2012 Nissan Versa Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

50Engine complaints

10.3%Of all 485 complaints

#4Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS165 · 34%

POWER TRAIN160 · 33%

Unspecified / other51 · 10.5%

ENGINE50 · 10.3%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL32 · 6.6%

Share of the 485 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Nissan Versa overview page.

What owners report

“THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. THERE IS HESITATION BETWEEN 20-30 MPH. I HAD A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED AND WAS TOLD: SYSTEM: TRANSMISSION, PART NUMBER: 31036-3AA6B…”NHTSA complaint 10758676 — filed 08/23/2015

“WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR AN P0101 OBDII CODE WAS TRIGGERED. CODE WAS VERIFIED WITH A AUTOXRAY CODESCOUT 2500 OBDII CODE READER…”NHTSA complaint 10725146 — filed 06/14/2015

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN VERSA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. ONCE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN…”NHTSA complaint 10722722 — filed 06/01/2015

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Nissan Versa have engine problems?

Engine is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Nissan Versa: 50 of 485 complaints on file (10.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Nissan Versa have in total?

485 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 40 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 31 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.