2012 Nissan Altima Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
Have a '12 SR coupe. Car keeps turning over for 5-10 seconds before starting. The alternator checked fine, but the battery voltage was a little low. I bought a brand new battery and that seemed to fix the problem....... for an hour. New battery is at the correct voltage, and alternator came back fine again. Even Nissan themselves have bo idea what's wrong. I've never seen this complaint anywhere, but I assume not that many people own the coupes. I even had an 09 SE coupe that never did this.
SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR WHERE IT LIMITS THE RPM AND SLOWS THE CAR DOWN A LOT ALMOST MADE A ACCIDENT HAPPEN I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC HE TOLD ME IT WAS NORMAL AND I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT TO NISSAN TO GET IT FIXED BUT THAT HE SEES THAT A LOT
THE TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE LEVER INSIDE OR WITH THE FOB. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE CAR WAS STAIONARY AND WITHOUT WARNING.
WHEN IT RAINS IT LEAKS WATER IN THE VEHICLE NEAR THE SUNROOF IN THE HEADLINER ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE. IT WILL LEAK (DRIP) WHILE PARKED AND WHILE IN DRIVE
THE VEHICLE'S DOORS STOPPED LOCKING AND UNLOCKING PROPERLY. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT ALL 4 DOOR LOCKS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, WHERE THEY LOCK SOMETIMES AND AT OTHER TIMES, THEY DON'T. THE ALARM SYSTEM IS DOING STRANGE THINGS, ALSO. BY THAT, I MEAN THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN I PRESS THE DOOR BUTTON AND HEAR THE DOUBLE-BEEP, INSTEAD OF THE SINGLE-BEEP THAT WOULD UNLOCK THE BUTTON. AS I OPEN THE DOOR, I EXPECT THE ALARM TO GO OFF, AS I ASSUME THE ALARM SYSTEM BELIEVES THE DOOR IS NOW LOCKED. HOWEVER, THE DOOR WILL OPEN, THE ALARM WON'T GO OFF, THEN THE WARNING BEEPS WILL SOUND AS THE DOOR IS CLOSED, MAKING THE BEEPING WARNING SOUND ASSOCIATED WITH ATTEMPTING TO LOCK THE VEHICLE WITH YOUR KEYS STILL INSIDE. THIS IS CLEARLY A FACTORY ISSUE FOR NISSAN, BUT IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN, AS THE LOCK IS AN ADDED MEASURE OF SECURITY FOR KIDS AND SAFETY WITHIN A VEHICLE. IF MY WIFE WOULD EVER FEEL THE NEED TO HIT THE LOCKS, FOR WHATEVER REASON SHE ENCOUNTERS, WE CAN'T KNOW FOR SURE THEY WILL OPERATE PROPERLY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THE FOB KEY EVEN AFTER THE FOB KEY BATTERY WAS CHANGED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE MANUALLY OPERATED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.
THE PROBLEM I'M HAVING IS THAT ALL 3 PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING (NO AUTO LOCK, NO POWER LOCK, NO FOB LOCK) AT THE SAME TIME. MY WORK INVOLVES DRIVING CHILDREN AND NISSAN'S FAILURE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IS ABOUT TO COST ME A JOB AND IT ENDANGERS ANY CHILDREN WHO ARE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION. ON NISSAN FORUMS AND OTHER WEBSITES, A PLETHORA OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS HAVE TAKEN PLACE FOR OVER A DECADE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXHIBIT A LOSS OF POWER AND WAS TAKEN FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
ALL THREE PASSENGER DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS ARE FAILING. THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, WITH THE ENGINE AND ACCESSORIES OFF. WHEN I ACTIVATE THE LOCK WITH THE BUTTON ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DRIVER'S DOOR, ONE OR MORE DOORS SOMETIMES FAIL TO LOCK OR UNLOCK. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN IN COLD WEATHER. THE PROBLEM MAY HAPPEN LESS OFTEN WHEN I USE THE REMOTE FOB TO LOCK/UNLOCK THE DOORS. IF THE CAR THINKS IT IS LOCKED, AND I OPEN AN UNLOCKED PASSENGER DOOR, THE ALARM ACTIVATES. THIS MAKES IT VERY INCONVENIENT FOR ME TO MANUALLY CHECK THAT ALL OF MY DOORS ARE LOCKED. IF MY CAR DOES NOT LOCK, MY PERSONAL EFFECTS ARE AT RISK OF THEFT. AS A SAFETY CONCERN, IF MY CAR IS NOT SECURED, I AM AT GREATER RISK OF BEING CAR-JACKED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND "INTELLIGENT KEY ISSUE, WILL NOT START" WAS DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ALL THE LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,300.
