AI Damage2012 Nissan Xterra: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Nissan Xterra filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 16
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 38% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 25% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 25% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 6% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 6% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (38% of all).
- Air bags: 4 complaints (25% of all).
- Engine: 4 complaints (25% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (6% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (6% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 6-speednamed in 3 complaints
Drive: 4WD, RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 16 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 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.
About a minute later we began hearing a thumping sounds and the car was losing momentum, and I suspected we had suffered a blow-out. The right rear passenger tire was shredded.
Extreme smell of gas after filling gas tank while out of town. Odor was so strong it required all windows to be down to drive without feeling affected by fumes and I was terrified that someone would fluck a cigarette out of a car somewhere, especially at a stop light, and cause an explosion.
Clutch burnt out with 5 min between 1st incidence of barely slipping and total failure leaving me stranded on roadside with little notice and nowhere safe to pull off.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
I recently had a diagnosis of radiator coolant mixing with transmission following my vehicle being towed bc I lost power while driving with no warning signs. I was given an estimate for repairs of $5000. I had the extended warranty but wasn't told of the radiator issues w Xterra. My vehicle mileage is 128,000.
Degradation has advanced rapidly over a matter of weeks and days and now I fear having my family ride in the vehicle in case they becoming stranded or need to avoid a crash and cannot due to loss of power. General consensus is that the clutch is too small for this truck.
I'm filing a complaint before I have an incident. I own a nissan xterra. Many other nissan xterra owners have had spontaneous side curtain air bag deployment when traveling very slowly, generally on dirt roads. Some of these deployments have caused injuries.
After moving the vehicle from a parking spot, the contact noticed oil leaking under the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing on two separate occasions, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.
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 9,040 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Xterra has 172 complaints (18 years in the data). This year has 16, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
- Xterra 2000214 sources
- Xterra 2001150 sources
- Xterra 2002157 sources
- Xterra 200372 sources
- Xterra 200484 sources
- Xterra 2005845 sources
- Xterra 2006780 sources
- Xterra 2007557 sources
- Xterra 2008119 sources
- Xterra 200919 sources
- Xterra 201038 sources
- Xterra 201124 sources
- Xterra 20134 sources
- Xterra 201410 sources
- Xterra 201510 sources
- Xterra 201630 sources
- Xterra 99993 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Xterra?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, air bags, engine. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: oil leak or consumption (13%), loss of power / limp mode (13%), transmission slipping (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Nissan Xterra?
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 Xterra 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.