Nissan Maxima Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2004 draws 32.9 complaints per run and the 2001 4.59, a 7.2-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 81.5% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Power Train, with 1,791 complaints, typically at 6.1 years.

Nissan Maxima years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Nissan Maxima — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2022	1	5	5	too new
2021	1	3	3	too new
2020	1.31	21	16	yes
2019	2	18	9	yes
2018	2.83	34	12	yes
2017	9.27	102	11	yes
2016	12.09	133	11	yes
2014	6.21	87	14	yes
2013	4.31	56	13	yes
2012	6	96	16	yes
2011	5.73	86	15	yes
2010	16.86	236	14	yes
2009	17.12	291	17	yes
2008	4.13	62	15	yes
2007	6.41	109	17	yes
2006	19.22	442	23	yes
2005	18.29	695	38	yes
2004	32.9	1020	31	yes
2003	5.7	171	30	yes
2002	5.65	175	31	yes
2001	4.59	133	29	yes
2000	7.82	266	34	yes
1999	2.82	107	38	yes
1998	2.28	89	39	yes
1997	3	78	26	yes
1996	2.64	66	25	yes
1995	4.42	115	26	yes
1994	2.63	63	24	yes
1993	1.96	51	26	yes
1992	1.61	74	46	yes
1991	3.4	51	15	yes
1990	3.68	70	19	yes
1989	2.44	39	16	yes
1988	1.59	35	22	yes
1987	1.76	134	76	yes
1986	1.34	47	35	yes

ROWS 36·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Among the 7 Nissan Maxima years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2004, 2006, 2005; the three worth hunting are 2001, 2002, 2003.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Nissan Maxima — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	323	6.9%	covered
1 year	257	12.4%	covered
2 years	287	18.5%	covered
3 years	332	25.6%	you pay
4 years	599	38.3%	you pay
5 years	633	51.8%	you pay
6 years	626	65.2%	you pay
7 years	507	76%	you pay
8 years	307	82.6%	you pay
9 years	220	87.2%	you pay
10 years	181	91.1%	you pay
11 years	159	94.5%	you pay
12 years	95	96.5%	you pay
13 years	61	97.8%	you pay
14 years	61	99.1%	you pay
15 years	41	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 18.5% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 81.5% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 47% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

What waits further out is Power Train at 6.1 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Nissan Maxima — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Power Train	1791	6.1 yrs	30	5
Electrical System	710	5.7 yrs	9	85
Steering	430	5.1 yrs	18	4
Engine And Engine Cooling	408	5.4 yrs	8	35
Air Bags	404	5.8 yrs	127	3
Service Brakes	321	4.3 yrs	35	10
Engine	315	8.5 yrs	10	13
Unknown Or Other	300	6.6 yrs	9	8

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Maxima's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Camry draws 5.65, the Honda Accord 4.02 and the Dodge Challenger 3.27, against 6.38 for the Maxima. That is the most complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Nissan Maxima — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Maxima	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Camry	20,039	161	1983–2026
Honda Accord	24,369	415	1981–2026
Dodge Challenger	1,696	77	1981–2026
Toyota Prius	12,873	109	2001–2026
Hyundai Elantra	9,090	117	1992–2026
Nissan Altima	15,657	148	1993–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Nissan Maxima

Recalls119 campaigns Fuel economy25 mpg best Common problems7,164 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space33 cu ft Used prices1,819 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1981–2023

Frequently asked questions

Is the Nissan Maxima reliable?

By complaints per production run it is worse than typical: 6.38 against 3.73 for the average car, and more than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which Maxima years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2004, 2006, 2005. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2001, 2002, 2003. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Maxima problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Power Train, typically at 6.1 years, followed by Electrical System.

Will the warranty cover Maxima problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 18.5% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 47% of the complaints here.

Is the Maxima more reliable than the Toyota Camry?

No: 6.38 complaints per production run for the Maxima against 5.65 for the Toyota Camry.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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