2012 Nissan Altima Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 57 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2012 Nissan Altima, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 51,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “passenger seat” (35% of reports).
- 57air bags complaints
- 51,000median miles at failure
- 14mention a crash
- 9mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Passenger seat: mentioned in 20 of 57 complaints (35%)
- Air bag: mentioned in 20 of 57 complaints (35%)
- Airbag off: mentioned in 6 of 57 complaints (11%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the 2012 Nissan Altima at $1,300, and half of them between $1,200 and $2,550.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2020), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 37 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 57 complaints, 14 mention a crash, 9 an injury.
Nissan Altima air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Altima | 1 | 14% | — |
| 2024 Altima | 2 | 5% | 3,200 |
| 2022 Altima | 3 | 10% | 5,600 |
| 2021 Altima | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2020 Altima | 8 | 5% | 67,000 |
| 2019 Altima | 11 | 5% | 27,806 |
| 2018 Altima | 36 | 16% | 46,478 |
| 2017 Altima | 73 | 19% | 65,000 |
| 2016 Altima | 71 | 13% | 52,000 |
| 2015 Altima | 177 | 19% | 30,400 |
| 2014 Altima | 208 | 19% | 22,000 |
| 2013 Altima | 514 | 22% | 14,000 |
| 2012 Altima | 57 | 13% | 51,000 |
| 2011 Altima | 21 | 9% | 38,400 |
| 2010 Altima | 61 | 16% | 50,000 |
| 2009 Altima | 91 | 6% | 65,500 |
| 2008 Altima | 142 | 14% | 71,700 |
| 2007 Altima | 63 | 13% | 54,000 |
| 2006 Altima | 43 | 5% | 93,000 |
| 2005 Altima | 47 | 4% | 90,000 |
| 2004 Altima | 11 | 4% | 107,000 |
| 2003 Altima | 28 | 3% | 70,500 |
| 2002 Altima | 34 | 3% | 72,750 |
| 2001 Altima | 15 | 9% | 75,000 |
| 2000 Altima | 14 | 9% | 80,000 |
| 1999 Altima | 13 | 15% | 75,500 |
| 1998 Altima | 15 | 12% | 70,000 |
| 1997 Altima | 35 | 32% | 61,500 |
| 1996 Altima | 37 | 40% | 78,075 |
| 1995 Altima | 61 | 34% | 103,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Air bags:side/window
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 altima and versa vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with side curtain air bags that contain an incorrect propellant mixture for the initiator component used, resulting in insufficient output of compressed gas.
Risk: The side curtain air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace one or both side curtain air bag modules, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on march 12, 2012. Owners may contact nissan customer service at 615-725-1000.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 nissan altima vehicles manufactured from june 15, 2011, through june 21, 2011 and model year 2012 nissan nv vehicles manufactured from june 23, 2011, through june 28, 2011 because the air bag control unit (acu) was assembled incorrectly.
Risk: The affected acu will not operate as designed and this issue may cause the air bags not to inflate in a crash when they are designed to inflate. This could increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Nissan will replace the air bag control unit free of charge. The safety recall began on august 22, 2011. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I was working, and as I was on my way to a location a lady in front of me came to a complete stop since a couple of ducks were crossing causing me to come to a complete stop as well. As I stopped I looked into my rearview mirror I noticed the lady behind me was not stopping and then smashed into…
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the OCS control unit was malfunctioning. The dealer determined that the front passengerâs side seat needed…
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Nissan Altimas have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 57 owner complaints about air bags for the 2012 Nissan Altima (13% of the 426 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Nissan Altima air bags?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 51,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 2012 Nissan Altima?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,300 (half paid between $1,200 and $2,550), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2012 Nissan Altima?
The most frequent phrase is “passenger seat”, in 20 of 57 complaints, followed by “air bag” (20).
Other 2012 Nissan Altima problems
- Power Train problems (149)
- Engine problems (68)
See all 2012 Nissan Altima problems or air bags problems across all Altima years.