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Nissan · NHTSA safety record

2012 Nissan Armada

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

17

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

1

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2012 Nissan Armada have filed 17 safety complaints with NHTSA between September 2013 and June 2025. The most complained-about system is the brakes, named in 4 of them (24%). The typical failure was reported at 48,500 miles, the median across the 14 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this vehicle.

Recalls (1)

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

12V143000 · April 4, 2012

The defect
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 TITAN AND ARMADA VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 12, 2011, THROUGH MARCH 13, 2012. THE PART 567 CERTIFICATION LABELS ON THE VEHICLES DO NOT CONTAIN RIM SIZE INFORMATION. THUS, THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, “TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS.”
The risk
THE OMISSION OF THE RIM SIZE MAY LEAD TO AN INCORRECT TIRE/WHEEL COMBINATION WHICH MAY INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF A CRASH.
The remedy
NISSAN WILL SUPPLY OWNERS WITH A NEW LABEL AND INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW INSTALL THE LABEL OR THE OWNER WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF TAKING THEIR VEHICLE TO A NISSAN DEALER TO HAVE THE NEW LABEL INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 28, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-615-725-1000.

NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. · up to 26,626 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 17.

SERVICE BRAKES 4 24%
STRUCTURE 4 24%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 18%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 3 18%
AIR BAGS 2 12%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 12%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 6%
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY 1 6%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 6%
POWER TRAIN 1 6%
SUSPENSION 1 6%
VISIBILITY 1 6%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2015 at 4.

2013 2015 2025
2013 to 2025

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

1 injured · 4,000 miles

I HIT THE BUTTON TO CLOSE THE REAR LIFT GATE. I THEN STEPPED AWAY AND WHEN COMING BACK AROUND THE CORNER I DID NOT CUT THE CORNER WIDE ENOUGH AND WENT RIGHT INTO THE GATE WHICH CONTINUED TO CLOSE ON MY HEAD. THIS RESULTED IN A LACERATION TO MY FOREHEAD, A CONCUSSION AND A TRIP TO THE ER. AT MY ADMISSION, I WAS RUSHING AROUND THE CORNER SO I THOUGHT PERHAPS THAT MAYBE I DID NOT GIVE IT ENOUGH TIME TO SENSE ME AND RETRACT. HOWEVER, I HAVE SINCE "TESTED" THIS AUTOMATIC CLOSE FEATURE WITH MY ARM AND IT DOES NOT SENSE IT AND CONTINUES TO CLOSE. OBVIOUSLY, THIS TIME I WAS AWARE OF WHAT I WAS DOING SO I HAD TIME TO RETRACT MY ARM. I AM LEFT WITH A PERMANENT SCAR ON MY FOREHEAD BUT I FEAR THIS

NHTSA complaint 10541742, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · towed · 60,875 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 NISSAN ARMADA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE THE CONTACT'S PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, AN EXPLOSION WAS HEARD. THE CONTACT EXITED THE BUILDING AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM HER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE FRONT DRIVER'S DOOR AND NOTICED FLAMES UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN, CONSOLE, AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WAS NO POLICE OR FIRE REPORT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOWING LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD INVESTIGATE THE FIRE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE

NHTSA complaint 11084195, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

150,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that while driving, he drove over a bump in the road, and the back end swayed and it fishtailed. The contact pulled over and was unable to locate the cause of the failure. The contact continued to drive while driving over 35 MPH; the vehicle swerved. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, a suspension shop, and the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the subframe had fractured and was on top of the fuel tank. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was not repaired due to the intense repairs and price. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The

NHTSA complaint 11666584, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:HOSES/VALVES/SENSORS
I have a 2012 Nissan armada and a 2013 Nissan armada and both cars o2 sensors have went out on each of them. This must be a common problem and the financial strain shouldn’t be left for the customers buying an already expensive vehicles. Very odd that both my armadas are having the same issues with that particular sensor

NHTSA complaint 11654089. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Ignition doesn't respond when key is inserted and turned to start. Sometimes it does it, sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't work, it usually takes about 10 or 15 times trying and then it eventually starts.

NHTSA complaint 11619618. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

102,016 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The contact's husband inspected the vehicle and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags). The contact was concerned of an inadvertent deployment of the air bags. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,016.

NHTSA complaint 11516850. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

121,000 miles

THE REAR LIFT GATE HOUSING IS CRACKED AND COMPRISES THE INTEGRITY OF KEEPING THE REAR DOOR FROM OPENING FROM THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE TO INCLUDE THE GLASS WINDOW PORTION. I DISCOVERED THE CRACKED LIFT GATE HOUSING AS THE REAR LATCH IS NOT FULLY OPERATIONAL.

NHTSA complaint 11385710. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

99,000 miles

THE BRAKE LIGHT AND SLIP INDICATOR TURN ON AND THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE MANUAL THAT EXPLAINS WHAT THIS MEANS OTHER THAN POTENTIALLY LOW BRAKE FLUID. WE CHECKED THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL AND IT WAS HALFWAY, WE FILLED IT UP AND THE ISSUE DID NOT GO AWAY EVEN AFTER DRIVING IT. WHEN YOU TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND START IT BACK UP THE BRAKE LIGHT TURNS OFF LEAVING ONLY THE SLIP INDICATOR ON BUT NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT THE ISSUES ARE REGARDING BOTH SYSTEMS. AFTER CAREFULLY TESTING THE SYSTEM WE FOUND THAT THE BRAKES ARE IN FACT FAILING AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT STOPPING. *TR

NHTSA complaint 11329232. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Nissan Armada

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 19 2 —
2022 8 1 —
2021 13 2 —
2020 27 2 —
2019 73 1 —
2018 73 1 —
2017 81 0 —
2015 21 3 2
2014 12 1 —
2013 17 2 —
2011 40 1 —
2010 48 4 —

Other 2012 Nissan models

Versa 486 Altima 425 Rogue 317 Sentra 180 Murano 134 Maxima 107 Quest 93 Juke 87

Every Nissan on this site — 200 vehicles, 319 recall campaigns and 5 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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Independent developer and analyst