ALL FOUR DOORS OF THE "DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR" FAILED. NEED TO USE KEY ONLY REPLACED TWO WHICH ALSO FAILED. ( 12 MONTHS WARRANTY) CONCERN RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE. WHAT ELSE MAY FAIL WHILE DRIVING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START; HOWEVER, CERTAIN ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE START BUTTON ILLUMINATED BRIGHT RED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000. UPDATED 6/25/15*CN
POWER LOCKS/WINDOWS WERE SLOW. CONTACTED NISSAN AND SPOKE TO [XXX] THAT TOLD ME WE NEEDED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, BUT IT WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MILEAGE HAD TO DO WITH THE WINDOWS AND LOCKS. NISSAN TOOK CARE OF THE ISSUE. IN JANUARY 2013 THEY ALL WENT OUT AND CONTACTED [XXX] AGAIN. THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE WORK UNTIL WE PAID OUT OF POCKET AND THEY REIMBURSED US MINUS THE LABOR. WELL IT IS ALMOST A YEAR LATER AND THE WINDOWS ARE ACTING UP AGAIN. I CAN'T AFFORD THE 900.00 TO FIX ALL THE ISSUES AGAIN. TURNED OUT TO BE A LEMON INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE NO KEY MESSAGE SUDDENLY DISPLAYED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WITH TWO DIFFERENT KEYS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE BATTERY FLUID WOULD DISCHARGE AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED ONCE. THE DOORS EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE AND THE DOORS ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED. THE REMOTE ALSO FAILED TO START THE ENGINE AND THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE TO START WAS CAUSED BY THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 14,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, SHE WAS TRYING TO TURN THE RADIO ON BUT ACCIDENTALLY TURNED THE ENGINE OFF BECAUSE THE RADIO AND PUSH-TO-START BUTTONS WERE ABNORMALLY CLOSE IN PROXIMITY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.
2012 NISSAN ALTIMA WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. IGNITION SWITCH WAS UNRESPONSIVE. THE FUEL PUMP FUSE HAD TO BE REMOVED SO THE CAR WOULD SHUT OFF. THEN THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE WAS REMOVED TO RESET. BATTERY CABLE WAS RECONNECTED AND FUEL PUMP FUSE REINSTALLED. CAR WOULD NOW START AND SHUT OFF NORMALLY. THIS HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE BUT IT CONCERNS US BECAUSE THIS CAR IS ONLY FOUR MONTHS OLD AND HAS LESS THAN 5,000 MILES. *TR
THE DISPLAY SCREEN THAT COMMUNICATES NAVIGATION MAP, RADIO, PHONE, BACKUP CAMERA PICTURE, ETC. STOPPED WORKING. *TR
IF YOU LEAVE THE KEY OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AND IT IS TOUCHING THE VEHICLE THE PUSH BUTTON IGNITION WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THE KEY AND START THE VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL THE KEY MUST BE WITH YOU (INSIDE) IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THERE IS NO WARNING STATING OTHERWISE. THIS IS A PERSONAL SECURITY AND SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2012 Nissan Altima has 21 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.