Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2003 record →
I HAVE HAD THE XENON HID HEADLIGHTS OF MY VEHICLE STOLEN THREE TIMES OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. I IMPLORE ANYONE EVEN CONSIDERING PURCHASING A 2002 OR 2003 MAXIMA TO RECONSIDER. THIS IS A MARKED CAR, AND MY ATTEMPTS TO GAIN THE MANUFACTURER'S ATTENTION HAVE FAILED. I HOPE IF THIEVES TAKE THE LIGHTS AGAIN, THAT THEY STEAL THE WHOLE CAR, AND RELIEVE ME OF THIS CURSE. *JB
FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE FACTORY ALARM SYSTEM ALLOWS IT TO BE EASILY DISABLED. FLAW/DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF HID HEADLIGHTS IN THE 2002-03 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE LIGHTS ARE EASILY PRIED OFF THE CAR WITH A CROWBAR. CRIMINALS CAN STEAL THEM IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS. ANTI-THEFT KIT MADE AVAILABLE IS ALSO DEFECTIVE. ACCESS TO ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS GAINED WITH A SCREWDRIVER OR CROWBAR. RISK OF DRIVER INJURY IS INCREASED BECAUSE OF THIS. *JB
DUE TO NISSAN'S BAD DESIGN OF THE 2003 MAXIMA MODEL, THE XENON HID HEADLIGHTS COULD BE REMOVED FROM A LOCKED CAR WITHIN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER OF THE CAR IS AT RISK.*JB
GAS MILEAGE IS VERY LOW. CURRENT GAS MILEAGE IS BETWEEN 15 MPG AND 20 MPG
AUTOMATIC WINDOWS DO NOT HAVE A SAFETY STOP BUTTON. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
UNDER LOW LIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS SUCH AS EARLY MORNING OR AT DUSK, DURING RAIN, SNOW, OR HAZE, WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE REQUIRED FOR SAFE DRIVING, MY INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS CAN BLEND WITH THE DIALS AND UNDER THE RIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS CAN BECOME UNREADABLE. I DROVE FOR OVER ONE HOUR ON ONE DAY AND COULD NOT DISTINGUISH MY SPEED. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING IS POOR. I HAVE NOTIFIED NISSAN AND SENT LETTERS BUT HAVE NOT YET HAD A RESPONSE. THE DEALER INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS DECIDED THAT THIS IS HOW THE PANEL WAS DESIGNED. AFTER THE DEALER COMPLETED HIS WORK, I RECEIVED A VOICE MESSAGE FROM NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE. I RETURNED THE CALL AND LEFT THEM A VOICE MESSAGE TO RETURN MY CALL. THEY NEVER DID, SO ON NOVEMBER 18, I SENT A LETTER WITH ATTACHMENTS TO MR SEMPLE, THE PRESIDENT OF NISSAN DESIGN AMERICA. AS OF TODAY, I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM OR ANY OF HIS STAFF. YESTERDAY, I MAILED A RESPONSE TO NISSAN ON A CUSTOMER SERVICE FORM THEY HAD SENT TO ME QUESTIONING HOW I WAS TREATED. I ADDRESSED A LETTER TO MR. BOSLEY WHO IS THE VP OF CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU A COPY OF ALL DOCUMENTS.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2003 Nissan Maxima → · Every Maxima year → · How the figures are calculated →