Problems · NHTSA complaints

2012 Nissan Armada problems

Owners filed 17 complaints about the 2012 Nissan Armada with NHTSA between Sep 2013 and Jun 2025. The most-cited component is structure (4).

Complaints
17
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure4
  2. Service brakes4
  3. Fuel system, gasoline3
  4. Electrical system3
  5. Air bags2
  6. Suspension1
  7. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  8. Power train1
  9. Fuel/propulsion system1
  10. Visibility1
  11. Equipment adaptive/mobility1
  12. Other / unknown2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20131
20142
20154
20160
20171
20182
20191
20202
20210
20220
20231
20241
20252

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Structure

4 reports
“The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that while driving, he drove over a bump in the road, and the back end swayed and it fishtailed. The contact pulled over and was unable to locate the cause of the failure. The contact continued to drive while driving over 35 MPH; the vehicle swerved. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, a suspension shop, and the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the subframe had fractured and was on top of the fuel tank. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was not repaired due to the intense repairs and price. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 12, 2025Suspension, Fuel system, gasoline, StructureODI 11666584

Service brakes

4 reports
“THE BRAKE LIGHT AND SLIP INDICATOR TURN ON AND THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE MANUAL THAT EXPLAINS WHAT THIS MEANS OTHER THAN POTENTIALLY LOW BRAKE FLUID. WE CHECKED THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL AND IT WAS HALFWAY, WE FILLED IT UP AND THE ISSUE DID NOT GO AWAY EVEN AFTER DRIVING IT. WHEN YOU TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND START IT BACK UP THE BRAKE LIGHT TURNS OFF LEAVING ONLY THE SLIP INDICATOR ON BUT NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT THE ISSUES ARE REGARDING BOTH SYSTEMS. AFTER CAREFULLY TESTING THE SYSTEM WE FOUND THAT THE BRAKES ARE IN FACT FAILING AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT STOPPING. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 16, 2020Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesODI 11329232

Fuel system, gasoline

3 reports
“I have a 2012 Nissan armada and a 2013 Nissan armada and both cars o2 sensors have went out on each of them. This must be a common problem and the financial strain shouldn’t be left for the customers buying an already expensive vehicles. Very odd that both my armadas are having the same issues with that particular sensor”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 11, 2025Fuel system, gasolineODI 11654089

Electrical system

3 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 NISSAN ARMADA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE THE CONTACT'S PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, AN EXPLOSION WAS HEARD. THE CONTACT EXITED THE BUILDING AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM HER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE FRONT DRIVER'S DOOR AND NOTICED FLAMES UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN, CONSOLE, AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WAS NO POLICE OR FIRE REPORT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOWING LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD INVESTIGATE THE FIRE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,875.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 9, 2018Electrical systemFire reportedODI 11084195

Air bags

2 reports
“The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The contact's husband inspected the vehicle and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags). The contact was concerned of an inadvertent deployment of the air bags. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,016.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 13, 2023Air bagsODI 11516850

Suspension

1 report
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.