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

Owners filed 135 complaints with NHTSA. The largest groups are the power train and air bags. See the problems section above.

Does the 2012 Nissan Murano have any recalls?

The by-year data shows 1 recall for this model year. The Recalls section on this page lists it.

What is the gas mileage of the 2012 Nissan Murano?

See the fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.

Is the 2012 Nissan Murano reliable?

Owners filed 135 complaints, and the power train and air bags groups lead them. Complaints are not adjusted for sales, so use them as a checklist and see the verdict above.

Is 2012 a good year for the Nissan Murano?

See the by-year comparison on this page for how this model year stacks up against the others.

2012 Nissan Murano Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 135 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Nissan Murano^[1]. The power train and air bags groups top the list^[2]^[3].

135owner complaints^[1]

1recalls^[4]

19–20MPG combined (EPA)^[5]

4★NHTSA overall rating^[6]

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.

Power train. 30 complaints^[2]. Owners describe the car hesitating or jerking while driving, and one story is about the all wheel drive shifting out on its own. Several say the dealer could not find the cause.
Air bags. 26 complaints^[3]. Owners describe a passenger air bag warning light that comes and goes, sensor faults and a pricey quoted repair. Some also write about getting little help from the dealer.
Unknown or other. 23 complaints^[7]. These reports do not fit a single component group.
Engine. 14 complaints^[8]. In the stories we read, owners describe the engine cutting out without warning, a coolant smell and leak that came back after a repair, and one parked car that burned.
Electrical system. 13 complaints^[9]. These are reports about electrical faults.
Brakes. 13 complaints^[10]. Owners describe a pedal that sinks or feels soft and a car that takes too long to stop.
Visibility. 10 complaints^[11]. These reports are about seeing out of the car.
Visibility and wipers. 10 complaints^[12]. These reports are about the wiper system.

Recalls

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

Tires › Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems (12V068), February 2012. About 2,983 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash.^[13]

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
Murano FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[5]	18 / 23 / 20	$3,350
Murano AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[14]	18 / 23 / 20	$3,350
Murano CrossCabriolet, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Premium, All-Wheel Drive^[15]	17 / 22 / 19	$4,350

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[6]	4	4	5	4	18.5%
SUV FWD^[16]	4	4	5	4	17.9%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2012 Nissan Murano with 3.5L 6-cylinder^[17]	265 hp

How 2012 compares with other years

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

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2003	800	6
2004	678	4
2005	987	6
2006	803	4
2007	676	2
2009	635	4
2010	193	0
2011	148	0
2012	135	1
2013	74	1
2014	145	1
2015	204	6
2016	108	6
2017	107	3
2018	113	2
2019	43	1
2020	45	2
2021	17	0
2022	6	0
2023	8	0
2024	5	1
2025	25	2
2026	4	0

NHTSA's counts for the Murano show 135 complaints and 1 recalls for 2012^[4]. Among the 24 model years listed, 13 have fewer complaints than 2012 and 10 have more^[4]. The fewest complaints are for 2027 (0) and the most are for 2005 (987)^[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 Murano?

The complaint file is not small at 135 reports, and the power train and air bags groups lead it^[1]^[2]^[3]. The stories in the brakes and engine groups include scary moments on the road^[8]^[10]. Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a guide to what to check, not a ruling. If you are shopping for one, have a mechanic look at the power train, the air bag warning light and the brakes. Also check the recall section on this page.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Murano?: Owners filed 135 complaints with NHTSA^[1]. The largest groups are the power train^[2] and air bags^[3]. See the problems section above.
Does the 2012 Nissan Murano have any recalls?: The by-year data shows 1 recall for this model year^[4]. The Recalls section on this page lists it.
What is the gas mileage of the 2012 Nissan Murano?: See the fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.
Is the 2012 Nissan Murano reliable?: Owners filed 135 complaints^[1], and the power train and air bags groups lead them^[2]^[3]. Complaints are not adjusted for sales, so use them as a checklist and see the verdict above.
Is 2012 a good year for the Nissan Murano?: See the by-year comparison on this page for how this model year stacks up against the others.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Nissan Murano

2007 676 complaints, 2 recalls
2009 635 complaints, 4 recalls
2010 193 complaints, 0 recalls
2011 148 complaints, 0 recalls
2012 this page
2014 145 complaints, 1 recall
2015 204 complaints, 6 recalls
2016 108 complaints, 6 recalls
2017 107 complaints, 3 recalls
2018 113 complaints, 2 recalls

Compare all model years of the Nissan Murano

Other Nissan models from 2012

2012 Nissan Maxima 107 complaints, 0 recalls
2012 Nissan Pathfinder 23 complaints, 2 recalls
2012 Nissan Quest 93 complaints, 1 recall
2012 Nissan Titan 22 complaints, 2 recalls
2012 Nissan Versa 486 complaints, 10 recalls

All Nissan models

Similar cars from 2012: suvs

2012 Jeep Liberty 385 complaints, 2 recalls
2012 Jeep Patriot 354 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 Mazda CX-9 221 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 Subaru Forester 105 complaints, 15 recalls
2012 Acura MDX 76 complaints, 1 recall
2012 BMW X6 32 complaints, 10 recalls

All suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 135 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Nissan Murano (4 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 4 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
30 complaints name the power train component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 75,000). NHTSA vehicle records
26 complaints name the air bags component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 65,548). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Nissan Murano model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Murano FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 23 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 18.5%. NHTSA vehicle records
23 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 75,400). NHTSA vehicle records
14 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 39,500). NHTSA vehicle records
13 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 78,000). NHTSA vehicle records
13 complaints name the brakes component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 68,000). NHTSA vehicle records
10 complaints name the visibility component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 35,100). NHTSA vehicle records
10 complaints name the visibility/wiper component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 56,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 12V068, filed February 22, 2012: Tires › Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Murano AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 23 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Murano CrossCabriolet, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Premium, All-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 22 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 17.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2012 Nissan Murano with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 265 hp. www.epa.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 Murano: problems, recalls and fuel economy