IllustrationTHE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON WHEN SOMEONE GETS INTO THE CAR ON PASSENGER SIDE , THEN STAYS ON SOMETIMES. AS LONG AS THE PERSON IS IN THE SEAT IT STAYS ON. WHEN THEY GET OUT IT GOES OFF. I WASN'T IN ANY ACCIDENT. IT WAS LIKE IT WHEN I GOT IT
2009 Nissan Maxima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Maxima years
Owner complaints for the 2009 Nissan Maxima are substantially higher than 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
350–25K
4625–50K
6450–75K
5275–100K
54100–150K
21150K+
272 reports with mileage · 67 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.
- Steering. Review the 168 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 79 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 43 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 reports2 fire reports5 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
43 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON AND OFF. SHORTLY AFTER, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HUDSON NISSAN OF NORTH CHARLESTON (7331 RIVERS AVE, NORTH CHARLESTON, SC 29406) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON AND OFF. SHORTLY AFTER, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HUDSON NISSAN OF NORTH CHARLESTON (7331 RIVERS AVE, NORTH CHARLESTON, SC 29406) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,878.
DRIVER AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASH FLASHING CONTINUOUSLY, AND FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT ON FRONT CONSOLE REMAINING ON WHETHER SEAT OCCUPIED OR NOT. INDICATES POSSIBLE NON-FUNCTIONING OF AIRBAG. CONDITION IS PRESENT WHETHER VEHICLE STATIONARY OR MOVING. INVESTIGATED BY DEALER ( COURTESY NISSAN OF RICHARDSON, TEXAS) AND TOL…
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DRIVER AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASH FLASHING CONTINUOUSLY, AND FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT ON FRONT CONSOLE REMAINING ON WHETHER SEAT OCCUPIED OR NOT. INDICATES POSSIBLE NON-FUNCTIONING OF AIRBAG. CONDITION IS PRESENT WHETHER VEHICLE STATIONARY OR MOVING. INVESTIGATED BY DEALER ( COURTESY NISSAN OF RICHARDSON, TEXAS) AND TOLD THAT FIRST STAGE REPAIR ( REPLACEMENT OF FRONT PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION) COSTS ~ $ 2100 WITH NO GUARANTEE OF SOLUTION, FOLLOWED BY FURTHER ATTEMPT TO SOLVE AT ADDITIONAL COST. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO BE SOLVED BY NISSAN. ALSO REPORTED TO NISSAN NORTH AMERICA BUT NO RESPONSE.
WHILE ON AND MOVING, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG ON/OFF INDICATOR LIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF, WITH AN ADULT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. IT WILL TURN ON (INDICATING BAG OFF) FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AT A TIME. THIS OCCURS WITH A 150+ POUND PASSENGER SITTING NORMALLY IN THE SEAT, WITH SEATBELT FASTENED. THIS OCCURS THROUGHOUT TURNS, ON STRAIGHT RO…
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WHILE ON AND MOVING, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG ON/OFF INDICATOR LIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF, WITH AN ADULT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. IT WILL TURN ON (INDICATING BAG OFF) FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AT A TIME. THIS OCCURS WITH A 150+ POUND PASSENGER SITTING NORMALLY IN THE SEAT, WITH SEATBELT FASTENED. THIS OCCURS THROUGHOUT TURNS, ON STRAIGHT ROADS, AND AT VARYING SPEEDS. THIS BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR YEARS, BUT I HAVE ONLY NOW DONE A SEARCH FOR IT. GOOGLE SEARCHES INDICATE THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MANY 2009 NISSAN MAXIMAS. BUT MAXIMAS PRIOR TO 2016 ARE NOT RECALLED.
AIRBAG DEACTIVATION LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT EVEN WITH AN ADULT IN THE SEAT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, A VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER'S DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEAL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, A VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER'S DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR HAS FAILED. TO REPLACE YOU MUST REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT BOTTOM WHICH IS OVER $1500. THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT.
PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAULT LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN A PASSENGER IS OCCUPYING SEAT. NOTE THE PERSON IS NOT A CHILD IS ABOVE LIMIT TO ACTIVATE FUNCTION OF AIRBAG? THIS NEEDS TO BE PUT ON RECALL LIST TO BE REPAIRED BY MANUFACTURE, LIGHT CAME ON AROUND 60,000 MILES, CURRENTLY HAS 68,000 MILES
AIR BAG IS BLINKING. NISSAN DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED TO BE A B1022 CODE FOR OSC SENSOR FAILURE AND QUOTED $3,000 FOR REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE CHILDREN I HAVE TO BRING TO SCHOOL DAILY. PLEASE ADD RECALL FOR NISSAN MAXIMA 2009 MODELS AS WELL. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY…
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AIR BAG IS BLINKING. NISSAN DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED TO BE A B1022 CODE FOR OSC SENSOR FAILURE AND QUOTED $3,000 FOR REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE CHILDREN I HAVE TO BRING TO SCHOOL DAILY. PLEASE ADD RECALL FOR NISSAN MAXIMA 2009 MODELS AS WELL. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN.
THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS STAYED ON, AND THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR FOR LESS THAN $2084., NISSAN NORTH AMERICA HAS REFUSED ASSISTANCE FOR THE REPAIR.
Official recalls
109V358000 · Suspension
Sep 16, 2009
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 ALTIMA AND MAXIMA PASSENGER CARS. THE UPPER FRONT STRUT INSULATORS MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED OUT OF SPECIFICATION RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT INSULATOR TO CRACK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE STRUT INSULATOR IS CRACKED, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT ROD TO COME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING POSITION, WHICH COULD AFFECT VEHICLE STABILITY AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FRONT STRUT INSULATORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-NISSAN1 (1-800-647-7261).
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.