Nissan Murano problems
133 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.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
- Powertrain: 28 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 62,000–102,800 mi
- Reliability score 7.6/10 — 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 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
We recently bought an out of warranty, as is 2012 Nissan murano and the dash airbag light and passenger airbag light are both on. They never go off after the initial 7 second wait time. Vehicle in motion or standing still doesn't matter. I have scanned for codes and b1018-00…
Hello, I am writing to you about a new vehicle that I recently purchased through Nissan. It's a 2012 Nissan murano and I purchased the vehicle on friday dec 21, 2012. I brought the vehicle home (which is about 50 miles from the dealership) and the next day I took my family to…
At sporadic times, my 2012 Nissan murano will hesitate to accelerate from a stopped position. On multiple occasions this has left me stranded for 5-10 seconds in the middle of busy intersections. On two separate occasions (while under warranty) I notified Nissan about the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Nissan murano. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH the sunroof exploded. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the mechanic diagnosed that the sunroof needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Common questions
Is the 2012 Nissan Murano reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 133 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Nissan Murano 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 Murano?
The 2012 Nissan Murano is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Powertrain: 28 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 62,000–102,800 mi; Reliability score 7.6/10 — 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 Murano?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 28 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 77,925 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The powertrain is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 77,925 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Nissan Murano 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 Murano?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 133 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $2,500, 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.