2012 Nissan Versa: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2012 Nissan Versa: 10 recalls, 486 owner complaints and up to 33 mpg combined.
Recalls
10 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer, plus 1 equipment/tire recall that can apply. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #12V032000 · 2012 · 36,608 vehicles
What's wrong: 114,âtheft protection.â due to interference between the shifter rod and the shift knob, the vehicles May be shifted out of the park position without depressing the brake pedal.
Why it matters: 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 pedestrian.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the shifter knob or the shifter assembly as needed, free of charge. The safety recall began on mearh 5, 2012.
Airbags Vehicle recall #12V055000 · 2012 · 976 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: The side curtain air bags May not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace one or both side curtain air bag modules, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on March 12, 2012.
Speed control / throttle, Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #15V507000 · 2015 · 298,747 vehicles
What's wrong: 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. The affected vehicles have a center console trim panel that May catch the driver's shoe and delay the transition from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal.
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will modify the console trim panel, free of charge. The recall began on September 14, 2015.
Suspension Vehicle recall #15V573000 · 2015 · 218,019 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan (Nissan north america, Inc.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2012 Nissan versa vehicles manufactured May 8, 2006, to November 12, 2012, 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,…
Why it matters: If a front coil spring fractures, it May contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front coil springs, free of charge. The recall began on February 2, 2016.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V028000 · 2017 · 152,554 vehicles
What's wrong: 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. Virgin islands, or "zone a". Additionally, if not included in "zone a" above, Nissan is recalling certain…
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on June 8, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V144000 · 2017 · 54,751 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Nissan versa vehicles. Degradation of the side impact sensor connector pins May cause the curtain and seat-mounted air bags to deploy unexpectedly if the door is slammed.
Why it matters: If the curtain and seat-mounted air bags inadvertently deploy, it can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a new jumper harness, and replace the side impact satellite sensors, free of charge. The recall began November 28, 2017.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V449000 · 2017 · 515,394 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2007-2011 versa sedan and 2007-2012 versa hatchback vehicles. The affected vehicles have a driver frontal air bag inflator that May rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to moderate absolute humidity, temperatures, and temperature cycling.
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the subject inflator with a new one manufactured by a different supplier, free of charge. The recall began on March 9, 2018.
Suspension Vehicle recall #17V637000 · 2017 · 1,119 vehicles
What's wrong: 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, virginia, west virginia and wisconsin. Road salt May corrode the…
Why it matters: If a front coil spring fractures, it May contact the tire, possibly puncturing it, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front coil springs, free of charge. The recall began December 6, 2017.
Airbags Vehicle recall #18V044000 · 2018 · 52,614 vehicles
What's wrong: 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. Virgin islands or "zone a." additionally, Nissan is recalling certain 2009-2010 versa…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018.
Airbags Vehicle recall #18V401000 · 2018 · 104,762 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2011 Nissan versa sedan vehicles and 2011-2012 Nissan versa hatchback vehicles ever registered in the states of arizona, arkansas, delaware, the district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, north carolina, ohio, oklahoma, pennsylvania, tennessee, virginia, and west virginia. Nissan is…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2018.
1 aftermarket equipment / tire recall replacement parts sold to fit this car, not the car itself
Airbags, Airbags Equipment recall #22E066000 · 2022 · 375 vehicles
What's wrong: 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. The parts include certain passenger-side air bag inflators designed to fit Infiniti 2002-2003 qx4, 2006-2010 m35 and m45; Nissan 2001-2003 maxima, 2002-2006 sentra, and both driver and passenger-side inflators designed to fit 2007-2012 versa sedan…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the inflators as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 14, 2022.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 6 mention a fire, 31 injuries and 1 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Airbags (167): the most common themes are fails to deploy (15), warning light on (15).
- Transmission & drivetrain (163): the most common themes are hard / delayed shifting (75), stalls / loses power (35), warning light on (32).
- Other / unknown (51): the most common themes are warning light on (6).
- Engine (50): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (15), warning light on (10).
The 2012 Nissan Versa has 486 owner complaints, ranking #2 of 19 Versa model years for complaints (2.8× the average Versa year). Complaints peaked in 2017 (128 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 5 years old, at a median of 60,088 miles. Neighboring years: 2011 (269 complaints, 6 recalls), 2013 (204 complaints, 1 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 L 4-cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Front-Wheel Drive | 30 | 37 | 33 | Regular |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Front-Wheel Drive | 28 | 33 | 30 | Regular |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 27 | 35 | 30 | Regular |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl | Manual 6-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 26 | 31 | 28 | Regular |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 24 | 31 | 27 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2012 Nissan Versa.
Closest thing to the factory manual for most years. Pay once, keep it.
Most $25–$78, one-timePro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.
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FAQ
Does the 2012 Nissan Versa have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 10 vehicle recalls for the 2012 Nissan Versa, plus 1 equipment or tire recalls that can apply. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2012 Nissan Versa problems?
Owners have filed 486 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (167), transmission & drivetrain (163), other / unknown (51).
What gas mileage does the 2012 Nissan Versa get?
EPA ratings run up to 33 mpg combined (1.6 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios)), across 5 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2012 Nissan Versa repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.