2012 Nissan Maxima Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 2012 Nissan Maxima, and owners have filed 107 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
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No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 2012 Nissan Maxima. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
107 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2012 Nissan Maxima have filed 107 complaints with NHTSA; 6 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 7 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 59,962 miles. Complaints peaked in 2018 with 19 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Nissan Maxima. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. The contact stated that the mileag”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 16, 2026 · Electrical system
“2012 Nissan Maxima with 94,000 miles began hesitating upon accelerating and jerking on [XXX]. Vehicle diagnosed at Don Franklin Nissan in Glasgow, KY with bad transmission. Transmission replaced. Then”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 1, 2025 · Power train
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2012 Nissan Maxima. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 22 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 19 / 26 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 3.5 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (AV-S6) |
Compare Nissan Maxima model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Nissan Maxima model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 4 |
| 1983 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 5 |
| 1984 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 30 |
| 1985 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 54 |
| 1986 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 60 |
| 1987 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 176 |
| 1988 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 60 |
| 1989 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 62 |
| 1990 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 106 |
| 1991 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 76 |
| 1992 Nissan Maxima | 2 | 110 |
| 1993 Nissan Maxima | 3 | 78 |
| 1994 Nissan Maxima | 2 | 89 |
| 1995 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 152 |
| 1996 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 96 |
| 1997 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 102 |
| 1998 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 113 |
| 1999 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 165 |
| 2000 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 360 |
| 2001 Nissan Maxima | 3 | 172 |
| 2002 Nissan Maxima | 6 | 205 |
| 2003 Nissan Maxima | 3 | 206 |
| 2004 Nissan Maxima | 2 | 1,426 |
| 2005 Nissan Maxima | 2 | 948 |
| 2006 Nissan Maxima | 2 | 576 |
| 2007 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 129 |
| 2008 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 79 |
| 2009 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 339 |
| 2010 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 275 |
| 2011 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 106 |
| 2012 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 107 |
| 2013 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 62 |
| 2014 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 96 |
| 2015 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 Nissan Maxima | 8 | 142 |
| 2017 Nissan Maxima | 4 | 103 |
| 2018 Nissan Maxima | 2 | 36 |
| 2019 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 18 |
| 2020 Nissan Maxima | 1 | 22 |
| 2021 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 3 |
| 2022 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 5 |
| 2023 Nissan Maxima | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 2012 Nissan Maxima
How do I know if my 2012 Nissan Maxima 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.
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.
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
- Altima15,472 complaints
- Pathfinder7,355 complaints
- Rogue7,322 complaints
- Murano5,958 complaints
- Sentra5,954 complaints
- Frontier3,357 complaints
- Versa3,325 complaints
- Titan3,264 complaints
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.