Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
The 2012 Nissan Altima has 426 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, most for transmission and drivetrain (149). It is rated 21 to 26 mpg combined on gasoline, with a 5-year fuel cost of $12,490 to $15,470 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 4 stars overall. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns that may apply, covering steering, suspension and air bags.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
21–26 mpgcombined; city 18–23, highway 27–31; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,490–$15,470U.S. average; Ohio $11,160–$13,820 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
Owners have filed 426 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Altima. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Power train
149
2
1
1
Engine
68
2
2
0
Air bags
57
14
0
16
Unknown or other
56
2
1
1
Vehicle speed control
49
3
0
0
Electrical system
44
0
1
0
Structure
33
3
0
1
Service brakes
17
2
0
1
Steering
17
5
0
3
Suspension
17
3
0
1
Visibility/wiper
16
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
10
1
0
0
13 more parts
Seats
7
0
0
1
Tires
6
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
5
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
5
1
0
4
Seat belts
5
2
0
8
Engine and engine cooling
4
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
3
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
3
1
0
2
Forward collision avoidance
2
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
2
0
0
0
Traction control system
2
0
0
0
Visibility
2
0
0
0
Wheels
2
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Altima over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
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.
Risk: The affected bolts could become loose and fall out which may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the bolts to the proper torque specifications. The safety recall is expected to begin during November 2012. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
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.
Risk: THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ONE OR BOTH SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG MODULES, AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 12, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 615-725-1000.
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.
Risk: THE AFFECTED ACU WILL NOT OPERATE AS DESIGNED AND THIS ISSUE MAY CAUSE THE AIR BAGS NOT TO INFLATE IN A CRASH WHEN THEY ARE DESIGNED TO INFLATE. THIS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 22, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
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.
Risk: IF THE BOLT COMES OUT COMPLETELY, THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL REPLACE THE TRANSVERSE LINK BOLTS AND NUTS AND TIGHTEN THEM TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 8, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 121 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 Altima, the latest on Apr 13, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (25), equipment (24), wheels (13), power train (12), engine and engine cooling (10).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Investigation EQ12002 Autoliv Air Bag Propellant Mixture · covers 5 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2012 Altima.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: subcompact cars. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Altima Front-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AV-S6)
Regular Gasoline
23 / 31 / 26
Altima Front-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
23 / 31 / 26
Altima Front-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (AV-S6)
Regular Gasoline
20 / 27 / 23
Altima Front-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (AV-S6)
Regular Gasoline
20 / 27 / 22
Altima Front-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
18 / 27 / 21
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data