The Used Car Index

2012 Nissan Frontier problems

NHTSA lists 78 complaints for the 2012 Nissan Frontier, 4 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 5 complaints mention an injury, with 8 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-08.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as NISSAN FRONTIER.

At a glance

Complaints
78
With crash
4
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
5
Injuries
8
Deaths
0
Recalls
3
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
14,718
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
113

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. The available sales group does not match this vehicle variant.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
AIR BAGS2329.5%
POWER TRAIN2025.6%
ENGINE1215.4%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER911.5%
STRUCTURE79.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM67.7%
SEAT BELTS56.4%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL56.4%
SUSPENSION33.8%
SEATS22.6%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
STRUCTUREBODY5
AIR BAGSPASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGENGINE1
SEATSFRONT ASSEMBLY1
STRUCTUREFRAME AND MEMBERS1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
mechanical failure2640.0%0.90
restraint or airbag1726.2%0.90
loss of control812.3%0.79
electrical electronic57.7%0.80
structural or corrosion46.2%0.98
fluid or fuel leak23.1%0.97
noise or comfort23.1%0.38
fire or overheating11.5%0.88
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate3350.8%0.80
low2741.5%0.70
high57.7%0.85

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 65 tagged complaints of 78 complaints (83.3%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

3 recalls.

14V052000

Date: 2014-02-12. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

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.

Consequence: The bolt may wear through the wire harness covering, resulting in an electrical short which could cause a fire.

Remedy: 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.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

12V462000

Date: 2012-09-20. Systems: SUSPENSION.

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.

Consequence: If the vehicle is driven in this condition, the wheel hub may break, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.

Remedy: 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.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

11V592000

Date: 2011-12-19. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.

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 (excerpt)

Consequence: IF THERE IS AN ENGINE OIL LEAK, THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WOULD DROP AND THE ENGINE COULD SEIZE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. (excerpt)

Remedy: 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. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

0 investigations; 0 open.

Manufacturer communications

113 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM23
EQUIPMENT20
AIR BAGS11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING11
WHEELS11
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE10
STEERING7
SUSPENSION7

11031704

Date: 2026-04-13. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement a Certification Labela or a VIN Plate/Labela may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be

11031705

Date: 2026-04-13. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement a Certification Labela or a VIN Plate/Labela may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be

11007001

Date: 2024-07-08. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: AIR BAGS.

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

11004960

Date: 2024-05-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

CAN COMMUNICATION CODES a DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

11004961

Date: 2024-05-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

CAN COMMUNICATION a NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

11004962

Date: 2024-05-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

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.

11001191

Date: 2024-04-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: VISIBILITY/WIPER.

WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

11001194

Date: 2024-04-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: VISIBILITY/WIPER.

REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

11001201

Date: 2024-04-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: VISIBILITY/WIPER.

WINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

10243708

Date: 2023-09-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STEERING.

DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
FRONTIER78

Same model, other years

All model years | All Nissan models

Other Nissan models, 2012

Sources

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