Nissan Maxima Years to Avoid — and the Years to Buy

Every Nissan Maxima model year from 1990 to 2023, benchmarked against each other with 8,318 federal complaints, 32 recall campaigns, and the odometer readings owners put in their reports.

Avoid: 2004–2005. These years top the Maxima's complaint rankings by volume and severity.
Safer bets: 1990–1999, 2001, 2003, 2007–2008, 2011–2014, 2016–2018, 2020 — the quietest years with at least four years on the road.

The method in one line: every NHTSA complaint for this model is counted, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, and deaths, and each year is measured against the Maxima's own worst year — full methodology.

Under investigation. Federal regulators currently have an open defect investigation on the Nissan Maxima.

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture EA21002 opened September 17, 2021 · still open

Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…

Model years named: 2001, 2002, 2003

An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →

8,318Complaints on file
32Recall campaigns
34Model years

The trouble strip

One cell per model year. The whole answer in one glance — click any year for the full report.

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

The defining problem

Transmission & drivetrain tops the Nissan Maxima file with 2,433 complaints, concentrated in the 2004–2005 model years, most often reported around 90,000 miles. The year pages break down what fails and when.

Every year, ranked

YearVerdictComplaintsRecallsTop problemTrouble index
2023 Few reports 2 0 — 0
2022 Few reports 6 0 — 1
2021 Few reports 4 0 — 0
2020 Better year 33 1 Driver assistance 2
2019 Few reports 28 1 — 3
2018 Better year 46 2 Other 3
2017 Better year 155 4 Other 11
2016 Better year 224 8 Electrical 15
2015 Few reports 2 0 — 1
2014 Better year 126 0 Electrical 10
2013 Better year 71 0 Transmission & drivetrain 4
2012 Better year 137 0 Airbags 10
2011 Better year 138 0 Airbags 10
2010 Typical 399 1 Steering 23
2009 Typical 460 1 Steering 25
2008 Better year 99 0 Airbags 7
2007 Better year 169 1 Body & structure 10
2006 Below average 733 2 Transmission & drivetrain 44
2005 Avoid 1,152 2 Transmission & drivetrain 70
2004 Avoid 1,725 2 Transmission & drivetrain 100
2003 Better year 249 4 Engine 18
2002 Typical 278 9 Engine 22
2001 Better year 225 7 Engine 16
2000 Typical 467 3 Electrical 32
1999 Better year 215 4 Electrical 13
1998 Better year 133 6 Airbags 11
1997 Better year 123 6 Electrical 11
1996 Better year 117 5 Engine 10
1995 Better year 195 5 Airbags 15
1994 Better year 128 5 Fuel system 9
1993 Better year 102 6 Airbags 10
1992 Better year 140 5 Fuel system 12
1991 Better year 99 4 Seat belts 8
1990 Better year 138 4 Fuel system 9

Technical service bulletins

Beyond complaints and recalls, 3,119 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, service campaigns, warranty extensions — are on file for the Nissan Maxima. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

Browse the Nissan Maxima TSB list by year →

Questions buyers ask

What Nissan Maxima years should I avoid?

Federal complaint records point to 2004–2005 as the Nissan Maxima years to avoid — they drew the highest volume of serious complaints relative to the model's other years.

What is the most common Nissan Maxima problem?

Transmission & drivetrain tops the Nissan Maxima file with 2,433 complaints, concentrated in the 2004–2005 model years, most often reported around 90,000 miles.

What are the best Nissan Maxima years to buy used?

The quietest Nissan Maxima years in federal records are 1990–1999, 2001, 2003, 2007–2008, 2011–2014, 2016–2018, 2020 — each with at least four years on the road and well-below-average complaint volume for this model.

Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Counts cover the Nissan Maxima only, scored against this model's own worst year — not against other models. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.