2012 Nissan Xterra Problems, Recalls & Reliability
17 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Nissan Xterra, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 1/100 on the trouble index — too lightly reported for a fair score.
Few reports
Where 2012 sits among all Xterra years
What owners report
Recalls (2)
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra two-wheel drive vehicles manufactured from June 19, 2012, through July 12, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with front wheel hubs that may not meet the design hardness…
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replaced the left and right side front wheel hub assemblies free of charge. The safety recall began on October 22, 2012. Owners may contact Nissan…
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 INFINITI FX, MODEL YEAR 2012 INFINITI M, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN FRONTIER, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN XTERRA, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN PATHFINDER, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 NISSAN NV VEHICLES. SOME OF THE BOLTS…
Fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CONNECTOR BOLTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 30, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Technical service bulletins
101 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and wheels & tires — are on file for the 2012 Nissan Xterra. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 Xterra TSB list →
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 Xterra reliable?
The 2012 Nissan Xterra drew 17 complaints in federal safety records — too lightly reported for a fair score. Its trouble index is 1/100, scored against the model's worst year (2005).
What are the most common 2012 Nissan Xterra problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Nissan Xterra are transmission & drivetrain (6 complaints), engine (4), and airbags (4).
Does the 2012 Nissan Xterra have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Nissan Xterra. 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.