2012 Nissan Primastar
Browse our directory of 2012 Nissan Primastar vehicles. Access instant MOT history reports, tax status, and reliability insights for any registration listed below.
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Common Problems & Reliability
The 2012 Nissan Primastar has 2 known issues. 1 of these are classified as serious faults that could be expensive to repair. 1 are moderate concerns worth inspecting before purchase.
Steering wheel cracking and possible detachment (recall R/2016/185)
SeriousRecall R/2016/185, launched in September 2016, names Primastars built between 25 September 2012 and 14 December 2013 where a production error can let cracks form in the steering wheel, compromising its strength and in extreme conditions allowing it to detach while driving. My MOT Checker's summary of the DVSA register repeats the same defect and its remedy - replace the steering wheel. The practical point for a buyer of a nine or ten-year-old van is that a campaign nobody thought about after the initial notice will not have been carried out, and the tell is cracks around the rim and spokes or a wheel that has clearly been renewed without paperwork.
Symptoms: Hairline cracks in the steering wheel rim or around the horn and spoke trim, A loose, rotating or off-centre wheel with no matching accident history...
Est. repair cost: £0 under recall; £150–£450 for a replacement steering wheel with airbag work and calibration
Cam belt, fuel system and brake wear add up fast on high-mileage vans
ModerateThe RAC's Primastar buying guide is unusually specific about what costs money: the engines are rugged but 72,000 miles is the cam belt interval and a van that has missed it needs a £350 discount, glow plug replacement is around £500, injectors about £1,000, a fuel pump roughly £2,000 and a replacement gearbox around £1,000, while vans driven fully loaded can eat through pads and discs and the named wear items include slipping clutches and tired rear suspension. It also warns that a persistent engine management light can mean a wiring loom or ECU fault rather than the cheaper camshaft sensor. None of these are surprises on a twelve-year-old diesel van, but they are the difference between a £1,500 buy and a £4,000 one.
Symptoms: Hard starting when cold with a glow plug warning, or a misfire and white smoke under acceleration, Ticking from the cam cover, or a rattle at idle that points to the belt, tensioner or injectors...
Est. repair cost: £350 for the cam belt job, £500 glow plugs, £1,000 injectors, £2,000 fuel pump, £1,000 gearbox
Buying Tips for the 2012 Nissan Primastar
- Ask for proof of the cam belt change at 72,000 miles. The RAC's own guidance is that a van at that interval without the job done is worth roughly £350 off, and on these engines it is not optional.
- Check the whole recall list on GOV.UK before buying: campaign R/2008/170 covers the parking brake intermediate connector on vans built from January 2006 to June 2008, and R/2016/185 covers cracked steering wheels on vans built from September 2012 to December 2013.
- If the engine management light stays on after a couple of seconds of ignition, walk away or get a diagnosis first - the RAC warns it may point at a wiring loom or ECU fault, with the cheaper answer being a camshaft sensor.
- Inspect the brakes and clutch as a matched pair: the RAC says Primastars driven fully loaded can eat through pads and discs, and slipping clutches are one of their named checks.
- Examine the load bay floor, tie-down rings and both side and rear door locks for damage, which is where a working van's life shows and what makes a repair uneconomic.
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