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.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2012 Nissan Juke electrical problems
moderate Owners of the 2012 Nissan Juke have filed 12 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 Juke | 11 |
| 2012 Juke (this page) | 12 |
| 2013 Juke | 14 |
| 2014 Juke | 12 |
| 2015 Juke | 4 |
When does it fail?
Of the 12 electrical complaints filed for the 2012 Nissan Juke, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 6 model years of Nissan Juke in our records for electrical problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 10 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
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.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗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.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V battery testing. These recommendations are expected to promote uniformity during the connection process, therefore reducing the number of incorrect âTest with DCAâ and âReplaceâ results. HINT: If 12 volt batteries are allowed to discharge for a prolonged period of time, battery life may be drastically reduced. This condition may lead to premature battery replacement and customer dissatisfaction. IMPORTANT: ï· CPX-900 is now an accepted testing tool to use along with or in place of the DSS-500
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or severe personal injury, do not directly spray Silicone-based lubricant or grease, or inadvertently overspray Silicone-based lubricant or grease onto any interior electrical components. These types of lubricants can be detrimental to the proper operation of electrical components.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2012 Nissan Jukes report three main electrical problems. The most common is intermittent failure to start: the vehicle refuses to crank, all battery and alternator tests pass, but it starts immediately after a jump. One owner notes a service bulletin exists for 2011–2013 Jukes covering this exact issue, though dealerships often deny knowledge of it. Some owners report ECM reprogramming as a fix.
A related problem is persistent battery drain while parked. Multiple owners have replaced batteries 5 to 7 times in 2 to 3 years—roughly every 10 months—with no electrical load on the vehicle. Dealerships cannot pinpoint the source. Nissan has suggested the push-button ignition may stick in accessory mode, draining the battery, but no official recall has been issued and no permanent fix is documented. Owners are stranded repeatedly, calling AAA dozens of times.
A third issue affects power door locks: driver-side front and rear locks fail within days of each other, rendering the doors unable to lock or unlock automatically, though the alarm still arms and disarms.
One owner also reports the engine stalling at 5,000 miles and recurring multiple times after dealer repair. Diagnostics are difficult because failures are intermittent and hard to replicate in a shop.
Same Nissan Juke electrical reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2013 · 2014
Failure modes owners describe
Intermittent no-start / failure to start
Vehicle fails to start without warning, often while parked or after short driving cycles (e.g., stop to get gas). Battery, alternator, and starter test good. Vehicle starts reliably after jump-start. Some owners report hearing electronic clicking rather than starter motor cranking. A Nissan service bulletin for 2011-2013 Jukes addresses this issue. Some owners report ECM reprogramming has helped resolve the failure.
When: Intermittent; can occur after parked overnight or after short drives; some vehicles fail within 1 week of service
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle fails to start without warning; Electronic clicking noise heard (not starter cranking); Engine does not turn over; Battery and electronics work perfectly after jump-start; Failure is intermittent and hard to replicate; Alternator and battery test good despite failure
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers unable to diagnose intermittent failure without seeing it happen. Some owners report ECM reprogramming resolved the issue. Dealership diagnostics cost $160, but failure must occur for diagnosis. One dealership made 'minor adjustments' that did not resolve the problem.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan issued a service bulletin for 2011-2013 Jukes on this issue. One dealership claimed consumer vehicle did not apply to recall. No official recall found in narratives. Dealerships largely unhelpful; some claim no knowledge of service bulletin.
Chronic battery drainage / dead battery
Battery drains randomly while vehicle is parked with nothing running. Vehicle becomes unable to start. Some owners report replacing batteries 5–7 times within 2–3 years; average battery lifespan reduced to ~10 months. Dealerships cannot identify source of drain. All electrical systems work normally after jump-start. May be related to push-button ignition staying in accessory mode.
When: Random, occurring while parked; can happen within hours or days of last drive; reported as ongoing for 2–10 years in some cases
Symptoms owners cite: Battery goes dead while parked with no electrical loads on; Rapid battery discharge requiring replacements every 10 months; Vehicle stranded multiple times, requiring AAA assistance; All electrical systems work perfectly after jump-start; Possible push-button ignition stuck in accessory mode (per Nissan statement in one complaint)
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replacement ($250 per battery) repeatedly required; one owner replaced 7 batteries in 2 years, another replaced 5 in lifetime ownership. Dealerships unable to identify drain source. No effective repair offered across multiple dealerships.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan indicated remote keyless entry stalling in accessory mode may be the cause. No recall or service bulletin mentioned. Nissan declined to assist; recommended consumer pay for diagnostic testing. Dealership service did not test battery at 60K-mile service, contributing to customer frustration.
Power door lock failure
Driver-side front and rear door power locks stop functioning within the same month. Doors will not lock or unlock automatically via key fob. Manual lock operation not mentioned. Alarm still arms but door can open and trigger alarm.
When: Approximately 1–2 weeks between front and rear door lock failure; no mileage given
Symptoms owners cite: Driver-side front door lock quits working; Driver-side rear door lock quits working within 1 week of front lock failure; Automatic lock/unlock function lost; Alarm still arms but door opens and triggers alarm; Manual operation not mentioned
Repairs/costs cited: Owner concerned about cheap/faulty parts. No repair attempted or cost mentioned in narrative.
Engine stalling while driving
Vehicle stalls while being driven at low speed (35 mph). Stalling occurs on multiple occasions despite repair attempt. Initial failure at low mileage (5,000 miles).
When: 5,000 miles; recurred five times total after initial repair
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stalls while driving at 35 mph; Stalling recurs multiple times after initial repair; Vehicle can be restarted after stalling
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer performed repair (part not specified); failure recurred on numerous occasions.
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
The battery dies a lot! Cannot figure out why, I have been left stranded numerous times, not fun, sometimes I only left my car for half hour or so, I come back and it is dead, have to wait for aaa or a friend, this has been going for several years and just happened again tonight
Problems with constant battery drainage. Even though the car is just parked and nothing on battery drains randomly and out of nowhere. I have replaced battery 7 times in the last 2 years. I am always scared to be stranded and en up calling aaa to rescue me. I have called aaa at least 12 times in the last 3 years just to get my car going. I have taken the car for service and diagnosis to various…
2012 Nissan juke. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle failure to start problems. *smd the consumer stated the failure happened occasionally. The alternator and battery were deemed to be good. When the vehicle failed to start, it initially made an electronic clicking noises; not starter motor clicking noise. The engine did not turn at all and after a couple of times the vehicle would go…
Had electrical trouble with your 2012 Nissan Juke?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2012 Nissan Juke?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 12 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 12 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 33,100 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Nissan/Juke.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.