On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor may have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
Engine & cooling
Nissan Maxima Engine problems by year
937 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Nissan Maxima's engine & cooling. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.
Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Engine complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 71 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2005 | 101 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 2004 | 121 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 96 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2002 | 52 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2001 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 84 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Engine recalls
Latest Maxima engine complaints
See attached document for complaint.
I was approaching an exit on 7/23/2026, and all of a sudden my engine light begans flashing very fast! Once I get to the red light at the exit, the engine light stops flashing and the car begins to shake profusely...... When the light turns green, I get on the accelerator and the shaking gets harder and the engine light begins to flash again.
The vehicle experienced a no-start condition and was towed to a dealership. The dealership performed major engine and timing repairs without authorization and kept the vehicle for nearly four months. After the repairs, the vehicle still cranks but will not start, requires jump-starts, and now has new electrical issues and a nonfunctional A/C system.The safety risk is that the vehicle can fail to start unexpectedly, stall, or lose electrical power, which could leave occupants stranded in unsafe conditions. The issue...
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has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealership, but they were unable to diagnose or repair it. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership and a warranty company.There were no warning lights before the failure. The symptoms began immediately before the vehicle was towed and have continued after the dealership's repairs.
My 2019 Nissan Maxima (approximately 70,000 miles) displayed a hazard warning indicating a vehicle failure and began stalling without warning. The vehicle was brought to Mossy Nissan on May 28, 2025, where it has remained for over 11 days. The dealership has been unable to identify or repair the root cause of the electrical failure. The vehicle has been observed stalling while in the dealership's possession. This is a safety defect - a vehicle that stalls without warning poses a direct risk to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. I am formally requesting NHTSA investigate this issue as a potential safety defect in the 2019 Nissan Maxima.
2020 Nissan Maxima SR is experiencing CVT transmission issues that appear substantially similar to the defects described in the Nissan CVT Martinez Class Action involving prior Nissan model years.
I am submitting this as a formal complaint regarding an ongoing and unresolved safety issue with my 2018 Nissan Maxima (VIN: [[redacted]] ). 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...
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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)
I had my car being repaired for a car accident I had on [[redacted]]. A piece of tire on the highway [[redacted]] went underneath the middle frame of my car. I picked up the car from the repair shop here in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, [[redacted]]. Beginning on the same day, I had a "check engine" light appear on my dashboard. On Sunday,; I went to my local Auto Zone store. They informed me that their test results was" Power Train System Secondary Issue: P1751 CVT Judder (C/V Inspection). Recently this...
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year, I received a notice from Nissan Corporation concerning my Maxima. It was from a class action lawsuit over the engine. It extended the warranty on my car to 84,000 miles. My car has approximatelly a little over 82,000. About 2 to 3 weeks ago, I contacted Nissan Consumer Affairs concerning my vehicle. The female who I spoke to said my 2017 Nissan Maxima was not in their system. She informed me that an e-mail wiell be sent to me. When I reply back,; I was to attach one item of either my USAA car insurance identification card or copy of my Ohio BMV form. I did both. I then got an email stating to resend these items. I did, Today, I went by the Germain Nissan dealership located on Morse Road concerning the "check engine" light. The service director informed me that there was no "recall " on my vehicle concerning the engine. Therefore, Nissan needs to add me and my car into their system to include the extended warranty on my 2017 Nissan Maxima I purchased from Georgesville Nissan here in Columbus asap, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Date(s) of Incident: Multiple incidents from [June 3, 2025] to [July 1, 2025] Summary of Complaint I am filing this complaint against Best Price Transmissions for negligence, non-compliance with automotive repair safety codes, and unprofessional conduct that has resulted in substantial financial loss, vehicle damage, and emotional distress. I have patronized this shop for years, trusting their work, but my vehicles have repeatedly left their care with more problems than they arrived with. The most recent...
