CAN COMMUNICATION â 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 ↗2012 Nissan Maxima engine problems
severe Owners of the 2012 Nissan Maxima have filed 5 NHTSA complaints about the engine at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Complaints
5
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2008 Maxima | 5 |
| 2009 Maxima | 7 |
| 2010 Maxima | 9 |
| 2011 Maxima | 7 |
| 2012 Maxima (this page) | 5 |
| 2014 Maxima | 3 |
| 2016 Maxima | 3 |
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 5 engine complaints filed for the 2012 Nissan Maxima, 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
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 14 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 engine 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.
EVAP LEAK DTC P0442, P0455, P0456 INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗DTC P0456 CAUSED BY EVAP LEAK AT VENT CONTROL VALVE O-RING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗ABNORMAL NOISE FROM FRONT ENGINE MOUNT SERVICE INFORMATION A two-piece design front engine mount is currently being used for the Applied Vehicles listed. A single thunk noise may be heard during the first few accelerations of the day from this type of mount, and is considered normal operation. The mount has also been designed with built-in free play that is normal. Under normal driving conditions: - A thunk noise may be heard during the first few accelerations of the day, And - Does not occur again, or at any other time. DO NOT REPLACE THE MOUNT: - If it has free play or a ?single event? thunk sound during the first few accelerations of the day. This is considered a normal characteristic of
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗NISSAN; DTC P0456 CAUSED BY EVAP LEAK AT VENT CONTROL VALVE O-RING This bulletin does NOT apply to LEAF vehicles and Titan XD vehicles with V8 diesel engine. This bulletin has been amended. See Amendment History on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Nissan maxima. The contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with an automatic start button, which the contact believed caused the vehicle to stall. In addition, while shifting into drive the vehicle stalled. The manufacturer was contacted and was investigating the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 10,245.
The contact owned a 2012 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that after returning from lunch and parking the vehicle at work, almost three hours later he was informed by someone that the vehicle was on fire. The contact walked outside and saw the engine compartment in flames. The contact stated that the engine compartment was completely burned. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire.…
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Nissan maxima. While driving various speeds, the contact noticed an abnormal smell of antifreeze coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 33,000.
Had engine trouble with your 2012 Nissan Maxima?
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 engine problem on the 2012 Nissan Maxima?
It's a meaningful issue. 5 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $3,100.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Based on the 5 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 90,061 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 $3,100 for engine 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 engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine 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/Maxima.
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.