2012 Nissan Murano Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2012 Murano most often describe a CVT transmission that slips, hesitates on take-off or loses power, and a passenger air bag warning light tied to the seat occupant sensor. Other recurring themes in the sampled complaints are sunroof glass shattering, sun visors that drop down while driving, and a brake pedal that can travel toward the floor. Reports are spread across the mileage range, with transmission and brake complaints usually appearing well past 50,000 miles.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Passenger air bag light / occupant sensor fault

   • 17 complaints (13%)
   • median 79,886 mi at 8.8 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $4,150 (median of 10 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2024

   Complaints describe the passenger air bag indicator staying on or the dash air bag light flashing, with a diagnostic code pointing to the occupant sensing unit. Owners report being quoted for replacement of the sensor together with the passenger seat cushion or seat assembly, at a cost they describe as very high relative to the vehicle's value. Some complaints note the dealer declined assistance because the item was not part of a campaign. Reported from very low mileage up to about 120,000 miles, sometimes on vehicles that rarely carry a passenger.

   What to check: With the ignition on, confirm the passenger air bag indicator behaves correctly with and without weight on the seat, and have any stored air bag codes read before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Passenger side air bag is not engaged. Indicator is on approximately 50% of the time, when my 84 pound daughter is sitting in the passenger seat. This means that 50% of the time, my daughter is supposedly not protected by the air bag. This is troublesome. The intermittent, seemingly random nature of the indicator does not instill confidence in the protection that I paid for and is assumed to be in place. When I contacted the dealer on 12/28/12. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10491161, filed 2013-01, 400 miles

   “We recently bought an out of warranty, as is 2012 Nissan Murano and the dash airbag light and passenger airbag light are both on. They never go off after the initial 7 second wait time. Vehicle in motion or standing still doesn't matter. I have scanned for codes and b1018-00 keeps coming back after attempting to erase. Normal sized people sit in these two seats and use their seat belts religiously so misaligned seating is not the case. I have researched this and a few others have had the exact problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11385932, filed 2020-12, 98,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   CVT slipping, hesitation and loss of power

   • 23 complaints (17%)
   • median 89,500 mi at 6.7 yrs old (20 state mileage)
   • filed 2014–2023

   Owners describe the continuously variable transmission slipping, revving without acceleration, jerking, or pausing for several seconds when pulling away from a stop. In some cases the vehicle would not move above a low speed and had to be towed. Complaints say dealers often could not reproduce the problem at first, and later reports quote replacement of the transmission as the recommended repair. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 130,000 miles, often on acceleration from a stop or at highway speed.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive from a stop and at highway speed, watching for delayed engagement, shudder or high revs without acceleration. Ask whether the transmission fluid was serviced and whether any transmission work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought this car used a couple years ago. Last month while driving down the road the car started jerking and I couldn't go over 20 miles an hour. I took it to a repair shop and they said the transmissions was a CVT transmission and could not be repaired or rebuilt and had to be replaced at $4,100+. They said this was a problem with CVT and Nissan was aware of it and had offered an extended warranty to 100k (at a cost). The transmission only had 80,000 miles. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11058027, filed 2018-01, 81,000 miles

   “The CVT transmission is failing. When I try to accelerate it takes a long time to get above 10 MPH and sometimes bucks when acceleration starts. There are 117k mike's on my car and I'm so frustrated.”

   NHTSA complaint #11012190, filed 2017-08, 117,000 miles
3. 3
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Sunroof / moonroof glass shattering

   • 21 complaints (16%)
   • median 52,000 mi at 5.3 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • filed 2012–2023

   Owners describe a loud bang followed by the sunroof or moonroof glass breaking outward, usually with no visible impact and in ordinary weather. In several reports the sunshade was closed and contained the glass. Complaints say dealers either replaced the glass or referred owners to a body or glass shop, and some owners paid through insurance. Reported from about 4,000 up to roughly 140,000 miles, typically while driving at road or highway speed.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect the roof panel for chips, stress marks or previous replacement, and ask whether the glass has ever been replaced; a service bulletin covers windshield glass inspection and warranty guidance.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving down the highway I heard a loud bang and I then realized that my sunroof had shattered. Glass shards were sliding around on the sunroof cover. I contacted Nissan after seeing numerous reports and even a lawsuit about this, but they denied my claim forcing me to pay for the repairs of a fault that Nissan admitted to in the lawsuit.”

   NHTSA complaint #11302681, filed 2020-01, 140,000 miles

   “I have a 2012 Nissan Murano (sl) with about 35k miles on it. While traveling to work the morning of 09/16/14 the sunroof literally exploded upward for no reason. No impact, road hazard, or other debris. Temperature was constant (60's) dry, no extremes. Part of the roof was the sliding section for the sunroof. Original sunroof as of purchase (I am the original owner).”

   NHTSA complaint #10637055, filed 2014-09, 35,100 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brake pedal goes low or loses pressure

   • 9 complaints (7%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 7.9 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2022

   Complaints describe the brake pedal sinking toward the floor or feeling spongy, requiring extra pressure and longer stopping distance; in some reports pumping the pedal restored normal feel. Owners say pads and lines were checked or replaced without resolving the symptom, and that dealers sometimes could not duplicate it. A voluntary service campaign on this model year covers a brake fluid flush and inspection of the ABS actuator. Reported from roughly 16,000 to 125,000 miles, often on uneven surfaces, bumps or while braking from highway speed.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the brake fluid flush service campaign was performed and whether the ABS actuator was inspected, and check pedal feel on a bumpy road during the test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Brakes stop working on occassion. While driving on the higjway and winding back roads, I tried to stop,ping, and I have to keep pushing the brakes to stop the car. The brake pada are new, and rhe tires have been aligned, and brakelines checked and the issue still occurs.”

   NHTSA complaint #11258698, filed 2019-09, 124,000 miles

   “On 3 separate occasions, my vehicle lost brake pedal pressure and had excessive travel to the floor requiring extra distance in order to bring the vehicle to a complete stop ABS to avoid a collision. On one occasion, I drove over a bump on the expressway and the brake pedal traveled all the way down to the floor. After pumping the pedal a few times, pressure was restored. All brake components are in proper working order and maintained by an ase master technician. The master cylinder does not show sign of leaking. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11372373, filed 2020-10, 96,000 miles
5. 5
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Sun visor drops and blocks the view

   • 8 complaints (6%)
   • median 52,000 mi at 7.7 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2015–2022

   Owners report the driver or passenger sun visor losing tension and hanging down while driving, obstructing forward view, and in some cases being unable to be raised again. Complaints say the dealer treated it as an owner-paid repair, with one report of a quote for replacement. Reported from around 13,000 to about 97,000 miles, occurring whenever the visor is used.

   What to check: Fold both visors down and back up during the test drive and check that they hold position at any angle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Common problem, with my car and I've noticed with other 2012 owners, is a floppy sun visor on driver's side which will not stay in place therefore obstructing vision. I paid to have visor replaced, but think that recall should be issued for this problem”

   NHTSA complaint #11175894, filed 2019-02, 52,000 miles

   “I was driving 55 MPH on highway, sun was in my eyes so I lowered the drivers side sun visor. It immediately became floppy and I couldn't get it to raise back up. I had to hold the visor up with other hand while slowing and navigating safely to pull off of highway. With focused concentration, I can get the visor to go back up into place and stay but cannot safely use. It appears to be the pin ? That attaches up inside the visor attachment to the car roof. ?”

   NHTSA complaint #10785297, filed 2015-10, 39,300 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission's behavior from a stop and on the air bag warning lights is worthwhile on this model year. Ask for service records covering transmission fluid, the brake fluid flush campaign and any sunroof glass replacement.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.