2012 Nissan Pathfinder Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Pathfinder years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 30th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder. That ranks 30th out of 31 Pathfinder model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (5 complaints, 22%), typically at around 55,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 23owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 5 | 22% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 22% | 144,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 22% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 17% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 13% | 111,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 9% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 9% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 9% | 37,535 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 9% | 144,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 4% | 134,336 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 4% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 4% | 8,748 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Nissan Pathfinder recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:hub
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra two-wheel drive vehicles manufactured from June 19, 2012, through July 12, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with front wheel hubs that may not meet the design hardness specifications. A wheel hub that was manufactured below hardness specification may wear prematurely and eventually crack.
Risk: If the vehicle is driven in this condition, the wheel hub may break, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replaced the left and right side front wheel hub assemblies free of charge. The safety recall began on October 22, 2012. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2011 infiniti fx, model year 2012 infiniti m, model year 2011-2012 nissan frontier, model year 2011-2012 nissan xterra, model year 2011-2012 nissan pathfinder, and model year 2012 nissan nv vehicles. Some of the bolts that connect the engine oil cooler and the engine oil filter to the engine in these vehicles may have been manufactured to below specification strength. As a result, the bolt may break at the oil filter attachment point and can cause an engine oil leak.
Risk: If there is an engine oil leak, the engine oil pressure would drop and the engine could seize, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector bolts free of charge. The safety recall began on january 30, 2012. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Right lower control arm snapped while driving at highway speed (65MPH) causing vehicle into a 360 spin. Vehicle spun, was hard to control and tire blew out at speed. Others behind me or in front may have gotten involved if traffic was heavier at the time. Vehicle wasnt inspected, no police…
Rear subframe sagging and unsafe due to rust and corrosion.
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he noticed that the rear tires were abnormally damaged. The contact stated that upon further inspection, he noticed that the subframe was severely corroded and fractured. The dealer was notified of the…
Rear lower control arm broke while driving. Vehicle had to be moved on a rollback. Upon replacing control arm, cracks have been found at several points on the crossmember subframe. As it stands, the vehicle is a danger to have on the road.
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started to wobble as if the steering wheel was being turned to the left and to the right repeatedly. The contact stated the vehicle wobbled more violently after driving over bumps in the…
Other Nissan Pathfinder years
← 2011 Pathfinder · 2013 Pathfinder →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Pathfinder | 11 | 0 |
| 2025 Pathfinder | 54 | 1 |
| 2024 Pathfinder | 85 | 2 |
| 2023 Pathfinder | 104 | 1 |
| 2022 Pathfinder | 136 | 5 |
| 2020 Pathfinder | 48 | 0 |
| 2019 Pathfinder | 76 | 2 |
| 2018 Pathfinder | 78 | 3 |
| 2017 Pathfinder | 186 | 2 |
| 2016 Pathfinder | 105 | 2 |
| 2015 Pathfinder | 321 | 5 |
| 2014 Pathfinder | 575 | 11 |
| 2013 Pathfinder | 890 | 11 |
| 2012 | 23 | 2 |
| 2011 Pathfinder | 45 | 2 |
| 2010 Pathfinder | 40 | 4 |
| 2009 Pathfinder | 37 | 3 |
| 2008 Pathfinder | 328 | 4 |
| 2007 Pathfinder | 561 | 1 |
| 2006 Pathfinder | 837 | 3 |
| 2005 Pathfinder | 1,050 | 2 |
| 2004 Pathfinder | 67 | 3 |
| 2003 Pathfinder | 110 | 3 |
| 2002 Pathfinder | 156 | 5 |
| 2001 Pathfinder | 230 | 3 |
| 2000 Pathfinder | 112 | 2 |
| 1999 Pathfinder | 104 | 2 |
| 1998 Pathfinder | 149 | 2 |
| 1997 Pathfinder | 217 | 2 |
| 1996 Pathfinder | 159 | 3 |
| 1995 Pathfinder | 170 | 0 |
See all Nissan Pathfinder problems by year, every Nissan model, or the Nissan VIN decoder.
Similar Nissan models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder?
Owners most often report engine, suspension, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Pathfinder model years, the 2012 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.