Nissan Maxima Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Nissan Maxima options? We analyzed 10 model years (2013–2023) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Nissan Maxima has 181 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls across model years 2013–2023. The most reported issue area is UNKNOWN OR OTHER. 2017 drew the most complaints; 2021 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Nissan
- Model
- Maxima
- Model years analyzed
- 2013–2023 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 181
- Safety recall campaigns
- 4
- Crash-related complaints
- 12
- Fire-related complaints
- 3
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2017 (102 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2021 (3 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Nissan Maxima: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe NISSAN MAXIMA has 181 NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls on record. 12 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 181 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 4 federal recall campaigns
- 12 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Jul 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
4 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2013–2023. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 181 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
181 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
I am submitting this as a formal complaint regarding an ongoing and unresolved safety issue with my 2018 Nissan Maxima (VIN: [XXX] ). Despite multiple attempts to have this issue diagnosed and repaired, the problem continues without resolution. The issue occurs after driving for approximately 30 minutes. The vehicle suddenly goes into limp mode, the gas pedal becomes unresponsive, and the RPMs begin to drop regardless of speed. After about five minutes, the vehicle slowly regains power. This creates an extremely dangerous situation, particularly while driving in traffic or on highways, as it puts my safety and the safety of others at risk. I have taken my vehicle to multiple transmission shops, Nissan dealerships, independent mechanics, and mobile diagnostic services. I am consistently being told that nothing is wrong and that no repairs can be performed because the vehicle will not produce a diagnostic code. However, the issue continues to occur and remains unresolved. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My rear passenger side coil spring broke. This is a dealer only item. I contacted the dealer and the item is on back order. It is my only means for transportation. I didn’t cause this break, and now I can’t even get it fixed until it comes in whenever that may be. The dealership doesn’t have an estimated time for delivery. I am financing my car and can’t even drive it.
In June 2019, while driving my 2018 Nissan Maxima, the vehicle suffered a sudden and violent mechanical failure. Without warning, the steering wheel jerked forcefully to the side, and the vehicle became uncomtrollabel leading to an approx 100-foot spin across a median. ​I have since verified this vehicle was subject to NHTSA Recall 19V-807 for an ABS Actuator leak that shorts the circuit board. This defect caused the crash, which resulted in a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with extremy worsening memory loss 4mm spinal shift (L5-S1). I have comparative MRI scans (2015 vs. post-crash) confirming the injury.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the power door functions on the front driver’s door failed to operate on two separate occasions. Due to the failure, the contact had to enter the vehicle from the front passenger’s side before crawling over into the driver’s seat. The vehicle was initially taken to the dealer, and the front driver’s side door actuator was replaced. And on the second visit, the contact was informed that both the front driver’s side and rear passenger’s side door actuators were defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer unrepaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the instrument panel was intermittently dim upon starting the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving the instrument panel eventually brightened before returning to a dim setting. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions however, the technicians were unable to duplicate the failure. The failure persisted, and the contact stated that the instrument panel had gone blank before returning to a dim setting later. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was informed that the Around View Monitor (AVM) unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,434.
360 cameras have stopped working on my vehicle. I've seen where there was a recall on the same thing, but my vehicle is not coming up in the recall. I did buy the car used, but not being able to use the cameras is definitely a safety issue.
Read 14 more owner reports
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact started losing control of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the lug nuts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact's son owned a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while the driver was driving 5 MPH, he noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that the driver opened the hood, and noticed that there was fire under the hood. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. A fire department report was not filed. A police report was filed, but the police report information was not available. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number:Â 19V807000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The used car dealer the vehicle was purchased from was contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,533.
Four tires size 245/45/18 failed after 9 months and 6,500 miles. Tires were rotated after 5,000 miles. Dealer checked alignment at 6,500 miles all was ok. Two rear tires were bald, no tread, two front tires were worn to wear bar. Dealer sent tires for warranty 3/12/24 to date 4/22/24 Warranty information not received.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the "Front Radar Obstruction Unavailable" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle independently slowed down without depression the brake pedal. As a result of the failure, several electrical features including the Forward Collision and Lane Keep Assist safety features failed to operate as needed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
Inappropriate function of the AEB system. Filed a prior complaint with you a couple of months ago about the cruise control sensor and the AEB. Cruise was fixed, but AEB keeps going off while using cruise inappropriately. Did not get fixed. Spent a lot of time working with Nissan consumer affairs and Vision Nissan in Webster NY and problem not found. There are numerous complaints on line about the same problem, but Nissan consumer affairs (NCA) keeps telling me there are no other complaints about this issue. The NCA told me that unless the service department has the AEB go off while they are trying it out, they won't do anything. If I want the second opinion they are recommending, it has to be out of pocket cost for me. I have had it happen and drove to the dealer without turning the vehicle off, and they didn't pull any codes, so won't address it. I have asked to speak to a manager/supervisor at NCA, but they refuse to let me talk to anyone. This has happened no less than 100 times and is very dangerous.
