44 (10%) | 18k–86k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Body structure | 33 (8%) | 26k–85k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 20 (5%) | 6k–57k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 18 (4%) | 11k–72k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 17 (4%) | 2k–90k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 13 (3%) | 31k–89k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Seats | 7 (2%) | 1k–23k miles · mostly behind | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 94,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 426 complaints: 24 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 16 report an injury · 13 say the car was towed.
6 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
My 2012 Altima 2.5S has shut down transmission wise(CVT) and it will not speed up even when gas pedal is all the way to the floor!
Please note this is a safety hazard that occurs when the car is driving one the interstate or highway at 55-70 mph.
I have had the issues of losing power while driving my Altima at a speed of 60 MPH for longer than an hour I would lose all power .
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 94,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2012 Nissan Altima: 4
These vehicles may have been equipped with transverse link bolts and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to proper specification. 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.
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. The side curtain air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
The air bag control unit (ACU) was assembled incorrectly. 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.
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. If the bolt comes out completely, the driver may experience difficulty controlling the direction of the vehicle which could result in a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Nissan: 76
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2012 Nissan Altima. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Clicking noise from front or rear axle during take-off/acceleration
EVAP leak DTC P0442, P0455, P0456 information
DTC P0456 caused by EVAP leak at vent control valve o-ring
MIL on with DTC P2423 note
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Autoliv Air Bag Propellant Mixture
Neighbouring years
2011 Altima: 242 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2013 Altima: 2,314 complaints, consider selling.
Every Nissan Altima year
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Other Nissan models: Nissan 350Z · Nissan 370Z · Nissan Armada · Nissan Cube · Nissan Frontier · Nissan Juke · Nissan Kicks · Nissan Leaf · Nissan Maxima · Nissan Murano · Nissan Pathfinder · Nissan Quest · Nissan Rogue · Nissan Rogue Sport · Nissan Sentra · Nissan Titan · Nissan Titan XD · Nissan Versa · Nissan Versa Note · Nissan Xterra. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2012 Nissan Altima a bad year?
426 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 149, 15× a quiet Altima year. At 94,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 70k–114k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 2 of 129 filed since 2016.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Altima?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (149), speed control (49), engine (72), suspension (17), exterior lighting (5). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 70k–114k miles.
How many recalls does the 2012 Nissan Altima have?
4 recall campaigns list this model year: Suspension (NHTSA 12V-494), Air bags (NHTSA 12V-055), Air bags (NHTSA 11V-408), Suspension (NHTSA 11V-371). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.