FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2012 Nissan Sentra
The 2012 Nissan Sentra has no open NHTSA safety recalls on file, 180 owner complaints, and gets about 26 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2012 Nissan Sentra at a glance
- Engine
- 4-cyl 2.5L
- Cylinders
- 4
- Displacement
- 2.5 L
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic (AV-S6)
- Body
- Midsize Cars
- Fuel
- Regular
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 13, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
No safety recalls on file with NHTSA for this year and model. That's a good sign.
NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 13, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
180 filed- 64
POWER TRAIN
Our nissan Sentra with 106K miles the car lost nearly all power as my son was turning onto the freeway. He could only drive 16 miles an hour and it was hopping and jumping through a 8 lane freeway/highway intersection while he tried to get
- 20
AIR BAGS
The contact owned a 2012 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while her boyfriend was driving at 40 MPH and passing a side street, another driver traveling in a Subaru failed to yield. As a result, the Subaru collided with the passenger s
- 15
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The ve
- 13
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Transmission died. For a few weeks, the transmission will randomly have a high whine at about 55mph, sometimes hard shifting or high revving when I feel it should have shifted. A mechanic told me the CVT transmission wasn't good and would e
- 12
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
car stalled no power in gas pedal traveling across for lane traffic just lost power to the gas pedal. was able to pull over and tuned off car after a few minutes of sitting power was restore and was able to drive again I have been told this
- 10
VISIBILITY
AFTER GOING TO THE BANK WE STOPPED FOR BREAKFAST.....IT WAS ABOUT 40 DEGREES AND LIGHT SNOW WAS FALLING.....WHILE EATING OUR SUN ROOF EXPLODED......IT HAD A CONE SHAPE UPWARDS AND GLASS WAS ALL AROUND ON THE ROOF AND HOOD OF THE VEH. ....VE
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 13, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- ★★★★☆
- Frontal
- ★★★☆☆
- Side
- ★★★☆☆
- Rollover
- ★★★★☆
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 13, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 26 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 23 / 30
- Est. fuel / yr
- $2,400
- CO₂ / mi
- 342 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 13, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Have a mechanic check the power train
Owners report problems with the power train more than anything else on this model. Call it out specifically during a pre-purchase inspection.
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
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Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
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Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
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Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
Are there any recalls on the 2012 Nissan Sentra? +
No open NHTSA safety recalls are on file for the 2012 Nissan Sentra. Recalls can be issued at any time, so confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
What gas mileage does the 2012 Nissan Sentra get? +
The EPA rates the 2012 Nissan Sentra at 26 mpg combined (23 city / 30 highway), about $2,400 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2012 Nissan Sentra? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2012 Nissan Sentra 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2012 Nissan Sentra? +
Owners have filed 180 complaints with NHTSA for the 2012 Nissan Sentra, including 10 involving a crash. The most-reported area is power train.
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