Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Nissan Versa owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2012 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the contact vehicle; however, the air bags failed to deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact was injured but did not receive medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the contact's residence. The vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the contact became aware that the air bag warning light was blinking off and on. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the air bag spiral cable on the driver's side to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Approximately one week after the repair, the air bag warning light was again illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic stated that the air bag module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that occasionally while driving at various speeds, the horn failed to function while needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who advised the contact to reach out to the local dealer because the failure might be due to a possible air bag failure. The local dealer advised the contact to reach out to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the manufacturer related the failure to an unknown NHTSA Campaign that was possibly associated with the VIN in the past. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.
I stopped at an atm when I backed out of space cruise control lights started flashing horn going off air bag light flashing passenger door clicking. Made it to store parked car got horn to stop. When I backed up out of space and turned wheel air bag deployed. Lights flashing horn sounding alarms. Turned off vehicle call 911 fire department came to see if no danger of fire and if I was ok. Called ins company set up CV claim because air bag deployed for no apparent reason hit me in the chest possibly due to electrical something malfunctioned.police also came but said I did not need to report anything because I did not hit anything. Called geico had vehicle towed and because air bag deployed they created a claim. Had vehicle towed to firestone but they were closed today adjuster from insurance company coming out tomorrow 892021 to assess damage and repairs needed.
Backing up out of a parking space the lights started flashing cruise control air bag horn started blowing whole dash lit up when I straightened the vehicle the horn stopped. Got to my destination backed up a few feet as soon as I turned the wheel and attempted to put it in drive the airbag deployey. I did not hit anything. The airbag deployed for some unknown reason. Fearful car might catch fire very startling called 911 fire dept disabled battery had the vehicle towed and reported the issue to Nissan. I also reported this on Sunday after it happened.
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Versa. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number 17V449000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.
Tl* the contact owned a 2012 Nissan Versa. While the contact was accelerating from a stop, another vehicle crashed into the front driver's side of his vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained arm, shoulder, and back injuries that required medical attention. The passenger also sustained neck, right shoulder, back, and arm injuries that required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to an auto body shop. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 17V449000 (air bags). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 62,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Nissan Versa. While the contact's vehicle was stationary, a second vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed crashed into the rear bumper. As a result, the contact's vehicle was pushed into the rear of a third vehicle causing significant damage to the front end of the contact's vehicle. The contact indicated that during the incident the air bags did not deploy and the seat belts malfunctioned. The driver suffered a contusion to the forehead after making contact with the steering wheel., but medical attention was not required. A police report was filed. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 3,961.
Tl* the contact owned a 2012 Nissan Versa. While at a stop light preparing to make a left turn, a vehicle on the opposite side of the road crashed into another vehicle. The vehicle then drove over the median and crashed into the contact's vehicle. The contact then crashed into the side of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained neck and lower back injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a police towing lot. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,800. ...updated 06/13/17 updated 08/03/17
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Nissan Versa. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the glare of the sun reflected onto the windshield and distracted the contact's view. As a result, the contact rear ended another vehicle. The air bags deployed and emitted black smoke. The contact sustained second degree burns to the left arm and right hand that required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000. Updated 02/03/17
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2011 Nissan Versa sedan vehicles and 2011-2012 Nissan Versa hatchback vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North…
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2018.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Versa Hatchback, and 2009-2011 Versa Sedan vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the…
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and 2007-2012 Versa Hatchback vehicles. The affected vehicles have a driver frontal air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to moderate absolute humidity, temperatures, and temperature…
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the subject inflator with a new one manufactured by a different supplier, free of charge. The recall began on March 9, 2018.
Air bags › Side/window
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Nissan Versa vehicles. Degradation of the side impact sensor connector pins may cause the curtain and seat-mounted air bags to deploy unexpectedly if the door is slammed.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a new jumper harness, and replace the side impact satellite sensors, free of charge. The recall began November 28, 2017.
Show 2 more recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Nissan Versa hatchbacks originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on June 8, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available.
Air bags › Side/window
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 altima and versa vehicles. These vehicles May be equipped with side curtain air bags that contain an incorrect propellant mixture for the initiator component used, resulting in insufficient output of compressed gas.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace one or both side curtain air bag modules, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on March 12, 2012.
NHTSA investigations
Inadvertent Curtain and Seat Air Bag
The Office of Defects Investigations opened this Preliminary Evaluation to investigate complaints alleging an inadvertent deployment of side air bags on model year 2012 Nissan Versa vehicles.The three complaints indicate the driver or passenger curtain and seat mounted air bags deployed when the front door on the same (affected) side was shut.According to Nissan, the defect identified involved the dissimilarity of…
SRS Warning Light Illumination
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation after receiving Nissan early warning reports (EWR) concerning supplemental restraint system (SRS) light illumination on model year (MY) 2012 Nissan Versa vehicles.Information in the reports suggested that the SRS spiral cable harness from the spiral cassette to the driver?s air bag module became pinched within the steering wheel assembly during…
Autoliv Air Bag Propellant Mixture
The summary for this investigation, labeled EQ12-002 Autoliv Closing Resume, can be found attached separately to this resume.This EQ is closed.
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.
Airbag complaints in other Versa years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2012 Nissan Versa?
NHTSA has 167 complaints about the air bags of the 2012 Nissan Versa, 34% of the model year's 486 complaints. The component named most often is frontal › driver clockspring/spiral cassette (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Nissan Versa airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 18V-401 (inflator module, Jun 15, 2018); NHTSA recall 18V-044 (inflator module, Jan 10, 2018); NHTSA recall 17V-449 (inflator module, Jul 17, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2012 Nissan Versa airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 44,000 miles, and 32% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 28 crashes, 1 fire and 26 injuries to air bags 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.