Nissan Maxima: Owner Complaints and Recalls by Model Year
This is the Nissan Maxima complaint and recall record by model year (1984–2022). 6,777 owner reports are on file across 38 years. 2004 has the highest count (1,364) — often because that year has had longer to collect reports, not because this page ranked it. Open a year to see what owners named, the recall list, and the filings themselves.
Nissan Maxima filings that NHTSA splits across body-style names are combined here. Related weight classes stay separate.
Across these years, owners named Transmission / driveline more often than any other part of the truck. Unclassified leftovers from NHTSA are not a diagnosis.
In plain English
Across 38 years of the Nissan Maxima, owners named Transmission / driveline more often than any other system. That is a pattern in the file, not a diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
2004 has the most reports (1,364). Older years collect more filings just by being around longer. Open the year you are actually buying — not the peak year unless that is the one in the listing.
Each row is a model year. The system column is what owners named most that year. Click the year for the inspect list, the recall campaigns, and the owner text.
NHTSA Consumer Complaints · Oct 14, 2026 NHTSA Safety Recalls · Oct 15, 2026
Owner reports by model year
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall campaigns | System named most often | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 Nissan Maxima | 30 | 0 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 23 (76.7%) | not reported |
| 1985 Nissan Maxima | 54 | 2 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 30 (55.6%) | not reported |
| 1986 Nissan Maxima | 60 | 2 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 32 (53.3%) | not reported |
| 1987 Nissan Maxima | 175 | 1 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 98 (56.0%) | not reported |
| 1988 Nissan Maxima | 59 | 1 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 27 (45.8%) | not reported |
| 1989 Nissan Maxima | 62 | 4 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 18 (29.0%) | not reported |
| 1990 Nissan Maxima | 106 | 4 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 31 (29.3%) | not reported |
| 1991 Nissan Maxima | 76 | 4 | Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) · 13 (17.1%) | not reported |
| 1992 Nissan Maxima | 110 | 5 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 20 (18.2%) | not reported |
| 1993 Nissan Maxima | 77 | 6 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 11 (14.3%) | not reported |
| 1994 Nissan Maxima | 87 | 5 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 15 (17.2%) | not reported |
| 1995 Nissan Maxima | 148 | 5 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 25 (16.9%) | not reported |
| 1996 Nissan Maxima | 90 | 5 | Engine (ENGINE) · 14 (15.6%) | not reported |
| 1997 Nissan Maxima | 99 | 6 | Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) · 38 (38.4%) | not reported |
| 1998 Nissan Maxima | 108 | 6 | Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) · 23 (21.3%) | not reported |
| 1999 Nissan Maxima | 161 | 4 | Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) · 73 (45.3%) | not reported |
| 2000 Nissan Maxima | 349 | 3 | Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) · 151 (43.3%) | not reported |
| 2001 Nissan Maxima | 165 | 7 | Engine (ENGINE) · 30 (18.2%) | not reported |
| 2002 Nissan Maxima | 198 | 9 | Engine (ENGINE) · 33 (16.7%) | not reported |
| 2003 Nissan Maxima | 204 | 4 | Engine (ENGINE) · 89 (43.6%) | not reported |
| 2004 Nissan Maxima | 1,364 | 2 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 845 (62.0%) | not reported |
| 2005 Nissan Maxima | 927 | 2 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 694 (74.9%) | not reported |
| 2006 Nissan Maxima | 565 | 2 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 353 (62.5%) | not reported |
| 2007 Nissan Maxima | 125 | 1 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 27 (21.6%) | not reported |
| 2008 Nissan Maxima | 73 | 0 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 19 (26.0%) | not reported |
| 2009 Nissan Maxima | 334 | 1 | Steering (STEERING) · 129 (38.6%) | not reported |
| 2010 Nissan Maxima | 274 | 1 | Steering (STEERING) · 116 (42.3%) | not reported |
| 2011 Nissan Maxima | 105 | 0 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 21 (20.0%) | not reported |
| 2012 Nissan Maxima | 106 | 0 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 22 (20.8%) | not reported |
| 2013 Nissan Maxima | 62 | 0 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 22 (35.5%) | not reported |
| 2014 Nissan Maxima | 96 | 0 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 19 (19.8%) | not reported |
| 2016 Nissan Maxima | 142 | 8 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 21 (14.8%) | not reported |
| 2017 Nissan Maxima | 104 | 4 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 11 (10.6%) | not reported |
| 2018 Nissan Maxima | 35 | 2 | Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) · 5 (14.3%) | not reported |
| 2019 Nissan Maxima | 17 | 1 | Engine (ENGINE) · 2 (11.8%) | not reported |
| 2020 Nissan Maxima | 22 | 1 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 3 (13.6%) | not reported |
| 2021 Nissan Maxima | 3 | 0 | Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) · 1 (33.3%) | not reported |
| 2022 Nissan Maxima | 5 | 0 | Engine (ENGINE) · 1 (20.0%) | not reported |
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Maxima year has the most NHTSA complaints?
2004 has the highest owner-report count in this snapshot (1,364). That is not a recommendation to avoid the year.
What do Nissan Maxima owners complain about most?
Across published years, owners named Transmission / driveline more often than any other system. Open the year you are buying for the mix, the recall list and the inspect steps.
How should I use this Nissan Maxima page before I buy?
Open the model year in the listing — not the peak year unless that is the one you are shopping. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov, inspect the system owners named most, then read a few owner filings.
Do these counts mean the Nissan Maxima is unreliable?
No. Counts are self-selected and not normalised for sales volume. YearTell does not publish reliability scores.
Are Nissan Maxima body styles merged?
Where NHTSA splits the same consumer vehicle across cab or body-style names, YearTell combines those filings. Distinct weight classes stay separate.