2012 Nissan Frontier problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (19) · Air Bags (17) · Engine (8)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Nissan Frontier model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
65 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (3)
Electrical System:wiring:fuses And Circuit Breakers 2014-02-12 · campaign 14V052000 · 13,535 vehicles
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2012 through 2014 Frontier vehicles manufactured from November 28, 2012, through December 17, 2013. In the affected vehicles, a circuit breaker may have been installed incorrectly causing the main wire harness connected to the circuit breaker to face outward, potentially contacting a metal bolt located on the A-pillar.
Risk: The bolt may wear through the wire harness covering, resulting in an electrical short which could cause a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the circuit breaker orientation. If the circuit breaker orientation is incorrect, dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Suspension:front:hub 2012-09-20 · campaign 12V462000 · 2,417 vehicles
Defect: 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 specifications. A wheel hub that was manufactured below hardness specification may wear prematurely and eventually crack.
Risk: If the vehicle is driven in this condition, the wheel hub may break, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
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 Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
Engine And Engine Cooling 2011-12-19 · campaign 11V592000 · 14,718 vehicles
Defect: 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 THAT CONNECT THE ENGINE OIL COOLER AND THE ENGINE OIL FILTER TO THE ENGINE IN THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO BELOW SPECIFICATION STRENGTH. AS A RESULT, THE BOLT MAY BREAK AT THE OIL FILTER ATTACHMENT POINT AND CAN CAUSE AN ENGI
Risk: IF THERE IS AN ENGINE OIL LEAK, THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WOULD DROP AND THE ENGINE COULD SEIZE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
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.
Service bulletins (113)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Structure:body 2026-04-13 · NTB09-131C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
certification label and vin plate replacement service information because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “certification label” or “vin plate/label” may be needed. hint: certification label = fmvss (federal motor vehicle safety standards) label. these items may be availabl
Structure:body 2026-04-13 · NTB09-131C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
certification label and vin plate replacement service information because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “certification label” or “vin plate/label” may be needed. hint: certification label = fmvss (federal motor vehicle safety standards) label. these items may be availabl
Air Bags 2024-07-08 · NTB23-081C · Service Campaign
voluntary safety recall campaign 2005-2013 frontier, pathfinder, and xterra; driver air bag cover campaign id #: pc945 and pc948 applied vehicles: 2005-2013 frontier (d40) 2005-2012 pathfinder (r51) 2005-2013 xterra (n50) check service comm or dealer business systems (dbs) national service history t
Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB13-107G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB13-027D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
can communication – network diagnostic flow chart this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB10-066C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
can communication codes – diagnostic tips and guidelines this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Showing the 6 most recent of 113 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-07 · Engine“1. frequent repeated multiple breakdown and damages to all and any maf sensors, camshaft position sensors bank 2, vvt solenoid sensors as cause of short circuited and fire hazard high risk of ipdm and main loom wiring harnesses from careless, dangerous severe defective workmanship/installation/mounting of metal bolt and loom wiring together by the …”
2025-06-08 · Structure:body“i was sold the 2012 nissan frontier sl from lynne's nissan city in bloomfield, nj being told it was a safe vehicle and passed their inspection. after bringing it to my mechanic i was informed the frame was so rusted it was unsafe to drive. they are now trying to resell the vehicle not disclosing that information. …”
2025-04-20 · Electrical System“cd player will not play any cd's and my cd's are stuck inside. the radio only works intermittently and you can hear a sound like there is an electrical connection problem somewhere. this problem started about 2 months ago. i am presently in florida and have a long drive home back to pennsylvania. my cellphone # is [xxx] and my email is [xx…”
2024-05-10 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:crank/Camshaft Position Sensor · 179,002 mi“the contact owns a 2012 nissan frontier. the contact stated while driving at approximately 40 mph, the vehicle stalled. the contact stated that the steering was difficult to turn. the contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. the contact pulled over and stopped the vehicle. the contact shifted into park(p); however, severa…”
2024-05-03 · Air Bags“we were told about the recall, never got a recall letter in the mail. when we went to nissan, they said they couldn’t help us if only we had the recall letter.…”
2024-02-20 · Seat Belts · 83,333 mi“the contact owns a 2012 nissan frontier. the contact stated that while driving 40 mph in cold weather with the seat belt connected, the seat belt warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front passenger’s side seat belt assembly and the sensor needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not re…”
2023-11-14 · Air Bags“took vehicle to dealership for recall. air bag light on dashboard was flashing. dealer said air bag was ok and they did not go any further to find the problem. the light is still flashing, so i do not know if my air bags are safely operative. thank you very much.1031…”
2023-11-01 · Air Bags“the contact owns a 2012 nissan frontier. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 23e012000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the contact ha…”
2023-10-26 · Air Bags“the contact owns a 2012 nissan frontier. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 23e012000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that …”
2023-10-17 · Air Bags“the contact owns a 2012 nissan frontier. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 23e012000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the local dealer was not contacted. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was n…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.