1998 Nissan Maxima Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 1998 Maxima most often write about the airbag warning light blinking or staying on, which many trace to a side airbag module in the front seats, and about alternator failures that in some complaints produced smoke or fire under the hood. Brake noise and vibration, rear brake binding, and severe rust in the lower radiator/engine core support also come up repeatedly, the latter mostly on high-mileage cars in rust-belt states.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light flashing / side airbag module faults

   • 24 complaints (21%)
   • median 82,631 mi at 6.6 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2013

   Complaints describe the supplemental restraint (airbag) warning light blinking or staying lit with no crash involvement, sometimes soon after purchase and sometimes after adjusting the seat. Dealers typically ran a diagnostic and reported an open circuit or failed side airbag module, quoting several hundred dollars for the module or related harness; some owners had the part replaced more than once and the light returned. A separate group reports airbags not deploying in collisions. Reported across a wide mileage range, from cars with under 10,000 miles to over 150,000; several owners mention the light returning within days or months of a repair.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Turn the key to on and confirm the airbag light does a normal bulb check and goes out; a blinking or steady light means a stored fault. Ask whether any side airbag module or seat harness has been replaced, and get any repair receipt.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The ABS dash-oard warning light began flashing. I took it to the Nissan dealership in santa fe nm. They told me that a problem existed in the driver-side air bag module, and that replacing the module would be necessary, and that the driver-side air bag may or may not work in the event of an accident. Approximate cost, $300, plus $72/hour labor.”

   NHTSA complaint #10060183, filed 2004-03, 52,300 miles

   “I have a 1998 Nissan Maxima in 2004 I went on a trip half way down we stop at a bank, and when we got back in the car the air bag light did not turn off, but just kept blinking. Upon returning I took the vehicle to the local dealership and they reset the light and said the passenger side air bag showed a fault (open circuit). I did not do anything to fix it at this point. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10322489, filed 2010-03, 90,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Alternator failure, smoke or fire under the hood

   • 11 complaints (10%)
   • median 119,498 mi at 8.8 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2015

   Owners describe smoke or flames coming from the alternator, often right after starting the car or while driving, sometimes with the engine stalling first. Several complaints state that the vehicle was not covered by the alternator recall because of its VIN, and that the dealer declined a recall repair on that basis; others had the alternator replaced and sought reimbursement. Complaints also mention burned wiring, connectors and a burnt smell. Mostly reported between roughly 60,000 and 185,000 miles, with no clear seasonal pattern in the sample.

   Recall 02V1710001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the alternator has been replaced and whether recall 02V171000 was ever performed on this VIN; the recall only covers certain vehicles, so check the VIN against the campaign. Look for scorched or melted wiring near the alternator and any burning smell after a cold start.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I wish to receive reimbursement for out-of-pocket cost of repair and installation of new parts for the vehicles alternator having caught on fire. On or about november 24, 2014, my request was submitted to Nissan of north per Nissan manufacturers recall instructions. The recall issued in 2001 was still open on the vehicle by VIN number. All pertinent documentation was provided by fax and phone to the Nissan safety complaint unit. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10676560, filed 2015-01, 155,418 miles

   “Dt: the contact stated while pulling out of the driveway the alternator caught on fire, and the fire was immediately extinguished. The vehicle has not been taken to dealership yet for inspection. The alternator was replaced prior to this incident under NHTSA recall 02v171000 .the manufacturer has agreed to fix the vehicle under the recall. The repairs have not made.”

