2012 Nissan Xterra problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (6) · Air Bags (4) · Engine (3)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Nissan Xterra model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (2)
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 (101)
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 101 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-06-21 · Tires:tread/Belt“was driving on highway with my children when a loud sound filled the cabin as if i had just runover something large. about a minute later we began hearing a thumping sounds and the car was losing momentum, and i suspected we had suffered a blow-out. the right rear passenger tire was shredded. because no one noticed anything in the roadway, i suspec…”
2024-01-25 · Fuel/Propulsion System“extreme smell of gas after filling gas tank while out of town. odor was so strong it required all windows to be down to drive without feeling affected by fumes and i was terrified that someone would fluck a cigarette out of a car somewhere, especially at a stop light, and cause an explosion. once the gas tank was only half full or less, the odor di…”
2024-01-25 · Power Train“clutch burnt out with 5 min between 1st incidence of barely slipping and total failure leaving me stranded on roadside with little notice and nowhere safe to pull off. …”
2024-01-25 · Power Train“1) rubber stopper under clutch pedal has failed multiple times, preventing vehicle from starting in various locations, usually parking lots and mostly after dark which presents potential safety concerns. this is a rubber part that allows vehicle to start only when clutch is depressed. i request that several/multiple of these be provided at no …”
2023-09-12 · Unknown Or Other“nissan states that they have no repair solution on nhtsa recall 23e-012 as of the date of this complaint. nissan states that this is a safety issue. the originally reported issue is allegedly >8 months old without resolution. this safety issue presents a clear and on-going danger and hazard to the vehicle driver. please escalate.…”
2023-07-10 · Air Bags“the contact owns a 2012 nissan xterra. 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 not…”
2023-05-15 · Air Bags“the contact owns a 2012 nissan xterra. 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 made aware of the issue. the contact had not …”
2022-02-27 · Engine“i recently had a diagnosis of radiator coolant mixing with transmission following my vehicle being towed bc i lost power while driving with no warning signs. i was given an estimate for repairs of $5000. i had the extended warranty but wasn't told of the radiator issues w xterra. my vehicle mileage is 128,000. just past the 100,000 mileage mark. i …”
2017-07-29 · Power Train · 47,291 mi“premature clutch failure on my manual transmission. less than 48000 miles on the odometer and the clutch is gone. this is far too little travel for the clutch to be failing at. degradation has advanced rapidly over a matter of weeks and days and now i fear having my family ride in the vehicle in case they becoming stranded or need to avoid a crash…”
2016-09-27 · Air Bags“i'm filing a complaint before i have an incident. i own a nissan xterra. many other nissan xterra owners have had spontaneous side curtain air bag deployment when traveling very slowly, generally on dirt roads. some of these deployments have caused injuries. the problem appears to be common on all 2nd generation nissan xterras (2006-2016). the fol…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.