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incident involved an air conditioning repair that led to a coolant leak, the recommendation of unnecessary part replacements, and ultimately damage to my vehicle's performance. Details of Incident 1. Unqualified Workers & Code Non-Compliance Mechanics admitted to not being certified automotive technicians. One employee intentionally released refrigerant from my AC system, claiming there was "too much pressure." Repairs involving refrigerants must legally be performed by certified personnel; this was not followed. Several workers could not speak English, making communication difficult and contributing to repair errors. 2. Damage to Vehicle My AC and defrost no longer function. Vehicle now runs irregularly, despite having no such issues before their service. Owner previously promised to replace damaged parts caused by their negligence but has not contacted me or honored that agreement. 3. Evidence Collected I recorded both video and audio of conversations, mechanical work, and admissions from employees about their lack of certification. Receipts and photos are available to verify the timeline and repairs. 4. Financial & Emotional Impact I have spent over $2,000 on this matter. I am on a fixed monthly income, making these repeated expenses a severe financial burden. I feel bullied and taken advantage of by the staff, especially since I am disabled and rely on my vehicle for mobility. 5. Attempts at Resolution
While driving on I-75 in Atlanta about a month ago, my 2017 Nissan Maxima suddenly stopped accelerating. The engine was revving, but the car wouldn't respond when I pressed the gas. It was unexpected and dangerous in fast-moving highway traffic. The same issue happened again on July 22, 2024, while I was driving on I-85. Both times, the car lost acceleration without warning in the moment. Before these incidents, I noticed occasional hesitation from a stop and delayed acceleration, but nothing as extreme as losing...
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power at highway speeds. I took the car to a Nissan dealership, and they pulled a P17F1 code related to the CVT transmission. Nissan has acknowledged this issue by extending the warranty for transmission repairs in other models, but they told me my vehicle is not covered. This failure creates a serious safety risk and should not be ignored.
There was a thermal combustion that caused a fire. Yes, the caught combusted at a local business. I had just entered the building and was told that my car was on fire. The police and Nissan inspected the car but refused to provide the inspection report. A light came on. I do not know the exact date that it appeared. I just received the recall notice and did not have the opportunity to get the car repaired.
I purchased my 2019 Nissan Maxima [[redacted]] from Hyundai of Pineville I'm Charlotte NC. Over the past months including after purchase which I made Hyundai aware. The vehicle has an ongoing noise coming from I side the front hood of the vehicle. It sounds as of a pan etc... is hitting something, at times in slow motion there is a whining noise coming from the car, when just sitting in driver seat and pressing gas pedal when the car idle down after pressing the gas pedal there is a thump noise. The original owner...
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of the vehicle traded the vehicle at Hyundai and appears they were from out of state is where the vehicle is from. So I have not received no recall etc... info also the prior owner, I keep getting stuff with there name. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
[[redacted]] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6)
While driving my car down the road the vehicle randomly shut off lost power and I had to quickly pull into a plaza but was almost hit, looking through many different Nissan forums a lot of mechanics and owners are saying that the original crankshaft/camshaft position sensors on the Altima/maxima have experienced faulty mechanics over time that cause it to overheat and stop working and locking up the system completely. This is a huge problem as I can't afford to fix this myself and it could have caused a serious...
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accident this should be investigated due to other recalls on the Altima with the faulty sensors, the maxima 3.5 is also starting to experience these issues if you look through multiple forums and research the issue that's happening. Please investigate this soon so that nobody gets seriously hurt.
Cvt transmision not working
No matter what speed you're going it puts itself in false neutral. Abs , traction control comes on battery light flashes. No power steering and will not accelerate. Have almost been ran into and ran over. There is no warning when this happens and not yet find a service department or garage that can fix the problem. Very dangerous especially for a new driver, I bought this car for my daughter. This has happened more than once and now we do not drive the car due to it not being safe. New battery and alternator checks good. Has been scanned for codes several times.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data