Nissan Maxima problems
107 owner complaints with NHTSA, no active recalls. Here's where owners say it breaks.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
- No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record
- Reliability score 7.8/10 — above the segment average
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Top trouble spots 7 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
Passenger airbag notifi action blinks and will not show it is activated to function in a crash. Airbag has never worked. Also driver seat belt keeps releasing without being pushed to open. Seat belt issue just began Dec 2023
Vehicle has 50,300 miles when the airbag light went on. Nissan says that the interanal failure to air bag control unit.part number 98820-9n092 was replaced for part price of $463.15. Labor to install was also $463.15.
2012 maxima's passenger airbag off light comes on with adult passengers every 3rd or 4th trip. Went to Nissan dealership, maxima under warranty, they said no codes were tripped and that they can't fix the problem but are aware of it. They also gave me a handout describing the…
I picked my car up from the dealership after getting a state inspection, oil change and tire rotation. They said they topped off all the fluids. As I backed out of the parking space and pulled forward I noticed the steering wheel was tight. I tried adjusting it a few times,…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Common questions
Is the 2012 Nissan Maxima reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.8 out of 10 based on 107 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Nissan Maxima is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Should you avoid the 2012 Nissan Maxima?
On the NHTSA data, the 2012 Nissan Maxima does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 7.8/10 — above the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2012 Nissan Maxima?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 25 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 34,698 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 34,698 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Nissan Maxima has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2012 Nissan Maxima?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 107 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.