Nissan Maxima
Owners filed 6,502 complaints across 34 model years of the Nissan Maxima. The 2004 drew the most (1,425); the 2023 the fewest (1).
Model years34
Complaints6,502
Recalls98
Fires116
Deaths12
Every Nissan Maxima model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Equipment › Electrical › Infotainment | Routine | |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2020 | 22 | 1 | — | 3 | Structure › Body | Routine | |
| 2019 | 18 | 1 | — | 2 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2018 | 36 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2017 | 103 | 4 | 2 | 7 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2016 | 142 | 8 | 4 | 10 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2014 | 96 | 0 | 1 | 10 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2013 | 62 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2012 | 107 | 0 | 2 | 6 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2011 | 106 | 0 | 1 | 5 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2010 | 275 | 1 | 2 | 7 | Steering | Above average | |
| 2009 | 339 | 1 | 2 | 7 | Steering | Above average | |
| 2008 | 78 | 0 | — | 7 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2007 | 129 | 1 | 1 | 4 | Structure › Body | Routine | |
| 2006 | 576 | 2 | 4 | 21 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2005 | 948 | 2 | 10 | 16 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2004 | 1,425 | 2 | 16 | 33 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Fatalities reported | |
| 2003 | 206 | 4 | 2 | 13 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2002 | 205 | 9 | — | 27 | Air Bags | Fatalities reported | |
| 2001 | 172 | 7 | 4 | 8 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2000 | 360 | 3 | 6 | 25 | Electrical System › Ignition | Fatalities reported | |
| 1999 | 165 | 4 | 5 | 7 | Electrical System › Ignition | Routine | |
| 1998 | 113 | 6 | 12 | 13 | Air Bags | Fatalities reported | |
| 1997 | 102 | 6 | 16 | 7 | Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator | Routine | |
| 1996 | 96 | 5 | 3 | 13 | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1995 | 152 | 5 | 5 | 17 | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1994 | 89 | 5 | 3 | 6 | Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls | Routine | |
| 1993 | 78 | 6 | 4 | 9 | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1992 | 110 | 5 | 3 | 15 | Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls | Routine | |
| 1991 | 76 | 4 | 2 | 8 | Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner | Routine | |
| 1990 | 106 | 4 | 3 | 7 | Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls | Routine |
Which Nissan Maxima years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2004 is the weakest year on record, with 1,425 complaints concentrated in the power train › automatic transmission. It carries 2 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.