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

Owners filed 16 complaints in total. The power train group has the most, with 6. Engine and air bags follow with 4 each.

Does the 2012 Nissan Xterra have recalls?

Yes. The by-year facts list 2 recalls for this model year. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.

Is the 2012 Nissan Xterra reliable?

The complaint file is small at 16 complaints. None mention a crash, a fire or an injury. The complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat them as a guide and not a verdict.

How many miles per gallon does the 2012 Nissan Xterra get?

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

2012 Nissan Xterra Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 16 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Nissan Xterra^[1]. None of them mention a crash, a fire or an injury^[1].

16owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[2]

17–18MPG combined (EPA)^[3]

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

Most reported problems

Owners filed complaints across a few parts of the truck, and these are the groups from biggest to smallest.

Power Train. 6 complaints^[4]. Owners describe clutches that wore out or gave way with little warning, and a small rubber piece under the clutch pedal that broke and left the truck unable to start.
Engine. 4 complaints^[5]. In the stories we read, owners describe oil leaks that dealers could not pin down, an engine that quit after running low on oil with no warning light, and a sudden loss of power tied to a costly repair estimate.
Air Bags. 4 complaints^[6]. Owners describe a passenger air bag warning light that comes and goes, worry about side curtain air bags going off by themselves, and waiting for parts for a recall repair.
Unknown Or Other. 1 complaint^[7].
Fuel/Propulsion System. 1 complaint^[8].
Tires. 1 complaint^[9]. The owner describes a tire that failed on the highway with the family on board.

Recalls

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

Suspension › Front › Hub (12V462), September 2012. About 2,417 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.^[10]
Engine And Engine Cooling (11V592), December 2011. About 14,718 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.^[11]

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
Xterra 2WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[3]	16 / 22 / 18	$3,700
Xterra 4WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel Drive^[12]	15 / 20 / 17	$3,950
Xterra 4WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel Drive^[13]	16 / 20 / 17	$3,950

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV 4WD^[14]	n/a	n/a	n/a	3	25.6%
SUV RWD^[15]	n/a	n/a	n/a	3	24.6%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2012 Nissan Xterra with 4.0L 6-cylinder^[16]	261 hp

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

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
XTERRA 4DR SUV 4WD S/PRO-4X/SV^[17]	178 in	73 in	75 in	106 in	4,370 lb

How 2012 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Xterra model year. The 2012 is highlighted^[2].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2000	214	3
2001	150	3
2002	157	5
2003	72	3
2004	84	2
2005	845	3
2006	780	3
2007	557	1
2008	119	6
2009	19	3
2010	38	4
2011	24	2
2012	16	2
2013	4	0
2014	10	0
2015	10	0

NHTSA's counts for the Xterra show 16 complaints and 2 recalls for 2012^[2]. Among the 16 model years listed, 3 have fewer complaints than 2012 and 12 have more^[2]. The fewest complaints are for 2013 (4) and the most are for 2005 (845)^[2]. 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 Xterra?

The 2012 Xterra has a small complaint file, with 16 complaints in total^[1]. The power train group is the largest, followed by the engine and air bags^[4]^[5]^[6]. The by-year facts also list 2 recalls for this model year^[2]. These are unverified owner reports and they are not adjusted for how many trucks were sold^[1]. If you are shopping for one, ask for service records on the clutch and engine oil, and check that any open recall work has been done.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Xterra?: Owners filed 16 complaints in total^[1]. The power train group has the most, with 6^[4]. Engine and air bags follow with 4 each^[5]^[6].
Does the 2012 Nissan Xterra have recalls?: Yes. The by-year facts list 2 recalls for this model year^[2]. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.
Is the 2012 Nissan Xterra reliable?: The complaint file is small at 16 complaints^[1]. None mention a crash, a fire or an injury^[1]. The complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat them as a guide and not a verdict.
How many miles per gallon does the 2012 Nissan Xterra get?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Nissan Xterra

2003 72 complaints, 3 recalls
2004 84 complaints, 2 recalls
2005 845 complaints, 3 recalls
2006 780 complaints, 3 recalls
2007 557 complaints, 1 recall
2008 119 complaints, 6 recalls
2012 this page

Compare all model years of the Nissan Xterra

Other Nissan models from 2012

2012 Nissan Maxima 107 complaints, 0 recalls
2012 Nissan Murano 135 complaints, 1 recall
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 Cadillac SRX 417 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 Chevrolet Equinox 685 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 Chevrolet Traverse 354 complaints, 5 recalls
2012 Dodge Journey 376 complaints, 6 recalls
2012 Ford Edge 1,134 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 Ford Escape 619 complaints, 1 recall

All suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 16 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Nissan Xterra (0 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Nissan Xterra model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Xterra 2WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
6 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
4 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
4 complaints name the air bags component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the tires component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 12V462, filed September 20, 2012: Suspension › Front › Hub. NHTSA recall database
Recall 11V592, filed December 19, 2011: Engine And Engine Cooling. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Xterra 4WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel Drive: 15 city / 20 highway / 17 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,950. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Xterra 4WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 20 highway / 17 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,950. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV 4WD: rollover 3 stars; rollover risk 25.6%. NHTSA vehicle records
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV RWD: rollover 3 stars; rollover risk 24.6%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2012 Nissan Xterra with 4.0L 6-cylinder: rated 261 hp. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, XTERRA 4DR SUV 4WD S/PRO-4X/SV: length 178 in, width 73 in, height 75 in, wheelbase 106 in, curb weight 4,370 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 Xterra: problems, recalls and fuel economy