Nissan
Nissan Maxima years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2016 and 2017. Best years: 2019 and 2020.
The 2016 and 2017 Nissan Maxima draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2016 has 142 complaints (13 for each year on the road) and 2017 has 103 complaints (10 for each year on the road), against a median of 5 a year across the 6 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2016 is stalling (24 reports).
- 245complaints
- 8recall campaigns
- 2model years with a page
Newest report Jul 25, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
Best years
2019
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
2020
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2016 has the most complaints of any Nissan Maxima year here: 142 of 245 (58%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Airbag leads in 1 of the 2 model years and has the most reports overall, 32. Pooled across the years, half of the 18 owners who gave a mileage for airbag were under about 28,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 11% of Nissan Maxima complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2016, 16 of its 142 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- Every model year where owners report airbag also has a recall on the same system. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2019 at 32 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 24. So far in 2026, 8 more have come in.
Photo: Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2014 (90), 2018 (36), 2019 (18), 2020 (22).
Year by year
2017 Nissan Maxima avoid
103 owner complaints, 10 for each year on the road (1.9 times the model median). Most reported: airbag (18 reports, median 28,500 miles) and brake wear (10 reports, median 28,098 miles). 7 reports involved a crash and 7 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 16V-244 on the airbags and 19V-807 on the brakes.
2016 Nissan Maxima avoid
142 owner complaints, 13 for each year on the road (2.4 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (24 reports, median 68,500 miles), brake wear (21 reports, median 16,000 miles) and airbag (14 reports, median 25,000 miles). 10 reports involved a crash and 12 people were hurt. 8 recalls, including 15V-486 on the fuel system and 19V-807 on the brakes.
Recalls that cover several model years
These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair, under recall number 18V-601. In addition, this recall expands the previous population.
The Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
The affected vehicles have Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) actuator pumps that may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal electrical circuit board.
In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied.
Questions
What Nissan Maxima years should you avoid?
The 2016 and 2017 Nissan Maxima draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2016 has 142 complaints (13 for each year on the road) and 2017 has 103 complaints (10 for each year on the road), against a median of 5 a year across the 6 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2016 is stalling (24 reports).
What are the best years for the Nissan Maxima?
The 2019 and 2020 draw the fewest complaints for their age: 2019 has 18 (2 a year) and 2020 has 22 (3 a year). Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Nissan Maxima?
Airbag, with 32 reports across the 2 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2017.
How many recalls does the Nissan Maxima have?
8 recall campaigns cover the Nissan Maxima model years 2016 to 2017 on this site. The widest, 16V-244 on the airbags, covers 2 model years.
How many Nissan Maxima complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
11% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2016 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for airbag on the Nissan Maxima?
Yes, on every model year where owners report it.