Is the 2012 Nissan Versa a bad year?
486 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 163, 16× a quiet Versa year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 49k–90k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 6 of 110 filed since 2016.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2012 Versa 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 70,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 167 (34%) | 20k–79k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 163 (34%) | 49k–90k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 53 (11%) | 37k–72k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Speed control | 33 (7%) | 20k–80k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Suspension | 28 (6%) | 48k–76k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Steering | 24 (5%) | 10k–73k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Electrical system | 34 (7%) | 23k–67k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 32 (7%) | 13k–67k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Body structure | 18 (4%) | 25k–59k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 15 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 10 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Stability control | 10 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 8 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Wheels | 6 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
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 70,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 486 complaints: 40 mention a crash · 6 mention a fire · 24 report an injury · 20 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Jan 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
I bought the 2012 versa new and now that it has around 70000 the transmission is going out.
Front coil springs are cracked, transmission CVT slips and I have to depress accelerator to be able to change gears.
While driving at 65MPH on highway, my car started jerking and felt like it was losing power. While driving on the streets it also feels like it loses power.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 70,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2012 Nissan Versa: 11
The parts include certain passenger-side air bag inflators designed to fit Infiniti 2002-2003 QX4, 2006-2010 M35 and M45; Nissan 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, and both driver and passenger-side inflators designed to fit 2007-2012 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback vehicles. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Road salt may corrode the front coil springs, possibly resulting in the coil springs fracturing. If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.
The affected vehicles have a driver frontal air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to moderate absolute humidity, temperatures, and temperature cycling. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Degradation of the side impact sensor connector pins may cause the curtain and seat-mounted air bags to deploy unexpectedly if the door is slammed. If the curtain and seat-mounted air bags inadvertently deploy, it can increase the risk of injury.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Road salt may corrode the front coil springs, possibly resulting in the coil springs fracturing. If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.
The affected vehicles have a center console trim panel that may catch the driver's shoe and delay the transition from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal. A delay in the application of the brake pedal would lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increase the risk of a 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.
Due to interference between the shifter rod and the shift knob, the vehicles may be shifted out of the park position without depressing the brake pedal. The operator can inadvertently shift the vehicle into gear without the brake pedal being depressed, increasing the risk of a crash or injury to a nearby pedestrian.
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: 96
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2012 Nissan Versa. 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
CVT oil leak diagnosis using fluorescent dye
NHTSA defect investigations: 7
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Inadvertent Curtain and Seat Air Bag
Front Coil Spring Fracture
Pedal Operation Interference
Pedal Operation Interference
Neighbouring years
2011 Versa: 269 complaints, keep it · 2013 Versa: 204 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Nissan Versa year
2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · All Versa years side by side
Other Nissan models: Nissan 350Z · Nissan 370Z · Nissan Altima · 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 Note · Nissan Xterra. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2012 Nissan Versa a bad year?
486 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 163, 16× a quiet Versa year. At 70,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 49k–90k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 6 of 110 filed since 2016.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Versa?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: air bags (167), transmission and drivetrain (163), engine (53), speed control (33), suspension (28). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 49k–90k miles.
How many recalls does the 2012 Nissan Versa have?
11 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 22E066000), Air bags (NHTSA 18V-401), Air bags (NHTSA 18V-044), Suspension (NHTSA 17V-637) and more. 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.