AI Damage2012 Nissan Titan: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Nissan Titan filed 22 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 22
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 32% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 23% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 18% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 18% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 9% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Parking brake 5% of all complaints
- Air bags: 7 complaints (32% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 5 complaints (23% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 4 complaints (18% of all).
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (18% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (9% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 5.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
Drive: RWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 22 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The airbags did not deploy on impact of any item I hit. I was traveling at 55mph.
The side air bag failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact was injured and received medical attention, but was unable to provide the prognosis. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 72,000.
The contact's vehicle crashed into a tree and the passenger side air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The front passenger sustained a broken back, which required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vin was unavailable.
The contact stated that the parking brake failed to release, and the rear passengerâs side wheel was locked. The contact stated that debris from the parking brakes was on the ground. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road, and the ABS warning light illuminated.
My father drove the vehicle shortly afterward, unaware of the problem, which could have led to complete brake failure at speed and a serious crash or fatality. The issue was later inspected and confirmed by a Pep Boys location in Tampa, FL, which documented that the prior service work left the brake assembly in an…
Tail pipe rusted off at the flange behind the muffler. The design of the tailpipe and exhaust hanger is flawed.
The contact stated that the exhaust manifold was rusted and cracked. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and did not assist. The failure mileage was 147,000.
Nissan titan has a cracked manifolds which leaks exhaust into the cab of the vechicle. Appreantly this is a know issue with nissan and the need to get a real fix not a replacement but a replacement that wont happen again
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,904 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Titan has 163 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 22, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
- Titan 20041,046 sources
- Titan 2005891 sources
- Titan 2006430 sources
- Titan 2007139 sources
- Titan 2008133 sources
- Titan 200947 sources
- Titan 201046 sources
- Titan 201126 sources
- Titan 201311 sources
- Titan 201410 sources
- Titan 201512 sources
- Titan 2017364 sources
- Titan 2018197 sources
- Titan 2019169 sources
- Titan 2020184 sources
- Titan 2021194 sources
- Titan 202294 sources
- Titan 202396 sources
- Titan 202440 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Titan?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, structure, engine. Total complaints: 22. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (23%), airbags did not deploy (18%), warning lights, check engine (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Nissan Titan?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2012 Nissan Titan from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2012 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.