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2012 Nissan Frontier

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2012 Nissan Frontier do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 64.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

65 reports with mileage · 13 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

23 reports
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65,000 miles · Nov 19, 2017
Air BagsUnknown Or Other

TAKATA RECALL - RECEIVED MAIL TELLING US ABOUT THE RECALL ON AIR BAGS. WILL BE TAKING INTO HAVE FIXED OR REPLACED

NHTSA ODI #11047262

158,000 miles · Sep 14, 2017
Air BagsSeat Belts

THE SEATBELT HAS BEEN REPLACE TWO TIME AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL ON, NOW YOU GOT TO REPLACE THE SEAT CUSION THIS COST 1766.67, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ME AND MY WIFE WAS IN LAKE CITY S.C. ON HW 52 AND THE AIR BAG STARTING FLASHING FOR THE SECOND TIME.

NHTSA ODI #11023555

46,250 miles · Jul 26, 2017
Air BagsCrashInjury

I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND WHILE COMPLETELY STOPPED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN ON A CITY STREET. THE CAR THAT HIT ME, A 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA, WAS TRAVELLING, I BELIEVE, BETWEEN 45-50 MPH. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED. THE AIRBAG IN MY 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER DID NOT DEPLOY. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS NORMAL, BUT NISSAN WILL NOT COMMENT. WITHIN A…

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I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND WHILE COMPLETELY STOPPED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN ON A CITY STREET. THE CAR THAT HIT ME, A 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA, WAS TRAVELLING, I BELIEVE, BETWEEN 45-50 MPH. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED. THE AIRBAG IN MY 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER DID NOT DEPLOY. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS NORMAL, BUT NISSAN WILL NOT COMMENT. WITHIN A WEEK OF THE ACCIDENT, I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FROM NISSAN REGARDING THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT NOT BEING CALIBRATED PROPERLY. I FIND IT STRANGE THAT NISSAN WILL NOT COMMENT ON NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG, YET SENDS ME A RECALL NOTICE FOR AN OUT OF CALIBRATION AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT.

NHTSA ODI #11010841

105,549 miles · Jul 8, 2017
Air Bags

AIRBAG LIGHT ON SCANNED CODE B1035 CRASH SENSOR FAILED INSPECTED =DECAYED HOUSING

NHTSA ODI #11003775

56,000 miles · Feb 16, 2017
Air Bags

AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING. IT WAS PUT ON A MACHINE AND THE CODE IS B1134, L/F SIDE MODULE IS OPEN. MECHANIC SAYS IT MEANS IF I GET IN AN ACCIDENT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WON'T GO OFF.

NHTSA ODI #10955041

45,600 miles · Sep 20, 2016
Air BagsSeat Belts

ON THE WEEKEND SEPTEMBER 17 2016 A RED AIR BAG LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD WAS AND IS BLINKING INTERMITTENT. I CALLED THREE NISSAN DEALERS AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT IS MOST LIKELY THE OCS SENSOR. UPON ASKING ABOUT THE RECALL ON NISSAN OCS SENSOR I WAS TOLD THAT THE FRONTIER WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. WE FEEL THAT THE OCS SENSOR ON A…

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ON THE WEEKEND SEPTEMBER 17 2016 A RED AIR BAG LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD WAS AND IS BLINKING INTERMITTENT. I CALLED THREE NISSAN DEALERS AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT IS MOST LIKELY THE OCS SENSOR. UPON ASKING ABOUT THE RECALL ON NISSAN OCS SENSOR I WAS TOLD THAT THE FRONTIER WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. WE FEEL THAT THE OCS SENSOR ON ANY NISSAN VEHICLE SHOULD BE ON THE RECALL LIST,NO MATTER WHERE THE FRONTIER WAS MANUFACTURED. THE RED BLINKING LIGHT CAME ON AS WE WERE GOING HOME. AFTER I WAS TOLD THAT THE FRONTIER WAS ON THE LIST I WAS INFORMED THAT THE SENSOR WOULD COST ME $1180.00 WE FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT RIGHT OR FAIR.

NHTSA ODI #10908315

43,000 miles · Aug 25, 2016
Air BagsElectrical SystemInjury

SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON WHILE DRIVING 5-10 MPH ON FLAT ROAD. ALMOST KNOCKED ME OUT AND LEFT ME CONFUSED FOR AWHILE, AND CAUSED MY EARS TO RING ALL DAY. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA SENT SOME SORT OF REP TO LOCAL DEALER TO DOWNLOAD DATA FROM THE TRUCK TO DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENED. THEY THEN TOLD ME THAT "THE CONDITIO…

