IllustrationWHEN RELEASING PEDAL AFTER BRAKING THERE IS A GRINDING AND HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED REAR BRAKE CABLES AND TURNED REAR ROTORS.*AK *JG
1998 Nissan Maxima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Nissan Maxima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 99.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Maxima years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
20–25K
525–50K
650–75K
575–100K
13100–150K
10150K+
41 reports with mileage · 72 unknown
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.
- Air Bags. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 10 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 reports12 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
113 reportsDIAGNOSE FROM NISSAN ELMWOOD FOR $39.22 STATES: " A CK FOG LAMP BURNT BY IGNITION WIRING WHOEVER INSTALLED ALARM SYSTEM IN VEHICLE TAPPED INTO HARNESS NEAR IGNITION AND LEFT WIRES BARE AND AFTER TIME THESE WIRES TOUCH AND BURNT. BRING VEHICLE BACK TO WHOEVER INSTALLED ALARM SYSTEM INTO VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS!!!". I BROUGHT MY CAR …
Read full complaint
DIAGNOSE FROM NISSAN ELMWOOD FOR $39.22 STATES: " A CK FOG LAMP BURNT BY IGNITION WIRING WHOEVER INSTALLED ALARM SYSTEM IN VEHICLE TAPPED INTO HARNESS NEAR IGNITION AND LEFT WIRES BARE AND AFTER TIME THESE WIRES TOUCH AND BURNT. BRING VEHICLE BACK TO WHOEVER INSTALLED ALARM SYSTEM INTO VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS!!!". I BROUGHT MY CAR TO NISSAN ROUTE 22 WERE I HAD ALARM INSTALLED. THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME FOR DIAGNOSES AND PERHAPS REPAIRS THEN. I BOUGHT NEW CAR FROM NISSAN DEALER, DID ALL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE WITH NISSAN. DEMAGE WASN'T CAUSED BY ME. DRIVING WITH DANGER OF ANOTHER SHORT AND PERHAPS FIRE. DID DIAGNOSE WITH INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SHOP WHO STATES: "NISSAN IGNITION SIDE IS NOT SECURE, IT IS COMPLETELY OPEN AND MY WIRES ARE ALREADY MELTED WHICH HE DOESN'T WARRANTY MY SAFTY." I WOUL LIKE TO FAX COPIES OF THOSE STATMENTS. I HAD CALLED NISSAN HOT LINE. I HAD CALLED GM FROM NISSAN ROUTE 22 WHO NEVER RETURNED MY CALL AND LEFT ME WITH THIS SITUATION. CAR MAY GO ON FIRE AT ANY TIME.
VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN IT STARTED SMOKING, CONSUMER CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED A FIRE. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, AND VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED THAT FRONT FUEL INJECTOR WAS LEAKING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING WITH DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT ON AND WHEN LEANING FORWARD SEAT BELT BECAME UNDONE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHR INFORMATION.*AK
1) AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON ON 2/26/1999. DEALER FIXED PROBLEM. SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ON 7/21/2001. STILL NEEDS TO BE FIXED. 2) FUEL GAUGE MORE THAT 25-50% INACCURATE, HAS RANDOMLY OCCURED 6 TIMES SINCE 1999. *AK
WHILE DRIVING RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS LEAKING ONTO ENGINE. THIS CAUSED A BURNING ODOR INSIDE VEHICLE. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT PROBLEM OF RACK AND PINION LEAKAGE EXISTED, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE.*AK
CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO SECURE BOOSTER SEAT BECAUSE OF ALL CUSHION THATS AROUND SEAT.*AK
PER DEALERSHIP, REAR BRAKE CABLE DOES NOT RELEASE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED TWO INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION FORWARD AND BACKWARD, ON 9-29-00 CAUSING DAMAGE OF OVER $11,000, 12-4-00 WHILE BACKWARD THE VEHICLE ALMOST HIT THREE PEOPLE, NO INJURIES INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENTS. *MJS
Official recalls
102V171000 · Electrical System:alternator/generator/regulator
Jun 24, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, ONE OF THE DIODES USED IN THE ALTERNATOR MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED WHEN BUILT. THIS CAN EVENTUALLY RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE DIODE AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHICH COULD MELT THE PLASTIC HOUSING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE COMBUSTIBLE GAS EMITTED BY THE MELTING PLASTIC DOES NOT DISPERSE DUE TO AIR FLOW THROUGH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, IT COULD IGNITE AND IN TURN IGNITE THE FAN GUIDE IN THE ALTERNATOR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 29, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.