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2012 Nissan Maxima
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
107 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 14, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Airbags problems dominate (25% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
4/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2012 Nissan Maxima 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 10%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2012 Nissan Maxima, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (27) · Electrical system (20) · Engine (11) · Steering (10)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Airbags
25%27 complaints
“Passenger airbag notifi action blinks and will not show it is activated to function in a crash. Airbag has never worked. Also driver seat belt keeps releasing without …”
Electrical system
19%20 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Green wire burn throughout the entire wiring harness..From alternator to engine fuse box and also to inside fuse box.. Bypassing the blown fuses and/or relays!!”
Transmission & drivetrain
17%18 complaints · typically near 86k mi · 1 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary at a traffic light while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle start…”
Engine
10%11 complaints
“The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop imm…”
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2012 Nissan MAXIMA beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2012? See how every Maxima model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2012 Nissan Maxima against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.