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2012 Nissan Altima Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2012 Nissan Altima, and owners have filed 426 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
426
owner complaints to NHTSA
24 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire
21–26
MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 2012 Nissan Altima

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Steering and suspension

    NHTSA 12V494000 Reported 13,919 vehicles potentially affected Nissan North America, Inc.

    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.

    Remedy: 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…

  2. Air bags: side/window

    NHTSA 12V055000 Reported 976 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    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.

    Remedy: 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…

  3. Air bags: sensor/control module-inactive

    NHTSA 11V408000 Reported 54 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

  4. Suspension

    NHTSA 11V371000 Reported 20,000 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    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,…

    Remedy: 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.

426 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2012 Nissan Altima have filed 426 complaints with NHTSA; 24 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 26 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 73,129 miles. Complaints peaked in 2018 with 69 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“am submitting a formal safety defect report regarding the steering system on my 2012 Nissan Altima Coupe. The vehicle exhibits a loose and unstable steering feel, accompanied by a distinct clunking im”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 22, 2026 · Steering

“Took the car to a repair shop to get an alignment. Was told that the frame rear cross member was so rusty that it needed to be replaced, and that if it broke while driving I would lose control of the”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 16, 2026 · Structure

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2012 Nissan Altima (Altima Coupe). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined21–26 mpg
City / Highway18–23 / 27–32
FuelRegular
EPA classMidsize Cars, Subcompact Cars
Engine4/6 cyl, 2.5/3.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic (AV-S6); Manual 6-spd

Compare Nissan Altima model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Nissan Altima model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1993 Nissan Altima1122
1994 Nissan Altima2106
1995 Nissan Altima3180
1996 Nissan Altima092
1997 Nissan Altima1108
1998 Nissan Altima0123
1999 Nissan Altima087
2000 Nissan Altima1160
2001 Nissan Altima1159
2002 Nissan Altima51,047
2003 Nissan Altima4883
2004 Nissan Altima1276
2005 Nissan Altima11,091
2006 Nissan Altima3824
2007 Nissan Altima3471
2008 Nissan Altima41,030
2009 Nissan Altima41,547
2010 Nissan Altima3381
2011 Nissan Altima1241
2012 Nissan Altima4426
2013 Nissan Altima122,312
2014 Nissan Altima81,114
2015 Nissan Altima10954
2016 Nissan Altima4553
2017 Nissan Altima3391
2018 Nissan Altima2226
2019 Nissan Altima7232
2020 Nissan Altima6158
2021 Nissan Altima270
2022 Nissan Altima030
2023 Nissan Altima029
2024 Nissan Altima141
2025 Nissan Altima27
2026 Nissan Altima01

Checking a specific 2012 Nissan Altima

How do I know if my 2012 Nissan Altima has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2012 Nissan Altima; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Nissan dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 11V371000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Nissan models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.