Please see attachment below
The worst 2012 Nissan Frontier problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags23
- Transmission20
- Engine14
- Body7
- Electrical7
- Acceleration5
- Seat belts5
- Suspension3
- Seats2
- Wheels2
- Fuel system1
- Locks1
- Steering1
- Tires1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2012 Nissan Frontier
Recalls 3
Electrical system: wiring: fuses and circuit breakers
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2012 through 2014 Frontier vehicles manufactured from November 28, 2012, through December 17, 2013. In the affected vehicles, a circuit breaker may have been installed incorrectly causing the main wire harness connected to the circuit breaker to face outward, potentially contacting a metal bolt located on the A-pillar.
- Risk
- The bolt may wear through the wire harness covering, resulting in an electrical short which could cause a fire.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the circuit breaker orientation. If the circuit breaker orientation is incorrect, dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 14V052000 · Recall details
Suspension: front: hub
- What is wrong
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra two-wheel drive vehicles manufactured from June 19, 2012, through July 12, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with front wheel hubs that may not meet the design hardness specifications. A wheel hub that was manufactured below hardness specification may wear prematurely and eventually crack.
- Risk
- If the vehicle is driven in this condition, the wheel hub may break, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replaced the left and right side front wheel hub assemblies free of charge. The safety recall began on October 22, 2012. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 12V462000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2011 infiniti fx, model year 2012 infiniti m, model year 2011-2012 nissan frontier, model year 2011-2012 nissan xterra, model year 2011-2012 nissan pathfinder, and model year 2012 nissan nv vehicles. Some of the bolts that connect the engine oil cooler and the engine oil filter to the engine in these vehicles may have been manufactured to below specification strength. As a result, the bolt may break at the oil filter attachment point and can cause an engine oil leak.
- Risk
- If there is an engine oil leak, the engine oil pressure would drop and the engine could seize, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector bolts free of charge. The safety recall began on january 30, 2012. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 11V592000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2012 Nissan Frontier 114
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Wiring harness repair information
- Certification label and VIN plate replacement service information
- VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN 2005-2013 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER, AND XTERRA; DRIVER AIR BAG COVER CAMPAIGN...
- CAN communication codes – diagnostic tips and guidelines
- CAN communication – network diagnostic flow chart
- Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
- Windshield cracking
- Removing foreign material from the window glass
- Window glass warranty information
- Diagnosis of vehicle pull (drift) and/or steering wheel off-center
2012 Nissan Frontier fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4‑cyl | RWD | 17-19 | 22-23 | 19-21 |
| 4.0L 6‑cyl | RWD | 15-16 | 20 | 17 |
| 4.0L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 14-16 | 19-20 | 16-17 |
What 2012 Nissan Frontier owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
1. Frequent repeated multiple breakdown and damages to all and any MAF sensors, camshaft position sensors bank 2, VVT solenoid sensors as cause of short circuited and fire hazard high risk of IPDM and main loom wiring harnesses from careless, dangerous severe defective workmanship/installation/mounting of metal bolt and loom wiring together by the A-frame on passenger side, below glove box, on side wall/fender close to passenger door. It appears the factory and Nissan installed backward circuit breaker also. The thick black wire (possibly power wire) and loom harness wiring are rubbing into each other causing possible big hole on the wire/loom insulation resulting to overheating of wire and short circuiting all or most wiring/loom harnesses of entire engine and engine bay. 2. The dangerous rubbing of wire and bolt is extremely dangerous fire risk/hazard also endangering lives of vehicle occupants and commuters on the road and posing danger to the public and city/State infrastructures. 3. Already reported/notified both Nissan Consumer Affairs and local Nissan Dealer on 10/6/2026 and both of them malicously refused and declined to recognize the defect, issue, risk, danger, problem. And they also refused to perform necessary repair. 4. Manufacturer Nissan declined and refused to recognize and acknowledge the serious high danger and defective product and severely flawed manufacturing/mounting/assembly. Local police process unknown. 5. Engine sputtering and resulted to inoperative condition on October 2026. Multiple sensors on bank 2 damaged/failed all at once at the same time indicative of serious IPDM compromised/defect and short circuited wires/loom connected to multiple sensors. Short circuit tracing using tracing device and multimeters confirmed damaged and affected electrical wires as result of Nissan manufacturer creation of unsafe and dangerous product. We, all of us,should be resolving/rectifying major serious problems that pose danger to lives of public
I was sold the 2012 Nissan Frontier SL from Lynne's Nissan City in Bloomfield, NJ being told it was a safe vehicle and passed their inspection. After bringing it to my mechanic I was informed the frame was so rusted it was unsafe to drive. They are now trying to resell the vehicle not disclosing that information.
CD player will not play any CD's and my CD's are stuck inside. The radio only works intermittently and you can hear a sound like there is an electrical connection problem somewhere. This problem started about 2 months ago. I am presently in Florida and have a long drive home back to Pennsylvania. My cellphone # is [XXX] and my email is [XXX] . My home address is as follows: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the steering was difficult to turn. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and stopped the vehicle. The contact shifted into park(P); however, several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the cam shaft sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred and had the cam shaft sensor replaced again. Additionally, the contact stated that the ignition key was no longer working and turning the ignition switch. The contact then drove the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the cam shaft sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle failure had reoccurred, and the vehicle was not taken back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 179,000.
We were told about the recall, never got a recall letter in the mail. When we went to Nissan, they said they couldn’t help us if only we had the recall letter.
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH in cold weather with the seat belt connected, the seat belt warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front passenger’s side seat belt assembly and the sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 89,333.
Took vehicle to dealership for recall. Air bag light on dashboard was flashing. Dealer said air bag was ok and they did not go any further to find the problem. The light is still flashing, so I do not know if my air bags are safely operative. Thank you very much.1031
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Frontier. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Frontier. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Compare the 2012 Nissan Frontier
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2012 Nissan Frontier
Is the 2012 Nissan Frontier reliable?
Owners have filed 80 complaints about the 2012 Nissan Frontier, 1.3 times a typical Frontier model year.
What is the 2012 Nissan Frontier year score?
The 2012 Nissan Frontier scores 63 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Nissan Frontier: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Nissan Frontier?
Airbags, with 23 complaints, typically around 46,250 miles. Next is transmission (20).
How many recalls does the 2012 Nissan Frontier have?
3 recalls, covering electrical system, suspension and engine and engine cooling.
What year does the Nissan Frontier have bad airbags?
The Nissan Frontier model years with the most airbags complaints are 2007 (38 complaints), 2006 (26 complaints) and 2012 (23 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2012 Nissan Frontier get?
Official estimates for the 2012 Nissan Frontier range from 16 to 21 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.5L 4-cyl, RWD) gets 17-19 city and 22-23 highway.
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