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SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON WHILE DRIVING 5-10 MPH ON FLAT ROAD. ALMOST KNOCKED ME OUT AND LEFT ME CONFUSED FOR AWHILE, AND CAUSED MY EARS TO RING ALL DAY. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA SENT SOME SORT OF REP TO LOCAL DEALER TO DOWNLOAD DATA FROM THE TRUCK TO DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENED. THEY THEN TOLD ME THAT "THE CONDITIONS WERE NOT MET" FOR AIRBAGS TO HAVE DEPLOYED. THEY REPLACED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM AND RETURNED IT TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION AT NO COST TO MYSELF. OTHER THAN THAT THEY DECLINED MULTIPLE TIMES TO HELP ME IN ANYWAY TO GET INTO ANOTHER NISSAN VEHICLE, I WAS WILLING TO STAY WITH NISSAN IF THEY WOULD HAVE WORKED WITH ME AND BOUGHT IT BACK AND/OR GOT ME INTO A NEWER FRONTIER. I WAS WILLING TO DO THIS BECAUSE APPARENTLY THE 2011 AND 2012 MODEL FRONTIERS ARE THE ONLY ONES EXPERIENCING THIS DEFECT, AS A RESULT OF THEIR ROLLOVER ANTICIPATION SOFTWARE WHICH FIRES THE CURTAIN AIRBAGS WHEN IT "THINKS" THAT A ROLLOVER IS EMINENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR FRONTIER WITH ONE INCIDENT RESULTING IN PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS FOR THE CHILDREN THAT WERE IN THE FRONTIER. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST NISSAN OF NORTH AMERICA FOR THIS ISSUE THAT WAS STARTED BY ONE OF THE VICTIMS TO THIS NEGLIGENCE. APPARENTLY NISSAN KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT AT ALL. THEY ALSO APPARENTLY REFUSED TO REPAIR SOME OF THE AIRBAGS IN SOME OF THESE INCIDENTS IN THE LAWSUIT. NOT HAPPY WITH NISSAN ALLOWING THIS VEHICLE TO STAY ON THE ROAD SINCE IT ALLOWS FOR A DANGEROUS POSSIBILITY FOR THIS TO HAPPEN ON A BUSY ROAD WITH OTHERS AROUND, AND FOR THE OCCUPANTS OF THE FRONTIER MENTIONED. NOT HAPPY AND WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO GET LEGAL COUNSEL TO HELP ME. *DSY - SEE 10896442.

NHTSA ODI #10898639

43,000 miles · Aug 16, 2016
Air BagsInjury

SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS WRONGFULLY DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 5-10 MPH, WITH NO CRASH, AND ON A FLAT ROAD. CREATING AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD AROUND ME. THIS TRUCK HAS FAULTY PROGRAMMING THAT CONTROLS THESE AIRBAGS. THEY STATE THAT, INSTEAD OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYING IN A CRASH, THEY A…

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SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS WRONGFULLY DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 5-10 MPH, WITH NO CRASH, AND ON A FLAT ROAD. CREATING AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD AROUND ME. THIS TRUCK HAS FAULTY PROGRAMMING THAT CONTROLS THESE AIRBAGS. THEY STATE THAT, INSTEAD OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYING IN A CRASH, THEY ARE PROGRAMMED TO "ANTICIPATE" A CRASH AND THEN DEPLOY. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA SENT AN ENGINEER TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DOWNLOAD DATA FROM THE TRUCK TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, AND I ONLY RECEIVED LIMITED DATA UPON MY REQUEST. THEY SENT ME A FEW PAGES OF "HIGH FREQUENCY DATA" CHARTED IN COLUMNS WITH THE FIRST PAGE CONTAINING "FRONTAL DELTA-V" AND "LATERAL DELTA-V", THE SECOND PAGE WITH "FRONTAL G" AND "LATERAL G", AND THE THIRD PAGE WITH "VEHICLE SPEED" AND "ENGINE REVOLUTION". *DSY - SEE 10898639.

NHTSA ODI #10896442

50,000 miles · Apr 27, 2016
Air Bags

PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUALLY FLASHES WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE INDICATING AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP ADJUSTED SEAT BELT TENSION WHICH TEMPORARILY ( 2 WEEKS) FIXED ISSUE. DEALERSHIP NOW RECOMMENDS A NEW PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM CUSHION TO REMEDY PROBLEM AT OWNER EXPENSE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL ISSUE. …

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PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUALLY FLASHES WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE INDICATING AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP ADJUSTED SEAT BELT TENSION WHICH TEMPORARILY ( 2 WEEKS) FIXED ISSUE. DEALERSHIP NOW RECOMMENDS A NEW PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM CUSHION TO REMEDY PROBLEM AT OWNER EXPENSE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL ISSUE. IN REGARD TO THIS PROBLEM, NISSAN AND/OR SUB~CONTRACTORS PROVIDING SEAT CUSHIONS SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL SERVICE AND PARTS AND ANY ACCIDENTS AND/OR INJURIES INCURRED WHEN AIR BAG IS NOT DEPLOYED.

NHTSA ODI #10861860

45,000 miles · Aug 5, 2014
Air Bags

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND MAY NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10619144

Official recalls

3

14V052000 · Electrical System:wiring:fuses And Circuit Breakers

Feb 12, 2014

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 & remedy

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.

12V462000 · Suspension:front:hub

Sep 20, 2012

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 & remedy

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.

11V592000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Dec 19, 2011

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 ENGINE OIL LEAK.

Consequence & remedy

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.

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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.