2012 Nissan Versa: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
486 NHTSA owner complaints · 11 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2012 and 2014 Nissan Versa, which have 486 and 337 complaints and scores of 26 and 45, and the 2024 car, an AVOID at 44 on a record still forming; the 2011 car is a CAUTION at 269 complaints. Buy a 2015 to 2021 car: the 2016 has 80 complaints, no recalls and a score of 92. Read the full note on the model page. 2012 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 486 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Nissan Versa and Murano: the years to avoid, including 2012 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 486 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 34.71
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I bought a used 2012 Nissan Versa from a third party at a very low mileage (46k miles), and it’s now at 54k, and the CVT is showing issues. Check engine light recently came on and I’ve always went to Nissan technicians and they said they’re surprised at 54k miles I’m even having this kind of an issue. However because of the age of vehicle and warranty expired in 2018 well after I purchased it, Nissan refuses to repai…
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that occasionally while driving at various speeds, the horn failed to function while needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who advised the contact to reach out to the local dealer because the failure might be due to a possible air bag failure. The local dealer advised the contact to reach out to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufactur…
11587629 does not explain the issue I Reported 2012 Nissan Versa SV made July 2011, purchased Sep. 2011. 2022 45000 miles check engine light. o2, crankshaft position codes. A pig tail connected up stream o2 to crankshaft pos. sensor. Pig tail wires not togather, only taped' These two sensors were not connected to main wire harness.. Nissan new harness and labor $1100.+ , for what they didn't make right when b…
Recalls: 11 campaigns (7 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 12V032000 | Power Train:Manual Transmission:Shift Pattern Indicator | NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 VERSA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 9, 2011, THROUGH JANUARY 13, 2012 FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 114,THEFT PROTECTION. DUE TO INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE SHIFTER ROD AND THE SHIFT KNOB, THE VEHICLES MAY BE… |
| 17V144000 | Air Bags:Side/Window | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Nissan Versa vehicles. |
| 22E066000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain air bag inflator replacement service parts that may have been installed as part of a theft or collision repair. |
| 17V028000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Nissan Versa hatchbacks originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. |
| 18V044000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Versa Hatchback, and 2009-2011 Versa Sedan vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. |
| 17V637000 | Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Versa Hatchback vehicles that were sold or ever registered in the District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont,… |
| 15V507000 | Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Nissan Versa sedan vehicles manufactured June 9, 2011, to March 11, 2015, and 2014-2015 Nissan Versa Note vehicles manufactured April 23, 2013, to March 11, 2015. |
| 12V055000 | Air Bags:Side/Window | 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. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a city car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 30 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,050
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Air Bags167 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Power Train163 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other51 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine50 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System34 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Vehicle Speed Control33 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
Other Nissan Versa years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Nissan Versa?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (167 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Nissan Versa a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 26/100, computed from 486 NHTSA complaints and 11 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Nissan Versa's most common problem?
167 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Nissan Versa sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2012 Nissan Versa cost to run per year?
About $5,129 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $25,645 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2012 Nissan Versa have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 11 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Nissan Versa, 7 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/02/2012. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other economys of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Nissan Versa really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 486 complaints, 11 recalls on record
- 486 NHTSA complaints on record (34.7/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (11.0/yr)
- 11 recall campaigns, 7 touching safety-critical systems