2012 Nissan Pathfinder: common problems and reliability

The 2012 Nissan Pathfinder has 23 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are suspension and engine. Owners most often flag electrical & sensor malfunctions: "no key detected" warnings, front collision/automatic emergency braking sensors flashing erratically or activating falsely, automatic high beams malfunctioning, volume/steering wheel control failures. frequency: very frequent.

Safety record for the 2012 model year

23
Owner complaints
2
Recalls
2
Crash reports
1
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2012 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles (US, public record).

Is 2012 a good year for the Pathfinder?

Across the 5 Pathfinder model years we track, complaint volume runs from 23 (2012) to 183 (2017). With 23 complaints, the 2012 Pathfinder sits belowthe model's median of 42.

These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.

Where owners report problems

suspension
5
engine
5
air bags
4
electrical system
3
structure
2

Recalls affecting the 2012 Pathfinder

engine and engine cooling

Campaign 11V592000

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 INFINITI FX, MODEL YEAR 2012 INFINITI M, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN FRONTIER, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN XTERRA, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN PATHFINDER, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 N

suspension:front:hub

Campaign 12V462000

Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra two-wheel drive vehicles manufactured from June 19, 2012, through July 12, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with front wheel hubs th

What owners say across generations

Sentiment is sharply divided by generation. For the current generation (2022+), which replaced the CVT with a conventional 9-speed automatic, initial sentiment is mixed.

  • Current Generation (2022+):
  • Electrical & Sensor Malfunctions: "No Key Detected" warnings, front collision/automatic emergency braking sensors flashing erratically or activating falsely, automatic high beams malfunctioning, volume/steering wheel control failures. Frequency: very frequent.

Owner insights cover all generations of the Pathfinder. See the full Pathfinder owner picture and every model year.

Typical used price

Used Pathfinder listings typically run $35,287–$42,465 across 2013 to 2026 model years.

Other Pathfinder model years

Compare every Pathfinder year side by side to see how 2012 ranks against the rest.

Compare the Pathfinder against its rivals