2012 Nissan Versa Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2012 Nissan Versa.

20112013
Complaints
672
per 10K Sold
54.0
US Sales
124,517
Crashes
65
Fires
11
Injuries
41
Fatalities
1
Recalls
10

Worst 2012 Nissan Versa Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1165 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:52,413 mi
Crash-related:28
Fires:1
#2160 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:74,407 mi
Crash-related:4
Fires:1
#350 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:59,634 mi
Crash-related:2
Fires:2
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2012 Nissan Versa.

Airbags
165
complaints
Crashes
28
Fires
1
Avg Miles
52,413
Transmission / Drivetrain
160
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
1
Avg Miles
74,407
Engine Problems
50
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Avg Miles
59,634
Unintended Acceleration
32
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
47,051
Electrical Faults
30
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
3
Avg Miles
43,474
Brakes
29
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
1
Avg Miles
56,061
Suspension Failures
26
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
61,908
Steering Defects
24
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Avg Miles
35,499
Fuel System
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
72,036
Body Structure
13
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
41,388
Electronic Stability Control
10
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
69,516
Headlight/Taillight Failures
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
34,103
Wheel Issues
6
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
34,400
Seat Belt Issues
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
37,705
Wipers & Visibility
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine & Cooling
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Clockspring/Spiral Cassette
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Instrument Cluster
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Horn
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structure:Body:Door
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Tire Defects
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Visibility
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Side/Window
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Ignition
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2012 Nissan Versa. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2012 Nissan Versa

10 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,435,544 vehicles.

18V401000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~104,762 affected

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, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Nissan is also recalling 2010-2011 Nissan Versa sedan vehicles and 2010-2012 Nissan Versa hatchback vehicles ever registered in the states of ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

18V044000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~52,614 affected

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, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Nissan is recalling certain 2009-2010 Versa Hatchback, and Versa Sedan vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Nissan is also recalling certain 2009 Versa Hatchback and Versa Sedan vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

17V637000Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs
~1,119 affected

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, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Road salt may corrode the front coil springs, possibly resulting in the coil springs fracturing.

17V449000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~515,394 affected

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 exposure to moderate absolute humidity, temperatures, and temperature cycling.

17V144000Air Bags:side/window
~54,751 affected

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.

17V028000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~152,554 affected

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 Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A". Additionally, if not included in "Zone A" above, Nissan is recalling certain 2009-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45 and 2009 Nissan Versa sedans and hatchbacks originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B". Additionally, if not included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Nissan is recalling certain 2005-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45, 2006-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45, and 2007-2008 Nissan Versa vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

15V573000Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs
~218,019 affected

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, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Road salt may corrode the front coil springs, possibly resulting in the coil springs fracturing.

15V507000Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:pedals And Linkages
~298,747 affected

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 vehicles have a center console trim panel that may catch the driver's shoe and delay the transition from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal.

12V055000Air Bags:side/window
~976 affected

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.

12V032000Power Train:manual Transmission:shift Pattern Indicator
~36,608 affected

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 PROTECTION.” DUE TO INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE SHIFTER ROD AND THE SHIFT KNOB, THE VEHICLES MAY BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL.

Other Nissan Versa Years

2012 Nissan Versa — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2012 Nissan Versa reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2012 Nissan Versa has 672 NHTSA complaints, 65 crash-related, and 10 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 165 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2012 Nissan Versa?
Top reported problems: Airbags (165 complaints, avg 52,413 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (160 complaints, avg 74,407 mi); Engine Problems (50 complaints, avg 59,634 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2012 Nissan Versa?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 58,290 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2012 Nissan Versa?
NHTSA complaints for the 2012 Nissan Versa include 65 crash-related reports, 11 fire reports, 41 injuries, and 1 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2012 Nissan Versa have any recalls?
Yes — 10 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,435,544 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2012 Nissan Versa?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (airbags) and verify open recalls have been addressed.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Nissan Versa reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

Check Your Specific 2012 Nissan Versa

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