2012 Nissan Maxima reliability
The 2012 Nissan Maxima has 107 complaints with NHTSA after 15 years, or 8 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Maxima years here — over the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has no recalls on file for this model year.
107
8
0
15
The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (27 of 107), then Electrical system (20) and Powertrain (18). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.
The 2013 Maxima has 62 complaints, 4 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.
The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 Nissan Maxima. How we count. Data as of .
Recalls (0)
No recalls on file with NHTSA for this model year.
Complaints by component (107 total)
Show 9 more Show less
6
2
5
0
Complaints filed per year
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
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"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 mileage on the title was…"
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"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 on [XXX], while…"
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"Since 2018 to present day. I been having difficulties with the visibility from my front windshield at sunny days. The dashboard has this sticky substance that make the dashboard really shinny, and reflect the sun light…"
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"Passenger airbag notifi action blinks and will not show it is activated to function in a crash. Airbag has never worked. Also driver seat belt keeps releasing without being pushed to open. Seat belt issue just began Dec…"
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"The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the passenger’s side air bag failed to turn on while the front passenger's side seat was occupied. The contact stated that the failure recurred…"
NHTSA crash ratings
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Nissan Maxima 4 DR FWD | 4 stars | 3 stars | 5 stars | 5 stars |
Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.
Fuel economy
| Trim | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Combined | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maxima | 3.5L, 6-cyl | Automatic (AV-S6) | Front-wheel drive | 19 | 26 | 22 MPG | $3650 |
Specs and fitment
Known issues for this generation
NHTSA campaign 19V654000. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility." The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash. Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Nissan Maxima reliable?
The 2012 Nissan Maxima has 107 complaints with NHTSA after 15 years, or 8 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Maxima years here — over the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has no recalls on file for this model year.
What are common problems with a 2012 Nissan Maxima?
The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (27 of 107), then Electrical system (20) and Powertrain (18). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.
Is the 2012 Nissan Maxima more reliable than the years next to it?
The 2013 Maxima has 62 complaints, 4 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.
Has the 2012 Nissan Maxima been recalled?
NHTSA has no recalls on file for the 2012 Nissan Maxima.
How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Nissan Maxima?
Owners have filed 107 complaints about the 2012 Nissan Maxima with NHTSA.
What mpg does a 2012 Nissan Maxima get?
EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Nissan Maxima is 22 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.
What oil does a Nissan Maxima take?
0W-20 for the 3.5L V6 across the A35 years covered here (2012-2023). Confirm the filler-cap grade.
What tire sizes does the Maxima use?
245/45R18 to 245/40R19 depending on trim.
What does NHTSA campaign 19V654000 cover involving the Maxima?
Certain 2018-2019 Maxima vehicles among many other Nissan and Infiniti models listed in the campaign — confirm open recalls by VIN for the exact component and remedy.