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Exterior lightingPart report

2012 Nissan Altima Exterior lighting Problems

Complaints
5about this part
Share
1%of 426 total for the year
Median mileage
6,250miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 2012 Nissan Altima, 1% of the 426 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 6,250 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Light in the glovebox doesnot have a switch. It turns on as soon as the headlights are turned on. My glovebox was full of some paper and I opened the glove box to fin dhte papers became very hot to touch and I felt like they would burn any moment. A switch should be included so that the light turns on only when the glove compartment is opened. Any cloth of easily flammable material can catch fire due to heat and go unnoticed.”

NHTSA complaint #10732763, filed 2015-07, 500 miles

“My issue concerns the extremely bright headlights (especially aftermarket halogen) that are allowed to be installed on cars and worse on SUV's and pick-up trucks. These lights are blinding in normal highway night travel, especially when opposing drivers use them at the high beam level. It is worse when a car driver is opposed by a SUV or a pick-up truck whose lights are mounted about one foot higher than the ones mounted on a typical car. My wife's accident when she entered the left turn lane of a highway with a single lane in each direction with a dedicated left turn lane at the intersection. …”

NHTSA complaint #10948670, filed 2017-01, 12,000 miles

“Hi, I would like to bring it to your notice that the headlights provided with my Nissan Altima do not provide adequate lighting on the street. It is particularly very difficult when making turns, and the other side is like a 4 lane road(the divider is visible when it is already too late). It is my personal experience that when you are unfamiliar with the roads in an area, you will end up on the wrong side of the road (the light is not wide enough and not bright enough). I was lucky that the roads were empty. …”

NHTSA complaint #10457799, filed 2012-05

Related service bulletins

Exterior lighting: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202213%
202011%
201910%
2018136%
2017185%
2016428%
201527028%
201429927%
201344219%
201251%
201121%
201072%
200991%
200891%
200741%
200691%
2005131%
200462%
2003172%
2002414%
200021%
199811%
199744%
199644%
199511%
199422%
199332%

Other parts of the 2012 Nissan Altima

Transmission and drivetrain
149 complaints
Engine
68 complaints
Other or unknown
58 complaints
Air bags
57 complaints
Vehicle speed control
49 complaints
Electrical system
44 complaints
Body and structure
33 complaints
Brakes
20 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
18 complaints
Steering
17 complaints
Suspension
17 complaints
Fuel system
13 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2012 Nissan Altima

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology