Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 135 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Nissan Murano, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 25 | 19% |
| Air bags | 19 | 14% |
| Unknown or other | 14 | 10% |
| Service brakes | 10 | 7% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 7% |
| Visibility/wiper | 8 | 6% |
| Engine | 6 | 4% |
| Visibility | 6 | 4% |
| Structure | 5 | 4% |
| Air bags | 3 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
My tire light is on a my 2012 nissian murano. It flashes at startup, with the light on, telling me I have low tire pressure. I put air evenly in all four tires. The light still remains on; how can all four TPMS go bad? I
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the contact and the front seat passenger attempted to exit the vehicle, but all the doors failed to unlock. Additionally, the stee
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Vehicles of previous model years, this model year, and future model years have all experienced this issue. Issue was reported on thru a youTube channel in order to let the public know and understand the issue and how to
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
While driving, vehicle just quits and all dashboard lights flash quickly and then the car stalls out and won't restart. This has happened 4 times now. Had battery replaced, alternator replaced for a 2nd time, sensor re
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
When accelerating from a stop vehicle does not move, with gas pedal to the floor will slowly advance or stall. Has a battery drain somewhere also.
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The installation of Intoxalock for safety has caused the car to completely lose power while driving and it is safety device. The device drains the battery and causes complete interruption of an operable vehicle. This put
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The rear subframe has rusted through due to road salt and made the vehicle unsafe to drive
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
Paint continues to chip and peel. It looks awful and Nissan won't do anything about it. It should be under the same recall as the Nissan Rogue and Infinity. It has overly devalued my car.
NHTSA complaint: Structure
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2012 Nissan Murano. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 MURANO AND ROGUE VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 23, 2011 THROUGH JANUARY 11, 2012. DURING ASSEMBLY, THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WAS NOT ACTIVATED. THUS, THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFE
Risk: A NON-ACTIVE TPMS CANNOT WARN A DRIVER THAT A TIRE IS UNDERINFLATED. UNDERINFLATED TIRES CAN RESULT IN TIRE OVERLOADING AND OVERHEATING, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A BLOWOUT AND POSSIBLE CRASH.
Fix: ALL OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ARE STILL IN DEALER INVENTORY. DEALERS HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO ACTIVATE ALL OF THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS.
| Reliability raw | 72 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 74 | good |
| Maintenance | 78 | good |
| Depreciation | 65 | good |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 38 | below average |
| Safety | 80 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 135 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 25 of them (19%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 72/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 74/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2012 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 70/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.