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1996 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Nissan Maxima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 99.

About this comparison →
96Owner complaints

Model-year median: 99

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
78
199389
1994152
199596
1996102
1997113
1998165
1999
Compare all Maxima years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
17Air Bags
16Power Train
12Electrical System
8Suspension
8
All reported categories
Steering
7Tires
7Unknown Or Other
6Vehicle Speed Control
5Equipment
4Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4Structure
4Visibility
4Seats
3Fuel System, Gasoline
2Engine
1Exterior Lighting
1Fuel System, Other
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Parking Brake
1Seat Belts
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 15 of 96 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports3 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

96 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 5, 2000
Unknown Or Other

WITHIN 4 WEEKS OF PURCHASE, THE PAINT BEGAN TO WEAR THIN ON THE SIDE MOULDINGS ON THE DOORS. MY CAR IS BURGUNDY AND I NOTICED THAT QUITE A FEW OTHER CARS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED NISSAN'S CONSUMER HOTLINE AFTER GETTING NO ASSISTANCE FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND FOUND OUT TWO INTERESTING THINGS. 1) WHEN THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTU…

Read full complaint

WITHIN 4 WEEKS OF PURCHASE, THE PAINT BEGAN TO WEAR THIN ON THE SIDE MOULDINGS ON THE DOORS. MY CAR IS BURGUNDY AND I NOTICED THAT QUITE A FEW OTHER CARS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED NISSAN'S CONSUMER HOTLINE AFTER GETTING NO ASSISTANCE FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND FOUND OUT TWO INTERESTING THINGS. 1) WHEN THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY EXPIRES, ANY REPAIRS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE UNDER THAT WARRANTY ARE NOW DONE ONLY AT THE DEALERSHIP'S DISCRETION, NOT BY NISSAN. 2) WHEN YOU REPORT UNSATISFACTORY CUSTOMER SERVICE AT A DEALERSHIP, THEY GET "IN TROUBLE" AND ARE MORE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU AT THAT POINT. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE DEALERSHIP TO PAY HALF FOR PAINTING AND REPLACING THE MOULDING, BUT IT TOOK A LITTLE WORK. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #721072

Mileage unknown · Feb 29, 2000
Air BagsCrashInjury

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS DURING FRONTAL COLLISION RESULTING IN INJURIES TO DRIVERS NECK AND SHOULDER. NLM

NHTSA ODI #551149

Mileage unknown · Dec 13, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES GIVE A LOUD SQUEEKING NOISE WHEN APPLIED. HAVE BEEN FIXED 4 TIMES, BUT PROBLEM PRESISTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #854022

Mileage unknown · Nov 16, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM.IT CONTINUALLY TURNS ON, AND THE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH WHEN LIGHT IS ON.THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE VEHICLE MPG AND ACCELERATION.

NHTSA ODI #714859

Mileage unknown · Sep 20, 1999
Suspension

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #848136

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 1999
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

AT 46,000 MILES THE FRONT STRUTS WERE REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. *YC

NHTSA ODI #547571

Mileage unknown · Jul 23, 1999
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

WATER LEAKED INTO EMISSION CONTROLCANISTER CAUSING ECU TO BURN OUT ,ENGINE CAME ON.ECU NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI #843223

Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 1999
Power TrainUnknown Or Other

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ON, AND THE GEAR STICKS FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #839444

Mileage unknown · May 3, 1999
Air BagsInjury

WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #837360

Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE STALLING OUT WHILE DRIVING. WHENEVER VEHICLE COMES TO A SLOW DOWN OR STOP, VEHICLE WOULD STALL AS CONSUMER PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #835198

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.