2012 Nissan Maxima: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 107 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is air bags (28% of complaints).
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
107
owner complaints
2
fire reports
55,000
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
NHTSA crash testOverall ★★★★★Front ★★★★★Side ★★★★★Rollover ★★★★★
4-star NHTSA overall safety ratingNo recall campaignsWeak spot: air bags (28%)2 fire reports
Common problems
Computed from 107 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Air Bags (airbags and crash sensors)28% · 25 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)19% · 17 complaints
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)14% · 13 complaints
Engine (engine mechanics)10% · 9 complaints
Steering (steering wheel, rack, power assist)9% · 8 complaints
Seats6% · 5 complaints
“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 driving vehicle, a loud noise from front passenger tire, traction light come on, pulled to side and found wheel side ways and upon investigation, Ball Joint had come part damaging axle and wheel. Found no bolt for ball joint in place. Towed back to Don Franklin Nissan in Glasgow, KY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”Owner report · Power Train · Jun 2025
“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 not available. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 150,000. The vehicle was taken for Texas State Inspection and the VIN was entered on the Inspection Station website and the mileage of 246,450 was displayed.”Owner report · Electrical System · Aug 2024
“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 on the windshield, blocking the view and make it hard to see the road and vehicles. I had to use sunglasses to block this issue, but in some cases this will not improved and can make it worst. I had couple of near miss, and I have to stop driving my car at times to avoid this issue.”Owner report · Structure · Aug 2024
Show 7 more owner reports
“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 2023”Owner report · Air Bags · Dec 2023
“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 intermittently. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that it was a known issue, and that the front passenger's side seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2023
“Green wire burn throughout the entire wiring harness..From alternator to engine fuse box and also to inside fuse box.. Bypassing the blown fuses and/or relays!!”Owner report · Electrical System · Mar 2023
“The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately and started shuddering. The oil warning light, ABS, coolant temperature, and the ESP warning light were illuminated. Additionally, the driver's side window failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Feb 2023
“We are having issues with "melting" or "sticky dashboard of my 2014 Nissan Maxima. Difficult to see when is sunny outside.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Mar 2022
“Pressing door lock/unlock button on the door handles fails to lock/unlock all doors consistently. Rear door locks respond intermittently or not at all. Driver door often takes four button pushes to get it to unlock. Although it hasn't happened to me, I've heard other drivers mention difficulty getting into the gas cap (it locks when driver's door is locked). This issue has occurred in the last 6 months.”Owner report · Electrical System · Oct 2021
“The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary at a traffic light while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle started to hesitate. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired but was awaiting the repairs. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,200.”Owner report · Power Train · Jun 2021
When filing, owners marked a crash in 6 of these complaints and injuries in 7 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2012 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
Engines3.5L
Cylinders6
FuelGasoline
How other years compare
Check your exact Maxima by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Nissan Maxima reliable?
NHTSA has 107 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2012 Nissan Maxima. The most complained-about area is air bags (28% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2012 Nissan Maxima problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 55,000 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.