repaired · 2019 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2012 Nissan VersaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 486 owner complaints about the 2012 Nissan Versa, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 10 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-144 the manufacturer reports only 30% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 30, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Nissan Versa has problems
486 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
167Air bags29 crash/fire/injury
163Power train5 crash/fire/injury
50Engine4 crash/fire/injury
34Electrical system
33Vehicle speed control
29Service brakes
28Suspension
24Steering
18Structure
7216 other systems8 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 167 | 29 |
| Power train | 163 | 5 |
| Engine | 50 | 4 |
| Electrical system | 34 | 6 |
| Vehicle speed control | 33 | 3 |
| Service brakes | 29 | 7 |
| Suspension | 28 | 1 |
| Steering | 24 | 4 |
| Structure | 18 | 5 |
| 16 other systems | 72 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
10 recalls
2012 Nissan Versa recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2019 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2019 Q1
Springs: coil springs
Risk. If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2019 Q2
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Show 6 more recalls
repaired · 2019 Q1
Air bags: side/window
Risk. If the curtain and seat-mounted air bags inadvertently deploy, it can increase the risk of injury.
repaired · 2019 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2017 Q2
Springs: coil springs
Risk. If a front coil spring fractures, it may contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2016 Q4
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
Risk. A delay in the application of the brake pedal would lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increase the risk of a crash.
no report yet
Air bags: side/window
Risk. THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
no report yet
Manual transmission: shift pattern indicator
Risk. THE OPERATOR CAN INADVERTENTLY SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH OR INJURY TO A NEARBY…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Nissan.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
44kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 57 air bags complaints. 82% were reported before 100,000 miles.
20under 30k miles47under 100k miles10100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
15 owners mentioned a cost$4,000median
Middle half: $3,250 – $4,200
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2012 vs. every other Versa year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Versa median. How we score
'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2012 Nissan Versa safety ratings
2012 Nissan Versa 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (14.7% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
7 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2012 Nissan Versa, and the recalls they led to.
- Pedal Operation InterferenceLed to recall 15V-507
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- Autoliv Air Bag Propellant MixtureNo recall
- SRS Warning Light IlluminationNo recall
- Pedal Operation InterferenceNo recall
- Front Coil Spring FractureLed to recall 15V-573
- Inadvertent Curtain and Seat Air BagLed to recall 17V-144
In owners' words
What Versa owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
Horn issues horn isn't working Car shuts off constantly Multiple misfire codes reading permanent Codes won't clear on code reader Air bag light keeps blinking
The contact owned a 2012 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the contact vehicle; however, the air bags failed to deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact was injured but did not receive medical attention. A police report was…
Own a 2012 Versa?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.