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2012 Nissan Versa problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
67% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2012 Nissan Versa are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 88% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 166 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 44%).
Does the 2012 Nissan Versa have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 213 of 320 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Nissan Versa concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (67%), and the largest group is filed under power train (163). For comparison, the 2011 scores 17% and the 2013 scores 53%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2012 compares with other Nissan Versa years
Of the 13 Nissan Versa years with enough complaints to score, the 2012 is the 2nd-worst on engine and transmission share (67%). The worst is the 2023 (76%), the best the 2011 (17%). By volume, the 2012 drew 486 complaints (213 drivetrain), against 269 for the 2011 and 204 for the 2013.
Nissan Versa years to avoid and best years →
2010 Versa problems · 2011 Versa problems · 2012 · 2013 Versa problems · 2014 Versa problems · 2015 Versa problems · 2016 Versa problems · 2017 Versa problems · 2018 Versa problems · 2019 Versa problems · 2020 Versa problems · 2021 Versa problems · 2023 Versa problems
The rest of the picture on the 2012 Nissan Versa
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2012 Nissan Versa said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical transmission repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 213 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2012 Nissan Versa transmission recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2012 Nissan Versa involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 11 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 VERSA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 9, 2011, THROUGH JANUARY 13, 2012 FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 114,THEFT PROTECTION. DUE TO INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE SHIFTER ROD AND THE SHIFT KNOB, THE VEHICLES MAY BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE…
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 PEDESTRIAN.
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. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
10 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2012 Nissan Versa? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2012 Nissan Versa have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 213 of 320 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Nissan Versa concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (67%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Nissan Versa?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2012 Nissan Versa is air bags: 167 of 486 complaints (34%) name it, followed by power train (163) and engine (50). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 67% of the relevant total.
Is the 2012 Nissan Versa reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 67% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 88% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 13 Nissan Versa years we score, it ranks 2nd-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Nissan Versa?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2012 Nissan Versa involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 11 in total: 12V032000 (power train: manual transmission: shift pattern indicator). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Nissan Versa years are better?
Among the Nissan Versa years we track, the 2011 (17%), the 2010 (23%) and the 2017 (43%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2012 (67%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/nissan-versa
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.