The Most Common 2012 Nissan Maxima Problems

Airbag issues and the occasional melting dashboard are things to look out for in the 2012 Nissan Maxima.
Written by Amber Reed
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
The most frequently reported problems with the 2012 Nissan Maxima include malfunctioning airbag sensors and electrical issues. 
The Maxima has been a flagship vehicle for Nissan since its debut in 1981 and is currently in its eighth generation. It’s a good idea to know what some of the most common problems associated with any make and model of vehicle are, so you can be on the lookout for any signs of trouble. Issues with the 2012 Nissan Maxima don’t appear too numerous, but they’re definitely there—so let’s have a look!
Keep reading for a peek into the potential probs of a 2012 Nissan Maxima with
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The most common 2012 Nissan Maxima problems

The 2012 Nissan Maxima has a total of 99 complaints and no recalls registered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That’s pretty good for a ten-year-old car! By comparison, the 2012
Honda Accord
has 340 complaints, eight recalls, and one investigation on record with the NHTSA. Yeesh. 
But those 99 complaints still warrant looking into, especially if you’re the person making them. Twenty-five of these complaints involved the airbags and airbag sensors. Owners reported that the airbag alert light would come on at inappropriate times, not turn off, or fail to correctly sense when the front seat was occupied by an adult. 
This could potentially be very dangerous, as it might interfere with the deployment of the airbags in the event of an accident—and there were a handful of reported cases where just that happened. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, but that’s still pretty scary. 
The other category with the most reports is the electrical system. Quite a few drivers reported problems with the door locks not functioning properly, which is not only annoying but could pose a safety risk. Others had instances when the car wouldn’t start and the steering wheel was locked. Other worrisome issues that were reported include:
  • Air conditioner not working or leaking
  • Melting dashboard
  • Exploding sunroof
There have been no recalls issued for the 2012 Nissan Maxima, although many of the people who had airbag issues mentioned that they felt there should have been. 

Is the 2012 Nissan Maxima reliable?

These issues notwithstanding, the 2012 Nissan Maxima gets a decent report card for reliability overall. RepairPal gives the Maxima a 3.5/5, which is just average. However, this ranks the Maxima fairly low—number 9 out of 12 for full-size cars from its model year. 
J.D. Power was more generous with their ranking and gave the 2012 Nissan Maxima second place when it came to full-size cars. It earned an 83/100 (Great) in overall quality and reliability. U.S. News and World Report gave the 2012 Maxima a 4/5 in reliability, but they primarily base their scores on J.D. Power’s. 
Overall, the 2012 Nissan Maxima seems to be a fairly reliable car. Nissan has a good reputation for quality, and the Maxima just celebrated 30 years on the production line, which can be taken as a good sign. 
Average expected repair costs for the 2012 Nissan Maxima aren’t too unwieldy, either. RepairPal estimates that an owner of a ‘12 Maxima can expect to pay around $558 annually for repairs

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