The 2012 Nissan Altima is a small car that came with a choice of 2.5L 4-cyl and 3.5L 6-cyl engines. At 14 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Subcompact Cars, Midsize Cars |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic (AV-S6), Manual 6-spd |
| Drive | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 18–23 city / 27–32 highway / 21–26 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,600–$3,200 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 342–423 grams per mile |
| Curb weight (NHTSA test vehicle) | 3,111 lb |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 4,279–4,586 lb |
| Versions tested by EPA | 6 configurations: Altima Coupe, Altima |
| Age | 14 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data; weights from NHTSA crash-test records. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls covering the 2012 Nissan Altima. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Altima vehicles manufactured from May 10, 2012, through July 26, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with transverse link bolts and power steering rack bolts that were not torqued to proper specification.
Risk: The affected bolts could become loose and fall out which may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 Altima and versa vehicles. 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.
Risk: The side curtain air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured from june 15, 2011, through june 21, 2011 and model year 2012 Nissan nv vehicles manufactured from june 23, 2011, through june 28, 2011 because the air bag control unit (acu) was assembled incorrectly.
Risk: The affected acu will not operate as designed and this issue may cause the air bags not to inflate in a crash when they are designed to inflate. This could increase the risk of injury.
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Nissan Altima sedan vehicles manufactured from april 25, 2011, through june 10, 2011 at the canton, mississippi plant. The transverse link bolt may not have been torqued to the proper specification. This condition could cause the bolt to become loose while the vehicle is being driven…
Risk: If the bolt comes out completely, the driver may experience difficulty controlling the direction of the vehicle which could result in a crash.
Owners have filed 426 complaints about the 2012 Nissan Altima with NHTSA. 24 reports involved a crash and 2 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 26 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2012 Nissan Altima, by version tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dr, FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 10.5% |
| 2 Dr, FWD | Not rated | — | — | ★★★★★ | 9.3% |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 121 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2012 Nissan Altima. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement "Certification Label" or "VIN Plate/L
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement "Certification Label" or "VIN Plate/L
CAN COMMUNICATION CODES - DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this
CAN COMMUNICATION - NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulleti
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 2012 Nissan Altima.
Autoliv Air Bag Propellant Mixture
The summary for this investigation, labeled EQ12-002 Autoliv Closing Resume, can be found attached separately to this resume.This EQ is closed.
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2012 Altimas that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2012 Nissan Altima; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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