Most common 2012 Nissan Cube problems
Share of the 19 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Cube complaints by model year
Best Cube years: 2014, 2012. Years to avoid: 2009, 2010. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2012 Nissan Cube:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2012 Nissan Cube owners say
Transmission & drivetrain
When driving on the interstate during warm weather, you will go to acceralate to only be met with the lose of power and your speed will drop from 70 to 20 without warning. The dash does not light a warning and you must hit your hazard flashers quickly and hope the cars behind you brake in time. You then must move to the shoulder of the road with the vehicle "sputtering" to do 20 MPH on a roadway with 60 plus MPH traffic. I have spoken to Nissan corp., and two dealership concerning this issue with all stating they did not know the cause. After much research and from dealing with this issue since 10,000 miles, I feel that Nissan is aware of the issues and have not properly made the necessary steps to correct the issue. The issue is the transmission cooler is not working properly. …
On February 10th, after the car warmed up for 20 minutes, the car's RPM's would jump by 500 every few seconds. I brought the car in (dealership where I bought it) to have it looked at and showed them a video I had taken of it happening at 60 MPH and 70 MPH. Since no warning lights were lit up on the dash, they said it was fine. On February 16th, the car behaved as though the overdrive was off and I headed to the dealership. Before reaching the dealership, the car would not accelerate and I was stuck. The car was shut off and after 5 minutes I was able to restart it and continue. They later told me the entire transmission needed to be replaced. Although the car is over the mileage for the warranty, I think the company should cover the $4,000 replacement as they did for earlier models http://www.nissanassist.com/web/CVT/index.php?menu=8.
Speed control & acceleration
Pulled out from stop light, zero power. Zero accelerator response. Just creep out super slow at idle and cross the intersection. Very unsafe. CVT seemed to be in limp-home mode; no lights on the dash, no warning, no vibration or other failure.
CVT transmission failure ~ safety issue slow to start ~ same as 100's of reports on internet car was at warranty end and Nissan said only fix for small leak was to replace the whole CVT~ as per current pending class actions against Nissan for 2013-2017 cvts being replaced repeatedly with the same failing transmission ended in repair cost to customer. Nissan offered to pay for parts but not labor. Why would I pay to put the same bad part on the car? Why is there not a class action for 2012 nissans? This car had a fuel leak that took many months to repair and find. Then the A/C was not working and mechanic said it might be related to the open ended temp gage for outside temp that this model did not have, only fix he had was electrical tape which I told Nissan was not a good fix and have work order through Nissan for this. …
Electrical system
Problem # 1- is 3 out of 4 door lock actuators all of a sudden stopped working at the exact same time, except the driver door. This is a huge safety issue and causes the door to remain locked. This causes someone getting locked inside the vehicle or locked outside. (Google) all the review's as this is a common thing people are reporting. Problem #2- My daughter said she almost passed out because he gas tank started to leak because the hose connector is plastic and integrated into the gas tank. The only way to fix this is replace the gas tank at $600+. (Google) this is a common problem that people are reporting. My vehicle only has 40k miles on it and its already a fire hazard because fuel is leaking from a plastic cheap fitting. This is the fitting that the fill hose connects to the gas tank. No warning signs until gas fumes filled the cab. …
The car will stop running and die. It has been worked on and the fuse box and brake lamp light switch has been replaced twice. When it dies it smell like burning electrical wiring and smoke comes out from under the hood. I have almost been killed half a dozen times. I can't drive the car safely.
2012 Nissan Cube engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 26 / 30 / 28 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 25 / 29 / 27 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Nissan Cube a good car?
Based on 19 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Cube rates better than average: 51% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Cube at the same age. It is one of the best Cube years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Nissan Cube?
The transmission & drivetrain — 6 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the speed control & acceleration (3) and electrical system (3).
How many recalls does the 2012 Nissan Cube have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2012 Nissan Cube. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Cube?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2009 and 2010. See the full Nissan Cube years comparison.
At what mileage do 2012 Nissan Cube problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 63,000 miles; 43% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.