Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Maxima vs Nissan Frontier
How the Nissan Maxima and Nissan Frontier compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Nissan Maxima vs Nissan Frontier: Over 10 years, the Maxima had 486 complaints and 16 recalls, while the Frontier had 499 complaints and 22 recalls. The Maxima averages 48.6 complaints per year; the Frontier 49.9. Both show similar complaint rates, but the Frontier has more recalls and a reported death. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan Maxima or Nissan Frontier more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan Maxima
The Nissan Maxima is a large sedan that averages about 49 complaints per year over the past decade, with 16 recalls. Owners frequently report power train stalling and jerking, air bag issues including overly forceful deployment, and electrical glitches like headlights flickering. Living with a Maxima means staying alert to sudden loss of power and ensuring safety systems work correctly.
Nissan Frontier
The Nissan Frontier is a midsize pickup that also averages about 50 complaints per year, but has 22 recalls. Common owner reports include random electrical shutdowns, transmission and acceleration problems, and brake pedal issues. The Frontier's higher recall count and reports of stalling while driving make it important to verify recall repairs.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan Maxima | Nissan Frontier |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 486 Better | 499 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 16 Better | 22 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 34 | 32 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 48.6 Better | 49.9 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 30 | 12 Better |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Nissan Maxima
- 01POWER TRAIN95
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER88
- 03AIR BAGS75
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM63
- 05SERVICE BRAKES52
Owners describe the engine making abnormal noises, jerking, and stalling at low speeds, sometimes with no warning lights. This can leave you stranded and is a major safety concern.
Complaints include collision sensors malfunctioning and causing unintended braking, as well as air bags deploying too forcefully in minor crashes, resulting in injuries. This affects both safety and repair costs.
Drivers report headlight system errors where lights flicker or go out intermittently, and some experience stalling linked to electrical faults. These issues can impair visibility and vehicle control.
There are reports of brake problems, though specific details are limited in the sample. Brake issues are critical for safety and should be inspected carefully.
“The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The vehicle jerked before stalling in the middle of the road. No warning lights were illuminated. The Police were calle…”
“I purchased my 2019 Nissan Maxima [XXX] from Hyundai of Pineville I'm Charlotte NC. Over the past months including after purchase which I made Hyundai aware. The vehicle has an ongoing noise coming from I side the front hood of the vehicle. It sounds as of a…”
Nissan Frontier
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM131
- 02POWER TRAIN121
- 03SERVICE BRAKES81
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER76
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE65
Owners report the engine and electrical system shutting off randomly while driving, causing loss of power and requiring restarts. Infotainment systems also become inoperative. This can be dangerous if it happens in traffic.
Complaints include failure to accelerate properly, engine jerking, and idle issues. Some owners found cracked AC lines contributing to performance problems. These can affect drivability and lead to costly repairs.
Drivers describe the brake pedal going almost to the floor and the accelerator pedal being too close, which can cause confusion. Speedometer failures have also been reported alongside brake warning lights.
This system is a top complaint area, though specific owner reports are not detailed in the sample. Malfunctions could reduce the effectiveness of automatic braking and warnings.
“Issue: engine and electric system completely shut off randomly while vehicle is driving. Cannot reliably reproduce, but all electric is lost and engine shuts off or at best resets in low gear until things come back alive. This has happened about 4 times to me…”
“The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the infotainment system was inoperative; the contact had to restart the infotainment system several times for the infotainment system to return to normal operat…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Nissan Maxima — 16 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Altima, Maxima and Leaf vehicles. The rear window glass may not remain properly secured to the vehicle.
The risk: Rear window glass that separates from the vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the back window glass, free of charge. The recall began November 4, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC752.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair, under recall number 18V-60…
The risk: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS actuator, free of charge. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available, currently expected to be during summer 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer s…
Nissan Frontier — 22 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over t…
The risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over t…
The risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7…
Buyer analysis
Nissan Maxima or Nissan Frontier: which should you buy?
The Nissan Maxima has slightly fewer complaints per year (48.6 vs. 49.9) and fewer recalls (16 vs. 22), but the Frontier has one reported death and more electrical shutdown complaints. In practice, both have similar overall complaint rates, but the Frontier's random stalling and higher recall count may require more diligent maintenance.
Key differences
- The Frontier has 22 recalls versus 16 for the Maxima, including ignition and seat belt fasteners.
- Maxima owners report air bag deployments causing injuries, while Frontier owners report random electrical shutdowns while driving.
- The Frontier has one reported death and 12 injuries, compared to zero deaths and 30 injuries for the Maxima.
- Both have similar annual complaint rates, but the Frontier's top issue is electrical system failures, while the Maxima's is power train stalling.
- During a test drive, listen for abnormal engine noises, jerking, or stalling at low speeds, as these are common power train complaints.
- Check for air bag warning lights and ask if any collision sensor or air bag recalls have been addressed, given reports of malfunctioning sensors and forceful deployments.
- Test all electrical functions, including infotainment and headlights, and look for any signs of random shutdowns or flickering, as electrical issues are frequently reported.
- Inspect brake pedal feel and ensure it doesn't go to the floor; also check for proper accelerator pedal placement and any speedometer malfunctions.
Before you buy
- Verify that all open recalls for the specific vehicle have been repaired by checking the NHTSA VIN lookup tool.
- Obtain a pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic, focusing on the power train, electrical system, and brakes.
- During the test drive, accelerate, brake, and drive at various speeds to check for stalling, jerking, or brake pedal issues.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and specifically inquire about any past electrical or transmission repairs.
- For the Frontier, test the forward collision avoidance system if equipped, and for the Maxima, check the air bag system operation.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Nissan Maxima | Nissan Frontier |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 132 |
| 2022 | 5 | 112 |
| 2021 | 3 | 38 |
| 2020 | 21 | 46 |
| 2019 | 18 | 28 |
| 2018 | 36 | 25 |
| 2017 | 103 | 38 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Nissan Maxima or Nissan Frontier in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Maxima vs Nissan Frontier
- Nissan Maxima total complaints
- 486
- Nissan Frontier total complaints
- 499
- Nissan Maxima total recalls
- 16
- Nissan Frontier total recalls
- 22
- Nissan Maxima avg complaints/year
- 48.6
- Nissan Frontier avg complaints/year
- 49.9
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Maxima
- Nissan Maxima top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- Nissan Frontier top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM