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1999 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Nissan Maxima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 99.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

89 reports with mileage · 76 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 83 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports5 fire reports1 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

38 reports
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106,020 miles · Aug 9, 2012
Engine And Engine Cooling

GARAGE-KEPT SINCE NEW 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS DEVELOPED SEVERE RUST/BODY ROT IN THE "RADIATOR SUPPORT MEMBER" WHICH ALSO ATTACHES FRONT ENGINE MOUNT POINTS. THIS DAMAGE WAS CAUGHT DURING AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THE PROTECTIVE PLASTIC SHIELD WAS REMOVED - WHICH EXPOSED THE DEGREE OF DANGER. INATTENTIVE OWNERS COULD MISS THIS ENTIRELY A…

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GARAGE-KEPT SINCE NEW 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS DEVELOPED SEVERE RUST/BODY ROT IN THE "RADIATOR SUPPORT MEMBER" WHICH ALSO ATTACHES FRONT ENGINE MOUNT POINTS. THIS DAMAGE WAS CAUGHT DURING AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THE PROTECTIVE PLASTIC SHIELD WAS REMOVED - WHICH EXPOSED THE DEGREE OF DANGER. INATTENTIVE OWNERS COULD MISS THIS ENTIRELY AND THE ENGINE COULD LITERALLY RIP FROM THE CAR OVER SEVERE BUMPS! BE SURE TO CHECK UNDER YOUR RADIATOR! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10470048

182,000 miles · Sep 15, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. UPON RESTART, THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS NORMAL MOMENTARILY BEFORE STALLING AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT TWO OXYGEN SENSORS FAILED. THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTERS WERE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. UPON RESTART, THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS NORMAL MOMENTARILY BEFORE STALLING AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT TWO OXYGEN SENSORS FAILED. THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTERS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT EITHER THE ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING ENOUGH FUEL OR THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS FAULTY. UPON EXAMINING THE VEHICLE FURTHER, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT A LOT OF WATER WAS BEING STORED WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENTS DUE TO A CLOGGED HOSE. THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE HOSE AND DRAINED THE WATER FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE HAD NOT RECURRED SINCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10425579

143,500 miles · Feb 14, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION COILS FAILED ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. THE DEALER INSPECTED BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. A DIFFERENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THREE OF THE SIX ENGINE COILS FAILED. THE FAIL…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION COILS FAILED ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. THE DEALER INSPECTED BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. A DIFFERENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THREE OF THE SIX ENGINE COILS FAILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ODI #10382595

133,310 miles · Sep 28, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

NEED 6 ENGINE COILS ON 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10358152

144,000 miles · Aug 2, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT DISPLAYED AT APPROXIMATELY 140K MILES. COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED REPLACEMENT OF KNOCK SENSOR. REPLACED BY INDEPENDENT NISSAN MECHANIC. LIGHT REAPPEARED 1 WEEK LATER. MECHANIC CHECKED ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND FOUND IT TO BE OKAY. DUE TO KNOWN ISSUES WITH MAXIMA IGNITION COILS…

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1999 NISSAN MAXIMA. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT DISPLAYED AT APPROXIMATELY 140K MILES. COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED REPLACEMENT OF KNOCK SENSOR. REPLACED BY INDEPENDENT NISSAN MECHANIC. LIGHT REAPPEARED 1 WEEK LATER. MECHANIC CHECKED ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND FOUND IT TO BE OKAY. DUE TO KNOWN ISSUES WITH MAXIMA IGNITION COILS ALL 6 WERE REPLACED BY SAME INDEPENDENT NISSAN MECHANIC. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AWAY FROM MECHANIC. DIAGNOSTICS WAS VAGUE, GENERAL MESSAGE. TOOK VEHICLE TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP. DEALER INDICATED THAT USING AFTER MARKET COILS WAS THE PROBLEM BUT COULD NOT PROMISE THAT USING OFFICIAL NISSAN PARTS WOULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. CONTACTED NISSAN NATIONAL OFFICE, BUT THE CORPORATE OFFICE REFUSES TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM. THE CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED THERE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH INTERFERENCE WITH THE COILS BUT NISSAN WOULD NOT REPLACE THE COILS. REPLACING PARTS AND DIAGNOSTICS FROM 3 MECHANICS IN ADDITION TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP COST OVER $2000.00. AT PRESENT, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON WITH THE VAGUE CODE AND NISSAN HAS NO IDEA OF HOW TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10346947

61,000 miles · Jun 23, 2010
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

1999 NISSAN MAXIMA, IGNITION COIL FAILURE AND SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON. CAR LOOSES PICKUP, ROUGH IDLING AND KNOCKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10339796

125,000 miles · May 15, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT EGR. THE EGR VALVE ON MY 1999 HAS BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIME AND THE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AFTER FEW THOUSAND MILES. THIS PLUS THE COIL ISSUE IS WIDE SPREAD AND THERE IS NOTHING ANYBODY HAS DONE ABOUT THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10268865

Mileage unknown · Mar 4, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

I PURCHASED A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA GLE 4 DOOR AND THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT HAS BEEN ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE AND HAD A "COLD PULL" PERFORMED AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SPARK PLUG ON CYLINDER 5 WAS "TRIGGERING" THE KNOCK SENSOR RESULTING IN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT TO BE ON. I WENT ON THE INTERNET…

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I PURCHASED A 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA GLE 4 DOOR AND THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT HAS BEEN ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE AND HAD A "COLD PULL" PERFORMED AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SPARK PLUG ON CYLINDER 5 WAS "TRIGGERING" THE KNOCK SENSOR RESULTING IN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT TO BE ON. I WENT ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE KNOCK SENSOR AND THE SPARK PLUGS FOR THIS CAR AND SEEN MORE COMMENTS FROM OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE FOR THE SAME CAR. COMMENTS STATING THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE COILS AND IT WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX FOR THE RECURRING ISSUE. THIS IS THE FIRST CAR I HAVE OWNED AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE CAR ENSURED THAT THE MAINTENANCE OF THE CAR WAS UP-TO-DATE. FOR THIS CAR TO BE TEN YEARS OLD IT IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, (KBB VALUE $4500), ASIDE FROM THE SPARK PLUG AND KNOCK SENSOR ISSUE. WILL THERE BE A RECALL TO SERVICE THE THOUSANDS OF 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA'S WITH THIS ISSUE? I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY ANYWHERE FROM $800 - $1,000 TO HAVE ALL OF THE COILS REPLACED AS WELL AS THE SPARK PLUGS, ONLY FOR IT TO BE A TEMPORARY RESOLUTION TO THE RECURRING ISSUE. I AM ON A FIXED INCOME (SS) AND AFTER PAYING FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES, CAR INSURANCE, LIVING COSTS, I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR A TEMPORARY RESOLUTION. PLEASE RECALL THE 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA'S, THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10260738

Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAD THIS 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA SINCE YEAR 2000. THE FOLLOWING EXPENSES I INCUR WAS REPLACING 6 IGNITION COILS AT THE NISSAN DEALER COSTING OVER $700.00 WHERE THEY ADVISE ONLY ONE COIL WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. RECENTLY AFTER TAKING MY CAR IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC BECAUSE THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE CHECK AND REPLACED THE EGR V…

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I HAD THIS 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA SINCE YEAR 2000. THE FOLLOWING EXPENSES I INCUR WAS REPLACING 6 IGNITION COILS AT THE NISSAN DEALER COSTING OVER $700.00 WHERE THEY ADVISE ONLY ONE COIL WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. RECENTLY AFTER TAKING MY CAR IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC BECAUSE THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE CHECK AND REPLACED THE EGR VALVE THREE TIME(COST OVER $1100.00 FOR THE FIRST REPLACEMENT), REPLACED THE STARTER, FUEL FILTER. NOW THE SAME LIGHT IS ON RIGHT NOW. NO ONE SEEM TO KNOW IF THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT (YES , I BELIEVE) OR WHAT IS THE PROBLEMS WITH MISSED READING TEST RESULTS. WHAT'S NEXT REPLACE THE CAR? NEED HELP BEFORE I DONE REPLACE THIS CAR OR SOMEONE GETS INQUIRE BECAUSE OF DEALER, MANUFACTURER AND TECHNICIANS DON'T KNOW THE RESOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10240472

100,000 miles · Dec 27, 2007
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

WITH MY 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA SE V6, EGR VALVE RELATED ISSUES WERE DETECTED AND ENGINE LIGHT STARTED TO COME UP SOON AFTER THE IGNITION. ACCORDING TO NISSAN DEALER, OXYGEN SENSORS AND EGR VALVES WORK IS NEED THAT WOULD COST $1800 OR MORE. AT THAT TIME THE CAR MILEAGE WAS AROUND 80,000. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO FIX THAT. BUT LATER ONE …

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WITH MY 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA SE V6, EGR VALVE RELATED ISSUES WERE DETECTED AND ENGINE LIGHT STARTED TO COME UP SOON AFTER THE IGNITION. ACCORDING TO NISSAN DEALER, OXYGEN SENSORS AND EGR VALVES WORK IS NEED THAT WOULD COST $1800 OR MORE. AT THAT TIME THE CAR MILEAGE WAS AROUND 80,000. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO FIX THAT. BUT LATER ONE OF THE ROD IN THE ENGINE BROKEN, FIRE STARTED UNDER THE ENGINE WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT 70 M/H ON THE HIGHWAY. MY FAMILY WAS IN A GREAT DANGER AND WE WERE LUCKY TO SURVIVE WITH THE HELP OF POLICE AND FIRE ENGINE WHEN SOMEONE CALLED 911. THERE HAS BEEN ANOTHER COMPLAIN ABOUT EGR VALUE ON NHTSA WEB SITE BY ANOTHER NISSAN MAXIMA OWNER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10212953

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.