   NHTSA complaint #10145292, filed 2005-12, 103,000 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake noise, dragging rear brakes and pedal feel

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe grinding, humming or squealing from the rear brakes, a parking brake that does not release properly, and a low or long pedal. Some owners report the front wheels locking and the car not stopping as expected on slippery roads; dealers often resurfaced rotors or replaced rear brake cables and rotors, and in some cases could not reproduce the noise. Reported from very low mileage (under 10,000) up to about 50,000 miles in the sampled complaints, several in cold or snowy conditions.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test the parking brake release and listen for grinding or humming from the rear while rolling slowly; check rotor condition and ask when the rear pads, rotors and cables were last serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving on a snow covered road and applied my brakes. I got nothing but instant and complete ABS, and after quickly releasing and reapplying the brakes, still had nothing but ABS. Ph”

   NHTSA complaint #10005471, filed 2003-02, 40,500 miles

   “Brakes failed to hold and smoke came from rear brakes. At approx 7500 miles, vehicle was taken to dealership to investigate grinding and sqealing brake sounds.the rotors were resurfaced. Cars was taken back on two more occasions to report brake sounds. Dealership could reproduce sounds during test drive and said the brakes were fine. The last incident with the lock up and smoke, vehicle with approx.44,000 miles was diagnosed as needing brake reline and rear brake cables at a cost of $400 plus. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10060006, filed 2004-02, 7,500 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Rusted lower radiator / engine core support

   • 7 complaints (6%)
   • median 165,512 mi at 15.3 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2011–2021

   Owners report the lower radiator support and engine crossmember rusting through, sometimes leaving a hole or splitting the support so the engine and radiator feel unstable, with rattling over bumps. Several say the problem was not visible when they bought the car, and that shops declined work or that state inspection failed because of the corrosion; rocker panels caving in on a jack is also described. Appears mostly on higher-mileage cars, roughly 85,000 to 196,000 miles, and several complaints are from rust-belt states.

   What to check: Get underneath the front of the car or have it inspected on a lift and look at the lower radiator support and crossmember for holes, flaking metal or fresh undercoating; check rocker panels and jack points as well, especially on cars from salted-road states.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I just purchased a 1998 Nissan Maxima, went to change out the front bumper skin and fenders and as I took off the bumper skin the lower radiator support is rusted beyond belief and only one of the bolts on the cross member holding up the whole engine/trans and that one is rusted too. There is a big hole where the rust is and its affecting the performance and safety as well as handling of this car. I'm actually surprised the engine and transmission haven't fallen out the bottom of the car already. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10598005, filed 2014-06, 183,025 miles

   “I failed state inspection because my engine core support is rotted. I am not the only person here who has complained about this happening in this model car.”

   NHTSA complaint #10513609, filed 2013-05, 196,345 miles
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Misfire, stalling and no-start traced to ignition coils

   • 12 complaints (11%)
   • median 122,998 mi at 10.0 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2013

   Complaints describe rough running, misfiring, stalling in traffic and occasional no-start conditions, with owners reporting that ignition coils were the cause and that replacing them is expensive. Some also describe starter or harness work without curing the no-start, and burnt headlight harness connectors on other cars. Reported mostly between about 80,000 and 177,000 miles in the sample, with no seasonal pattern noted.

   What to check: Start the car from cold and listen for a rough idle or misfire, and check for a stored check-engine code; ask whether coils, plugs and the mass airflow sensor have been replaced and when.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 1998 Nissan Maxima I now have to replace all six coils, maf mass airflow, all spark plugs and wires, all three o2 sensors it stalls, runs rough, and cuts off. Now it will not start. I have read numerous complaints about this problem and noone seems to want to resolve the issues the customers are having including me. Seems like Nissan needs a recall on these parts it is very dangerous for the car to shut off in the middle of traffic.”

   NHTSA complaint #10415428, filed 2011-07, 170,000 miles

   “My car is a Nissan Maxima 1998, it has 120k miles on it. This is my only mean of transportation; recently the car just won't start. I have to keep trying several times until it starts. I recently replaced the 'starter' but the problem still happens. I have been reading different internet forums there is a lot of people complaining about this kind of problems, the dealers charge about $1,000.00 to replace the ignition coils. This since to be the source of the problem, I do not have this money. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10240927, filed 2008-09, 120,000 miles

Buying note. These are old, high-mileage cars, so condition matters more than reputation: confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that the alternator recall question has been settled for the VIN, and inspect the underside for corrosion in the radiator support before committing. A pre-purchase inspection on a lift, plus service records for brakes and ignition parts, will tell you more than the odometer alone.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.