2012 Nissan Versa Problems, Recalls & Reliability
673 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Nissan Versa, alongside 11 recall campaigns and 7 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 47,179 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2012 Nissan Versa sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2017–2022.
Avoid
Where 2012 sits among all Versa years
What owners report
“Takata recall - i received a notice from the dealer on 9/22/17 that says the air bag parts will not be received to fix my car until spring of 2018. So all of my passengers are at risk until that time.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Versa
“It won’t let me go over 30 without the rpm’s significantly increasing and transmission light is on”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Versa
“I took it in for repair,to the nissan co. But now the horn does not work, do i take it back or who is to fix the horn, it was working at first,”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Versa
“The transmission don't know what gear to be in when driving. When at a stop it tries to move back and then tries to move forward with your foot on the brakes.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Versa
“I have a 2012 nissan versa, my car won't start. Everything will turn over, but the engine. You wait a few and it might. I take the key out and put back in and it might start. It has to with the key and ignition switch!”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Versa
“I carry my family with me and in traffic the traction control light would come on and the car would loose power and not accelerate almost causing accidents I was told it was the speed sensors malfunctioning and the brakes would not work properly when trying to stop”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Versa
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 408 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 61,256 miles. Half of those reports fall between 34,600 and 79,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (11)
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain air bag inflator replacement service parts that may have been installed as part of a theft or collision repair. The parts include certain passenger-side air bag inflators designed to fit Infiniti…
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the inflators as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 14, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at…
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2011 Nissan Versa sedan vehicles and 2011-2012 Nissan Versa hatchback vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,…
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan…
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Versa Hatchback, and 2009-2011 Versa Sedan vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico,…
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at…
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Versa Hatchback vehicles that were sold or ever registered in the District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan,…
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front coil springs, free of charge. The recall began December 6, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. This…
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and 2007-2012 Versa Hatchback vehicles. The affected vehicles have a driver frontal air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term…
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the subject inflator with a new one manufactured by a different supplier, free of charge. The recall began on March 9, 2018. Owners may contact…
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Nissan Versa vehicles. Degradation of the side impact sensor connector pins may cause the curtain and seat-mounted air bags to deploy unexpectedly if the door is slammed.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a new jumper harness, and replace the side impact satellite sensors, free of charge. The recall began November 28, 2017. Owners may contact…
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Nissan Versa hatchbacks originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the…
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on June 8, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts…
Nissan (Nissan North America, Inc.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2012 Nissan Versa vehicles manufactured May 8, 2006, to November 12, 2012, that were sold or ever registered in the District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana,…
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front coil springs, free of charge. The recall began on February 2, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Nissan Versa sedan vehicles manufactured June 9, 2011, to March 11, 2015, and 2014-2015 Nissan Versa Note vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to March 11, 2015. The affected…
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will modify the console trim panel, free of charge. The recall began on September 14, 2015. 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.
Fix: 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…
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 VERSA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 9, 2011, THROUGH JANUARY 13, 2012 FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 114,”THEFT…
Fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE SHIFTER KNOB OR THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY AS NEEDED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MEARH 5, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Model years named: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Led to recall campaign 17V144000.
Led to recall campaign 15V573000.
Led to recall campaign 15V507000.
Technical service bulletins
157 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2012 Nissan Versa. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2012 Nissan Versa reliable?
The 2012 Nissan Versa drew 673 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2012).
What are the most common 2012 Nissan Versa problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Nissan Versa are airbags (169 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (163), and other (62).
At what mileage do 2012 Nissan Versa problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Nissan Versa problems around 61,256 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 34,600 and 79,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Nissan Versa have recalls?
11 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Nissan Versa. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.