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2012 Nissan Altima Wipers & Visibility Problems

12 owner-reported wipers & visibility complaints from NHTSA data

12
Complaints
Jan 2020Dec 2020
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (12)

mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Nov 2022

2012 Altima defective sticky melting dashboard cause severe windshield glare when driving when sun from a certain angle ( no vehicle accident so far)

NHTSA #: 11492388
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Apr 2022

CAR DASH HAS BECOME A HAZARD TO DRIVING SAFELY. THE DASH ORIGINALLY, WHEN PURCHASED NEW FROM THE DEALER, HAD A PEBBLED MATT FINISH SIMILAR TO A FOOTBALL OR BASKETBALL. IN THE PAST YEAR THAT FINISH IS DISSOLVED INTO A SLICK STICKY HIGHLY REFLECTIVE STATE. THIS REFLECTIVE STATE CAUSES THE DRIVER TO BE VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE FRONT WINDOW; THIS IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS. FURTHER RESEARCH OF THIS EVENT WITH MY VEHICLE HAS FOUND IT NOT TO BE UNIQUE TO MY VEHICLE. THIS IS A VERY COMMON AND VERY DANGEROUS. THIS IS A DEFECT OF DESIGN ONLY AND AS SUCH NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY NISSAN CORPORATE.

NHTSA #: 11460006
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Dec 2020

THE DASH ON MY 2012 ALTIMA HAS BEGUN TO MELT. THE DASH INITIALLY STARTED OUT BEING TACKY WHEN MY SON WAS AWAY AT COLLEGE IN NC, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS UNUSUAL. UPON RETURNING TO FL THIS PAST SUMMER, IT GOT WORSE. NOW THE DASH IS GIVING OFF A CHEMICAL SMELL WITH A HORRIBLE GLARE. THE GLARE FROM THE WINDSHIELD IS MAKING FOR UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY IN THE FL SUN. NISSAN ACKNOWLEDGED THE MELTING DASH ISSUE IN 2008 2009 MODELS AND AGREED TO REPLACE THOSE DASHES FOR VEHICLES IN FL UNDER A LAWSUIT SETTLED IN 2017. LOOKING AT THE COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE, IT APPEARS THAT THE MELTING DASH ISSUE HAS CONTINUED TO BE A PROBLEM PAST THE 2008 2009 MODEL YEARS.

NHTSA #: 11383910
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Sep 2020

DASH IS MELTING AND SHINY CREATING A GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHEN DRIVING. THIS STARTED YEARS AGO AND ONLY GETS WORSE. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES TO DEALER. I HAVE TO DRIVE BUT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I CANNOT BELIEVE NISSAN IS TAKING THE CHANCE AND NOT FIXING THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA #: 11360956
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Sep 2020

THE DASHBOARD IS MELTING. THE DASH IS STICKY AND IS TURNING TO A GOOEY SUBSTANCE. IT IS SHINY AND IS CAUSING GLARE ON WINDSHIELD. IT STARTED WHERE DASH MEETS WINDSHIELD AND QUICKLY SPREAD TOWARD STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO TWO LOCAL DEALERSHIPS WHO SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN REPLACE THE DASHBOARD AT $2700 SINCE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I CONTACTED NISSAN CUSTOMER CARE AND I HAVE A CASE NUMBER. THEY SAID NO ONE ELSE HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS FOR THE 2012 YEAR ALTHOUGH I AM SEEING SOME COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE. THEY TOO SAID THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. WHEN I SUGGESTED IT WAS DEFECTIVE AND OBVIOUSLY WAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE LAWSUIT THAT WAS SETTLED, THEY GENTLEMAN SAID THIS WAS NOT THE SAME YEAR. MY CAR WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN FLORIDA, THE STATE OF THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, BUT I NOW LIVE IN GA. A DASHBOARD SHOULD NOT MELT WHEN EXPOSED TO THE SUN! NISSAN SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT.

NHTSA #: 11352921
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Jul 2020

DASH HAD BECOME TACKY AND SHINY, PRODUCING GLARE WHEN DRIVING TOWARD THE SUN. BECOMES WORSE ON HOT DAYS. DOES NOT RESOLVE, LINT AND ANYTHING ELSE STICKS TO IT.

NHTSA #: 11342419
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Jun 2020

THE DASH IS STICKY AND GLOSSY WHICH THROWS A GLARE ON MY WINDSHIELD. I END UP WITH A SMALL AREA OF THE WINDSHIELD TO SEE OUT OF. I HAVE TO SIT UP TALL OR LEAN OVER IN ORDER TO FIND A SPOT TO GET A CLEAR VIEW IN ORDER TO SEE THE ROAD. HOLDING THE POSITION TO SEE FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME IS A STRAIN ON THE BODY. I'M HAVING TROUBLE SEEING WHERE I AM GOING AND AM WORRIED I WILL HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA #: 11326980
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Jan 2020

THE DASH IS MELTING CREATING A GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD SO WHEN SUN OR LIGHTS AT NIGHT IS SHINING MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE ROAD. HAPPENS EVERYTIME THE CAR IS MOVING.

NHTSA #: 11299127
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Apr 2018

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL WIPER BLADES ON MY CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT A FEW YEARS AGO. THE LEFT (DRIVER'S SIDE) WIPER BLADE HAS CAME OFF THE WIPER ARM SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE OUTER PART OF THE BLADE JUMPS ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD AS IT WIPES. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN WIPERS ARE IN USE.

NHTSA #: 11088458
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Oct 2016

WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY NISSAN ALTIMA 2012 CAR ON I-635 IN DALLAS AT 2 PM CST AT AROUND 65 MPH SPEED, I HEARD HUGE EXPLOSION SOUND ON TOP OF MY HEAD. I TURNED ON THE HAZARD LIGHT AND SLOWED DOWN THE CAR AND PULLED OVER TO A SHOULDER AND CHECKED THE CAR. SUNROOF GLASS WAS EXPLODED AND I HAVE SEEN A 4 INCH DIAMETER HOLE AND SCATTER GLASS PIECES; REST OF THE GLASS WAS ALSO BROKEN/CRACKED. THERE WAS NO VEHICLE AT THE TIME THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AND IT WAS NOT DUE TO THE EXTERNAL FORCES, IT WAS DUE TO INTERNAL PRESSURE BETWEEN THE GLASS AND VISOR. I WAS SO SCARED WHEN THE GLASS EXPLODED BUT LUCKILY ESCAPED FROM THE BODILY INJURIES. THE SUNROOF GLASS ON THE NISSAN ALTIMA 2012 IS FOR SURE DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND SAVE THE LIVES OF THE DRIVERS. I'M NOT EXPECTING ANY FINANCIAL COMPENSATION FROM NISSAN OR ANYBODY. I DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANYBODY PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND SAVE DRIVERS. *TR

NHTSA #: 10919166
mediumVISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Apr 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH, THE SUNROOF SHATTERED WITHOUT WARRANT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000. *TR

NHTSA #: 10509152
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Aug 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE, SHE WOULD SMELL MOLD FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD CLEAN THE AIR CONDITIONER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,793.

NHTSA #: 10473158

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