2012 Nissan Cube recalls & problems
The 2012 Nissan Cube has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 19 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is power train (6 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2012 Nissan Cube.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2012 Nissan Cube VAN FWD
| Overall | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover risk | 17.4% |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Cube
| City / highway | 26 / 30 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.8 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,400/year to fuel
Cube
| City / highway | 25 / 29 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
1.8 L · 4 cyl · Manual 6-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,500/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 6 | 81,000 mi |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | — |
| Electrical system | 3 | — |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | — |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 46,000 mi |
| Air bags | 2 | — |
| Visibility Windshield | 1 | — |
| Seat belts | 1 | — |
| Tires | 1 | — |
| Engine | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Feb 1, 2026Electrical 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… - Jan 31, 2025Fuel/propulsion system
2013-2014 oxygen gas sensor Intermittently failed to operate, causing CO2 into the cabin. Issue not found Nissan instructed to take it to another dealer they found issue and replaced. 2025 same issue dealers cannot find major c02 entering cabin. Cannot drive car due to extreme c02 have blood test indicating c02 in blood. Extreme situation both times! - Mar 18, 2021 · 30,000 milesUnknown or other
MY BACK SENSORS WENT OUT AND WAS CAUSING THE BACK TIRES TO BE IDLE WHILE I WAS DRIVING I IMMEDIATELY IMMEDIATELY GOT IT FIXED WITH MY STIMULUS MONEY - Jul 14, 2020 · 46,000 milesElectrical system
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. - Jul 10, 2019 · 97,000 milesPower train
I PURCHASE MY 2012 NISSAN CUBE ON JANUARY 2019 W 93K ON JUN 2019 STARTED A NOISE .IT BECAME INCREASINGLY WORST, TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC HE ROAD TEST THE CAR ,AND TOLD ME IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION I GOOGLE THE CVT TRANS AND FIND OUT THAT NISSAN HAVE TROUBLE WITH THOSE TRANS ,THEY EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON SOME MODELS FROM 2000 TO 2010 I TOOK IT TO RT.46 NISSAN ON TOTOWA NJ TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS .THEY WANT $4163.00 TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE TRANS THAT THEY KNOW HAVE A BUNCH OF PROBLEMS ..TWICE THE CAR STALL WHEN I`M DRIVING I`M NOT GOING TO PAY FOR A TRANS.THAT HAS A HISTORY OF PROBLEMS,I FEEL NISSAN SHOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON 2012 MODELS I`M SURE MY COMPLAIN IT`S NOT THE… - Jun 28, 2019 · 80,000 milesPower train
I OWN A 2012 NISSAN CUBE WITH 80,000 MILES ON IT. MY TEENAGER WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN IT STALLED OUT ON HER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. IT EVENTUALLY CAUGHT ENOUGH TO ACCELERATE AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT IS AN INTERNAL FAILURE OF SEVERAL SENSORS ON THE CVT TRANSMISSION. I HAVE READ ONLINE AT MULTIPLE SITES THAT THIS IS A LARGELY OCCURRING INCIDENT WITH NISSAN AND THESE MODELS. A TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 80,000 MILES! IT IS A DANGEROUS OCCURRENCE THAT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO THE DRIVER IF ON AN INTERSTATE OR OTHERWISE BUSY HIGHWAY (WE LIVE IN A METROPOLITAN CITY). THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED,… - Apr 18, 2019 · 140,000 milesPower train
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… - Sep 22, 2018 · 51,680 milesEngine
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.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · openDesiccated 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. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled…