Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Nissan Frontier owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Shifter for the transmission would not go into drive standing the driver and vehicle. Shifter assembly is defective and vehicle is sitting at Nissan dealership waiting for repair. Nissan is refusing to cover the cost of replacement out of warranty. This is the 8th 2012 Nissan Frontier shifter failure so far out of the 66 2012 Nissan frontiers we have in our nj fleet. No TSB or recall has been issued for this high frequency issue, and Nissan is refusing cover the cost of the defective shifter repairs for being 3000 miles out of the 36K bumper to bumper warranty. Nissan consumer affairs was contacted about the refusal to cover the cost of the repair; case #18171024. Nissan c.a. Took 3 weeks to respond with a denial. The vehicle has been out of service for over 3 weeks and counting and the repair cost is $595. …
I noticed a leak in the rear end of my 2012 Frontier, coming from the rack & pinion seal. I purchased the extended warranty on the vehicle. It turns out that a breather/screen had rusted and caused pressure to build, causing the seal to leak. I brought it to my local Nissan service center and they refused to repair it under warranty, saying that Nissan considers it "environmental causes". I know of other makes and models that go 100,000 or 200,000+ miles without read end issues. I have talked to other Frontier owners and found that they have had similar issues, with as little as 13,000 miles and trucks only 2 years old. I feel that this is a design flaw and Nissan should repair this defect under warranty.
Vehicle became hard to put into gear, especially when cold. Took car to the dealer, and they said something must have spilled down by the shifter linkage. I am the only driver, and I do not think that was the case, but could not be absolutely sure. I am only submitting this, because I saw several other posts where people could not shift their vehicles out of park, Nissan would not help out with the expense of repair since they were out of warranty. Anyone reading this should think long and hard before purchasing a Nissan. They are not the high quality vehicles they were at one time.
Tl* the contact called on behalf of his son who owns a 2012 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would shuddered without warning. The vehicle resumed normal operation after experiencing the failure. The vehicle was taken to metro Nissan of montclair 9440 autoplex st, montclair, ca 91763, but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
Both rear axle seals failed due to a faulty rear axle housing breather valve. Gear oil began leaking on to rear brake pads creating a safety issue. Also, seals and bearings could not be replaced independently. A $15 part failure (breather valve) caused both rear axles to be replaced in excess of $1000. Nissan would not provide any consideration of good will help unless I paid a diagnostic fee at local dealer. This came with no guarantee of help.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that the vehicle would not accelerate beyond 30 MPH. The vehicle then began jerkin violently and caused the contact to bounce off a side railing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who advised that the electric control module failed. The vehicle was scheduled for repairs. The manufacture was contacted. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 25,012.
The 2012 Nissan Frontier has a rubber grommet on the clutch pedal which triggers saftey switch. The grommet goes bad and the vehicle will not start. Cannot be jumped. Must be towd or fixed on the spot. These grommetts go bad in 15,000 miles and it cost 15.00 for a new one. You cannot maintain a piece of rubber on te clutch. Rediculous
Transmission shifter will not go into drive, stranding driver and vehicle in customer's driveway. This is a defective assembly that has failed on several other frontiers with automatic transmissions. Vehicle is disabled until repaired. Parts for the repair are dealer only and the repair is over $600!
Transmission shifter will not go into drive, stranding driver and vehicle in customer's driveway. This is a defective assembly that has failed on several other frontiers with automatic transmissions. Vehicle is disabled until repaired. Parts for the repair are dealer only and the repair is over $600!
Vehicle would not shift into drive and stranded the driver. Vehicle shifter found to be defective and was replaced. The shifter can stop operating at any time, leaving the vehicle unable to drive. I have had 8 of these shifters replaced on 8 different 2012 Nissan frontiers and counting.
Transmission complaints in other Frontier years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2012 Nissan Frontier?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2012 Nissan Frontier, 25% of the model year's 80 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2012 Nissan Frontier transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2012 Nissan Frontier, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2012 Nissan Frontier transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 34,000 miles, and 30% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.