2012 Nissan Altima: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 575 complaints
575
Total Complaints
75,000mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN
Top Issue
39
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

35,000 25th Percentile
75,000 Median Mileage
105,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN
145
ENGINE
68
AIR BAGS
56
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
55
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
48
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
43
STRUCTURE:BODY
21
SERVICE BRAKES
17
SUSPENSION
16
VISIBILITY/WIPER
16

Severity Assessment

39
Crashes
5
Fires
39
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"ON 7-19-11I TOOK POSSESSION OF A NEW NISSAN ALTIMA AT SARATOGA NISSAN, MALTA, NY. SHORTLY AFTER THAT DATE I NOTICED THAT THE SEAT SELT AUDIBLE WARNING DEVICE WAS NOT WORKING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER 8-26-11 FOR REPAIR OF THAT COMPONENT BUT WAS TOLD, IN WRITING, THAT THIS VEHICLE "WAS NOT DESIGNED..."
"ALL NISSANS HAVE LOUD CLUNKING SOUND AT STARTUP AT AROUND 30 MILES PER HOUR. NISSAN SAYS IT IS THE ABS BRAKE TEST. VERY ANNOYING AND VERY LOUD. *KB"
"IF YOU LEAVE THE KEY OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AND IT IS TOUCHING THE VEHICLE THE PUSH BUTTON IGNITION WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THE KEY AND START THE VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL THE KEY MUST BE WITH YOU (INSIDE) IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THERE IS NO WARNING STATING OTHERWISE. THIS IS A PERSONAL SEC..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28