I having problems with the transmission in the vehicle. The vehicle shakes during acceleration, you can see the gages on the dashboard shaking. When accelerating, the Gears won’t shift properly with a smooth flow. You can notice this in the RPM also when accelerating. I took the vehicle to the Nissan of St. Augustine Dealership and the diagnosis the vehicle with code P17F1 CVT Judder. The dealership stated I will need a new transmission totaling $6405.09. The vehicle maintenance is up to date and it have been very well taken care of. I noticed that this issue has been reported by many other people who owns Nissan Maxima’s. This issue needs to be fixed please.
I purchased this vehicle used a couple of months ago. The automatic emergency braking initiates inappropriately while using ICC, it brakes without obstruction. Also, the distance sensor isn't working properly according to the dealer. When I use ICC, and sometimes when I am not using it, I get an "unavailable, front radar obstruction" message. The ICC stops working when this happens. It happens every single time I drive. The dealer I bought it from (not a Nissan dealer) won't address it. The Nissan dealer I had to pay $160 to diagnose it said it has a faulty Distance Sensor, which will be repaired if I pay over $1000. I only have $13,000 miles on this vehicle, and it was 11,000 when I bought it. This has a Nissan service bulletin easily found online, a known issue to Nissan which is a safety issue, but it isn't recalled and should be.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the engine, transmission, spark plugs, battery, and brakes were previously replaced by an independent mechanic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The contact owned a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, he became unconscious behind the wheel due to medication. The contact crashed into another vehicle however the air bags did not deploy causing his face to hit the steering wheel. The contact also stated that he fractured his back in 7 different locations as a result of the failure and required medical attention via ambulance. The vehicle was totaled and towed to his residence where Nissan came and towed the vehicle to the dealer. A police report was filed. The occupants in the other vehicle were not injured. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 39,357.
WHEN DRIVING TO WORK MY SUNROOF EXPLODED ON INTERSTATE SCARING ME.IT WAS A VERY LOUD NOISE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL NISSAN OWNERS. WHEN BRINGING THE VEHICLE IN THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUNROOF EXPLOSION. WHEN GOING ON LINE THIS LOOKS LIKE IS BEEN ONGOING FOR AWHILE.
WHEN CAR MAXIMA IS SITTING STILL IN IDLE IT LEAKS OUT A CLEAR FLUID. THE FLUID HAS NO COLOR AND NO SMELL.THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND IN IDLE.
COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM CONTINUOUSLY DISENGAGES
PANORAMIC SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY @ 70MPH ON HOT SUNNY HUMID DAY. AFTER RESEARCH IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR NISSAN SUNROOFS WITH NUMEROUS CLAIMS RESULTING IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN CALFORNIA. NISSAN HAS RESPONDED TO MY COMPLAINT THAT THEY AREN'T LIABLE EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS UNDER NISSAN WARRANTY WITH THE EXCLUSION THAT GLASS IS NOT COVERED UNLESS A KNOWN PRODUCT DEFECT IS DETERMINED. MY NISSAN CASE NUMBER IS [XXX]. I'VE TURNED TO MY INSURANCE CARRIER FOR REPAIRS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
REAR OBSTRUCTION WARNING.AROUND VIEW, REAR VIEW,ETC MONITORING SYSTEM. HAVE HAD DEALERSHIP LOOK INTO NUMEROUS TIMES THEY CANT REMEDY WITHOUT SOME KIND OF PROOF.THERE SUGGESTION WAS CELL PHONE PICTURE OF WARNING ON DASH WHILE DRIVING OR VIDEO. I TOLD THEM I WOULDN'T DO THAT AND ASKED THEM IF THAT IS WHAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DO TO SATISFY NISSAN FOR APPROVAL TO FIX HE SAID YES.REALLY WHILE DRIVING I THINK NOT.
Showing 20 of 181 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Nissan Maxima
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Nissan Maxima, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Nissan Maxima has 181 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Nissan Maxima has 4 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 12 of the Nissan Maxima's 181 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Nissan Maxima vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Nissan Maxima vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Nissan Maxima has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Nissan Maxima.
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Nissan Maxima reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Nissan Maxima reliable?
Poor. The Nissan Maxima has 181 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is UNKNOWN OR OTHER. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Nissan Maxima years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2017 (102 complaints), 2018 (36 complaints), 2020 (21 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Nissan Maxima problems?
Top reported issues: UNKNOWN OR OTHER (41 complaints); STRUCTURE (26 complaints); SERVICE BRAKES (24 complaints).
Does the Nissan Maxima have recalls?
Yes — 4 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Nissan Maxima. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.