2012 Nissan Altima: Transmission failure
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2012 Altima report: transmission failure. CarComplaints.com lists 22 owner complaints, average mileage 114,450 miles.
NHTSA has 149 owner complaints for the 2012 Altima in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11675421 (filed 07/22/2025): “I drove out of town about 40 miles and everything was fine, next day went to leave to come home and immediately noticed high rpms going about 20mph. i pulled over, turned the car off and turned it back on, started driving and same thing. i had no choice but to…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11670314 (filed 06/30/2025): “The vehicle is unsafe to driver and others on the road. the power steering hose has had a leak since it was manufactured and was not fixed by the manufacturer at all! tie rods gave away within 5 years of a mileage less than 24,200 miles. cv joints along with t…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: replace transmission (20 reports) misdiagnosed noise (1 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Pro
Diagnosis needs a scan tool; repair or replacement needs a lift, transmission jack and the manufacturer's fluid fill/relearn procedure. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $3,280 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
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