Nissan Maxima Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 6,949 consumer complaints across the 38 model years of the Nissan Maxima (1983–2022) that have at least 5 complaints. 2004 has the most, with 1,426. Across all years, the part named most often is transmission and drivetrain (2,441 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All Maxima model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 5 | 2,700 | 0 | 74 | — | Not enough data |
| 2020 | 22 | 23,000 | 1 | 99 | — | Stable |
| 2019 | 18 | 12,500 | 1 | 132 | — | Falling |
| 2018 | 36 | 36,500 | 2 | 165 | 44 · Typical | Falling |
| 2017 | 106 | 27,908 | 4 | 215 | 100 · More | Stable |
| 2016 | 142 | 40,000 | 8 | 278 | 100 · More | Stable |
| 2014 | 96 | 50,400 | 0 | 90 | 44 · Typical | Falling |
| 2013 | 62 | 62,000 | 0 | 106 | 17 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2012 | 107 | 55,000 | 0 | 115 | 55 · Typical | Falling |
| 2011 | 106 | 67,500 | 0 | 115 | 40 · Typical | Falling |
| 2010 | 275 | 65,000 | 1 | 116 | 87 · More | Falling |
| 2009 | 339 | 70,500 | 1 | 99 | 100 · More | Falling |
| 2008 | 79 | 75,000 | 0 | 81 | 30 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2007 | 129 | 85,000 | 1 | 79 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2006 | 576 | 83,500 | 2 | 79 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 948 | 85,000 | 2 | 88 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 1,426 | 80,000 | 2 | 80 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 206 | 86,600 | 3 | 45 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 205 | 64,200 | 6 | 42 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 172 | 72,000 | 3 | 37 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2000 | 360 | 60,000 | 0 | 32 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 165 | 79,000 | 0 | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 113 | 110,000 | 1 | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 102 | 85,696 | 1 | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 96 | 100,300 | 0 | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 152 | 129,000 | 0 | 22 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 89 | 114,500 | 2 | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 78 | 108,000 | 3 | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 110 | 134,500 | 2 | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 76 | 173,922 | 1 | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 106 | 130,000 | 1 | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 62 | 146,945 | 1 | 3 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 60 | — | 0 | 2 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 176 | 152,500 | 0 | 3 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 60 | — | 1 | 3 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1985 | 54 | 90,000 | 1 | 3 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1984 | 30 | — | 0 | 3 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1983 | 5 | — | 0 | 3 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Transmission and drivetrain2,441 40%
- Electrical system882 14%
- Engine cooling561 9.1%
- Steering523 8.5%
- Air bags499 8.1%
- Fuel system465 7.5%
- Brakes419 6.8%
- Engine374 6.1%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2003: “As I was driving on the highway the car jerked and felt like it was losing acceleration. The check engine light, tcs and slid light turned on. I began to feel scared I had my child, sister and brother in the vehicle. I proceed to drive home with caution. Once I arrived home, I turned the vehicle off and tried to restart it. The car would not start.”
NHTSA complaint #11397617, filed 2021-02, 220,000 miles2011: “My car has less than 113,500 miles and started losing power and coasting, the speed would fluctuate and something sounds loose in the engine. I took it to lithia Nissan in fresno ca on blackstone and they told me the CVT belt needs to be replaced thereby causing the car to need a whole new transmission at $5738.96. The car was in motion.”
NHTSA complaint #11399057, filed 2021-03, 113,000 miles2013: “I was driving my 2013 Nissan Maxima as I normally do every day. Then without any warning it would not accelerate. Thank god I had enough momentum to get it to a safe place and out of the highway. I almost got hit in the back to because I had the make a quick turn to get it out of the street and into a parking lot. And after I stopped the check engine light came on.”
NHTSA complaint #11414048, filed 2021-04, 168,000 milesOther Nissan models
15,506 complaintsNissan Rogue
7,408 complaintsNissan Pathfinder
7,381 complaintsNissan Murano
5,964 complaintsNissan Sentra
5,956 complaintsNissan Frontier
3,363 complaintsNissan Versa
3,327 complaintsNissan Titan
3,266 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology