What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Armada?

Structure and brakes lead the complaint groups, with electrical and fuel system next.

Does the 2012 Nissan Armada have recalls?

Yes, the recall count for this year is on file. See the Recalls section on this page for details.

How many complaints does the 2012 Nissan Armada have?

NHTSA lists 17 owner complaints for this model year.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Nissan Armada get?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Is the 2012 Nissan Armada reliable?

Complaints are spread across several groups, with brakes and structure on top. Compare other years in the by-year section on this page.

2012 Nissan Armada Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 17 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Nissan Armada^[1]. Structure and brakes are the biggest groups, so those are worth a look first^[2]^[3].

17owner complaints^[1]

1recalls^[4]

14–15MPG combined (EPA)^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the stories we read, biggest first.

Structure. 4 complaints^[2]. Owners describe a rear lift gate that closed on someone, a cracked lift gate housing, water coming in through the sunroof, and a back end that swayed after a bump.
Brakes. 4 complaints^[3]. Owners describe a parked vehicle that rolled away, a broken parking brake cable bracket, and a soft pedal with warning lights that stayed on after repairs.
Electrical System. 3 complaints^[6]. Owners describe stalling that kept coming back after dealer visits, power motors that wear out, and one case of smoke and flames inside a parked vehicle.
Fuel System, Gasoline. 3 complaints^[7]. Owners describe repeated stalling and sensors that had to be replaced.
Unknown Or Other. 2 complaints^[8]. These do not point to one clear part.
Air Bags. 2 complaints^[9]. We did not read enough detail here to retell it.
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility. 1 complaint^[10].
Visibility. 1 complaint^[11].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2012 Armada is necessarily included.

Equipment › Other › Labels (12V143), April 2012. About 26,626 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[12]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Armada 2WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[5]	13 / 19 / 15	$4,450
Armada 4WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel Drive^[13]	12 / 18 / 14	$4,800
Armada 2WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Gasoline or E85, Rear-Wheel Drive^[14]	13 / 19 / 15	$4,450
Armada 4WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Gasoline or E85, 4-Wheel Drive^[15]	12 / 18 / 14	$4,800

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV 4WD^[16]	n/a	n/a	n/a	3	21.9%
SUV RWD^[17]	n/a	n/a	n/a	3	21.2%

Engine and size

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
ARMADA 4DR SUV 4WD PLATINUM^[18]	207 in	79 in	79 in	123 in	5,847 lb

How 2012 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Armada model year. The 2012 is highlighted^[4].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2005	373	3
2006	266	3
2007	86	2
2008	161	6
2009	23	3
2010	48	4
2011	40	1
2012	17	1
2013	17	2
2014	12	1
2015	21	3
2017	81	0
2018	75	1
2019	79	1
2020	27	2
2021	13	2
2022	9	1
2023	5	1
2024	4	1
2025	21	2
2026	9	2

NHTSA's counts for the Armada show 17 complaints and 1 recalls for 2012^[4]. Among the 21 model years listed, 6 have fewer complaints than 2012 and 13 have more^[4]. The fewest complaints are for 2024 (4) and the most are for 2005 (373)^[4]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2012 Armada?

The 2012 Armada has a modest complaint file at 17 reports^[1]. The reports are spread across several groups, with structure and brakes on top^[2]^[3]. One complaint mentions a fire and one mentions injuries, so read the structure and electrical stories before you buy^[1]. These are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales. Check the recall section and have a mechanic look at the brakes and the lift gate on any used one.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Armada?: Structure and brakes lead the complaint groups, with electrical and fuel system next^[2]^[3]^[6]^[7].
Does the 2012 Nissan Armada have recalls?: Yes, the recall count for this year is on file^[4]. See the Recalls section on this page for details.
How many complaints does the 2012 Nissan Armada have?: NHTSA lists 17 owner complaints for this model year^[1].
What gas mileage does the 2012 Nissan Armada get?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
Is the 2012 Nissan Armada reliable?: Complaints are spread across several groups, with brakes and structure on top^[3]^[2]. Compare other years in the by-year section on this page.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Nissan Armada

2005 373 complaints, 3 recalls
2006 266 complaints, 3 recalls
2008 161 complaints, 6 recalls
2010 48 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 this page
2015 21 complaints, 3 recalls
2017 81 complaints, 0 recalls
2018 75 complaints, 1 recall
2019 79 complaints, 1 recall
2020 27 complaints, 2 recalls
2021 13 complaints, 2 recalls
2023 5 complaints, 1 recall
2024 4 complaints, 1 recall
2025 21 complaints, 2 recalls
2026 9 complaints, 2 recalls

Compare all model years of the Nissan Armada

Other Nissan models from 2012

2012 Nissan Sentra 180 complaints, 0 recalls
2012 Nissan Titan 22 complaints, 2 recalls
2012 Nissan Versa 486 complaints, 10 recalls
2012 Nissan Xterra 16 complaints, 2 recalls
2012 Nissan Maxima 107 complaints, 0 recalls
2012 Nissan Murano 135 complaints, 1 recall

All Nissan models

Similar cars from 2012: suvs

2012 Jeep Patriot 354 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 Lincoln MKX 84 complaints, 1 recall
2012 Mazda CX-9 221 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 Subaru Forester 105 complaints, 15 recalls
2012 Volkswagen Tiguan 153 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 Volvo XC60 46 complaints, 3 recalls

All suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 17 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Nissan Armada (0 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 1 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
4 complaints name the structure component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
4 complaints name the brakes component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Nissan Armada model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Armada 2WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 13 city / 19 highway / 15 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,450. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
3 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
3 complaints name the fuel system, gasoline component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
2 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
2 complaints name the air bags component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the equipment adaptive/mobility component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the visibility component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 12V143, filed April 4, 2012: Equipment › Other › Labels. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Armada 4WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel Drive: 12 city / 18 highway / 14 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Armada 2WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Gasoline or E85, Rear-Wheel Drive: 13 city / 19 highway / 15 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,450. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Armada 4WD, 5.6L 8-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Gasoline or E85, 4-Wheel Drive: 12 city / 18 highway / 14 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV 4WD: rollover 3 stars; rollover risk 21.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV RWD: rollover 3 stars; rollover risk 21.2%. NHTSA vehicle records
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, ARMADA 4DR SUV 4WD PLATINUM: length 207 in, width 79 in, height 79 in, wheelbase 123 in, curb weight 5,847 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2012 Nissan Armada: problems, recalls and fuel economy