Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
14–15 mpgcombined; city 12–13, highway 18–19; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$21,660–$23,200U.S. average; Ohio $19,350–$20,730 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 17 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Armada. 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
Service brakes
4
0
0
0
Structure
4
0
0
1
Electrical system
3
0
1
0
Fuel system, gasoline
3
0
0
0
Air bags
2
0
0
0
Unknown or other
2
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Equipment adaptive/mobility
1
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
Power train
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
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 1 recall campaign for the 2012 Armada 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 TITAN AND ARMADA VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 12, 2011, THROUGH MARCH 13, 2012. THE PART 567 CERTIFICATION LABELS ON THE VEHICLES DO NOT CONTAIN RIM SIZE INFORMATION. THUS, THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, “TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS.”
Risk: THE OMISSION OF THE RIM SIZE MAY LEAD TO AN INCORRECT TIRE/WHEEL COMBINATION WHICH MAY INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF A CRASH.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL SUPPLY OWNERS WITH A NEW LABEL AND INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW INSTALL THE LABEL OR THE OWNER WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF TAKING THEIR VEHICLE TO A NISSAN DEALER TO HAVE THE NEW LABEL INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 28, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-615-725-1000.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 104 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 Armada, the latest on Apr 13, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (27), electrical system (20), wheels (11), engine and engine cooling (10), fuel system (10).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
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 Armada.
EPA class: sport utility vehicle. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Armada Rear-Wheel Drive
5.6 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
13 / 19 / 15
Armada Rear-Wheel Drive
5.6 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 5-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
13 / 19 / 15
Armada 4-Wheel Drive
5.6 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
12 / 18 / 14
Armada 4-Wheel Drive
5.6 L, 8 cyl
Automatic 5-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
12 / 18 / 14
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