Reliable Auto DB

2012 Nissan Xterra reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Nissan Xterra over 15 years — 1 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Xterra years here — over the median of the other years, which is 1. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Hub and Engine and engine cooling.

2012 Nissan Xterra
Photo by Michael Sheehan, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0
Complaints

16

Per year

1

Recalls

2

Years on the road

15

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (6 of 16), then Air bags (4) and Engine (4).

Next to 2013

The 2013 Xterra has 4 complaints, 0 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 Xterra. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall suspension, front, hub 2012-09-20 · NHTSA campaign 12V462000
Summary 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.
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 Engine and engine cooling 2011-12-19 · NHTSA campaign 11V592000
Summary 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.
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.

Complaints by component (16 total)

Powertrain
6
Air bags
4
Engine
4
Fuel and propulsion system
1
Tires
1
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

320131201412015220161201712022320233202412026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Was driving on highway with my children when a loud sound filled the cabin as if I had just runover something large. About a minute later we began hearing a thumping sounds and the car was losing momentum, and I…"
    Tires · filed 2026-06-21
  • "Extreme smell of gas after filling gas tank while out of town. Odor was so strong it required all windows to be down to drive without feeling affected by fumes and I was terrified that someone would fluck a cigarette…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2024-01-25
  • "Clutch burnt out with 5 min between 1st incidence of barely slipping and total failure leaving me stranded on roadside with little notice and nowhere safe to pull off."
    Powertrain · filed 2024-01-25
  • "1) Rubber stopper under clutch pedal has failed multiple times, preventing vehicle from starting in various locations, usually parking lots and mostly after dark which presents potential safety concerns. This is a…"
    Powertrain · filed 2024-01-25
  • "Nissan states that they have no repair solution on NHTSA Recall 23E-012 as of the date of this complaint. Nissan states that this is a safety issue. The originally reported issue is allegedly >8 months old without…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2023-09-12

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2012 Nissan Xterra SUV 4WD Not rated Not rated Not rated 3 stars
2012 Nissan Xterra SUV RWD Not rated Not rated Not rated 3 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
Xterra two-wheel drive 4L, 6-cyl Automatic 5-speed Rear-wheel drive 16 22 18 MPG $3600
Xterra four-wheel drive 4L, 6-cyl Automatic 5-speed Four-wheel drive 15 20 17 MPG $3800
Xterra four-wheel drive 4L, 6-cyl Manual 6-speed Four-wheel drive 16 20 17 MPG $3800

Specs and fitment

Second generation (N50, final years), 2012–2015
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 full synthetic (oilchangediy listing for 2014) , 4.5 qt capacity
Tire size 265/70R16, 265/75R16

Known issues for this generation

Recall 11V-592 covers certain 2011-2012 Xterra (also Frontier, Pathfinder, and Infiniti models): engine oil cooler connector bolts can loosen and leak oil, which can lead to low oil pressure and engine seizure; dealers replace the bolts. Recall 12V-462 covers certain 2012 Xterra two-wheel-drive vehicles built in a short June– July 2012 window with front wheel hubs that may break; dealers replace left and right front hub assemblies.

Compare

See every Nissan Xterra model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Nissan Xterra reliable?

Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Nissan Xterra over 15 years — 1 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Xterra years here — over the median of the other years, which is 1. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Hub and Engine and engine cooling.

What are common problems with a 2012 Nissan Xterra?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (6 of 16), then Air bags (4) and Engine (4).

Is the 2012 Nissan Xterra more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Xterra has 4 complaints, 0 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 Nissan Xterra been recalled?

The 2012 Nissan Xterra has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Nissan Xterra?

Owners have filed 16 complaints about the 2012 Nissan Xterra with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 Nissan Xterra get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Nissan Xterra is 17.3 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a US Nissan Xterra use?

0W-20 full synthetic (oilchangediy listing for 2014) With filter, about 4.5 qt is commonly listed for this generation—confirm in the owner manual.

What tire sizes fit a US Nissan Xterra?

Published US specs commonly list front 265/70R16, 265/75R16 and rear 265/70R16, 265/75R16; confirm on the door jamb placard for your trim.

What NHTSA recalls affect the US Nissan Xterra?

Recall 11V-592 covers certain 2011-2012 Xterra (also Frontier, Pathfinder, and Infiniti models): engine oil cooler connector bolts can loosen and leak oil, which can lead to low oil pressure and engine seizure; dealers replace the bolts. Recall 12V-462 covers certain 2012 Xterra two-wheel-drive vehicles built in a short June– July 2012 window with front wheel hubs that may break; dealers replace left and right front hub assemblies.