FaultScore

Worst years for a Nissan Maxima

Owners have filed 8,853 complaints about the Nissan Maxima with NHTSA across model years 1982 to 2023. More of them are about the transmission & drivetrain than anything else.

Avoid

2000 Nissan Maxima

467 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly electrical system.

Cleanest on record

2013 Nissan Maxima

71 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Nissan Maxima year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2023 2 0 0 Electrical System
2022 6 1 1 Other & Unspecified
2021 4 0 0 Engine & Cooling
2020 B 33 2 0 8,296 Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
2019 C 28 6 0 17,000 Other & Unspecified
2018 B 46 2 1 39,178 Brakes
2017 C 155 11 5 27,907 Other & Unspecified
2016 C 224 16 8 44,307 Transmission & Drivetrain
2015 2 2 0 Airbags
2014 C 126 20 1 52,725 Airbags
2013 A 71 1 2 65,500 Transmission & Drivetrain
2012 C 137 10 2 53,500 Airbags
2011 C 138 9 1 70,000 Airbags
2010 C 399 9 2 67,000 Steering
2009 C 460 7 2 70,000 Steering
2008 B 99 9 0 75,000 Airbags
2007 B 169 5 1 87,854 Body & Structure
2006 D 733 30 7 84,250 Transmission & Drivetrain
2005 D 1,152 32 17 86,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2004 D 1,725 43 32 79,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2003 C 249 20 4 88,500 Engine & Cooling
2002 D 278 37 0 67,500 Engine & Cooling
2001 C 225 15 4 75,000 Engine & Cooling
2000 D 467 33 6 60,000 Electrical System
1999 B 215 9 7 80,000 Electrical System
1998 C 133 14 13 110,000 Airbags
1997 C 123 8 19 85,892 Electrical System
1996 B 117 15 6 100,300 Engine & Cooling
1995 C 195 18 6 131,000 Airbags
1994 B 128 7 3 100,000 Fuel & Propulsion
1993 B 102 13 5 108,000 Airbags
1992 140 23 3 139,000 Fuel & Propulsion
1991 99 10 2 134,097 Seat Belts
1990 138 7 3 128,000 Fuel & Propulsion
1989 78 8 2 172,300 Fuel & Propulsion
1988 73 3 35 Fuel & Propulsion
1987 194 6 101 Fuel & Propulsion
1986 74 3 47 Fuel & Propulsion
1985 64 2 43 90,000 Fuel & Propulsion
1984 40 0 4 Fuel & Propulsion
1983 8 0 1 Fuel & Propulsion
1982 4 0 2 Fuel & Propulsion

What breaks on a Nissan Maxima

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Worst in 2004

Engine & Cooling 957 10.8%

Worst in 2004

Electrical System 915 10.3%

Worst in 2000

Steering 528 6.0%

Worst in 2009

Airbags 517 5.8%

Worst in 2009

Worst in 1987

Brakes 441 5.0%

Worst in 2004

Body & Structure 355 4.0%

Worst in 2004

Suspension 347 3.9%

Worst in 2004

Worst in 2009

Worst in 2004

Tires 259 2.9%

Worst in 2004

Worst in 2004

Lights 158 1.8%

Worst in 2003

Exactly what failed on a Nissan Maxima

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Automatic Transmission 1,125 50.2%
Body 212 9.5%
Ignition 180 8.0%
Injectors 128 5.7%
Fuel Injection System 118 5.3%
Engine 118 5.3%
Frontal 109 4.9%
Sidewall 92 4.1%
Gasoline 88 3.9%
Power Window Devices AND Controls 69 3.1%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Nissan Maxima, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jan 1995 peak 80 Jul 2026

Nissan Maxima problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Nissan Maxima

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.