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#BS-2012-NISALT-73F4

2012 Nissan Altima

Based on reports from 575 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
575
Crashes
39
Fires
5
Recalls
4
TSBs
119
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 575 complaints, 39 crashes, 5 fires, and 4 recalls. Complaint rate is 6.2x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

speed reduced could not increase

38 complaints • Severity 9.2/10

$X,XXX
2

transmission failure

22 complaints • Severity 9.1/10

$X,XXX
3

severe hesitation when acceleration from stop

10 complaints • Severity 8.4/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the DrivetrainHIGH

145 owners reported drivetrain issues — failures commonly reported around 75K miles.

!Inspect the EngineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

92
0–30K
69
30–60K
89
60–90K
98
90–120K
44
120–150K
24
150K+

Peak failure range: 90–120K miles (98 reports) • Median: 75K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Drivetrain (145 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Drivetrain145 (25%)
Engine72 (13%)
Airbags56 (10%)
Other55 (10%)
Speed Control48 (8%)
Electrical43 (7%)
Structure:body21 (4%)
Brakes20 (3%)

2012 Nissan Altima: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 25% of all reports filed for the 2012 Nissan Altima, with 145 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 75,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 75K-mile mark.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2012 Nissan Altima, with 72 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2012 Nissan Altima, with 56 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2012 Nissan Altima, with 48 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

5
11
25
12
22
13
43
14
60
15
49
16
58
17
90
18
84
19
59
20
29
21
16
22
16
23
10
24
9
25

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2012 Nissan Altima. Recent trend: stable.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (4 recalls)

11V371000Aug 2011

SUSPENSION

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.

11V408000Aug 2011

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE

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.

12V055000Mar 2012

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

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.

12V494000Nov 2012

SUSPENSION

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

The worst model year for the Nissan Altima is the 2013 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2012 Nissan Altima vs. Class Average (Subcompact Cars)

This vehicle

575

Class avg

93

6.2x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical subcompact cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 575 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Nissan Altima Model Years

202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993
View all Nissan Altima years →

2012 Nissan Altima: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2012 Nissan Altima?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2012 Nissan Altima is related to the drivetrain, with 145 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2012 Nissan Altima reliable?
The 2012 Nissan Altima has 575 complaints, 39 crash reports, and 5 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 6.2x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2012 Nissan Altima problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2012 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
Yes, the 2012 Nissan Altima has 4 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Nissan Altima problems start?
Based on 416 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 75,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 575 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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