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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Service Brakes, Electric complaints

2 reports
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30,000 miles · Feb 21, 2010
Service Brakes, Electric

IT HAS BEEN TWO MONTHS SINCE MY NISSAN MAXIMA 2009 HAD A PROBLEM WITH FAILED BRAKES. THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE FROM NISSAN USA CORP. EXCEPT TO SAY THAT THEIR ENGINEER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. BOTH MYSELF AND THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY NISSAN CAR DEALERSHIP HERE IN SAGINAW TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE AT NISSAN BU…

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IT HAS BEEN TWO MONTHS SINCE MY NISSAN MAXIMA 2009 HAD A PROBLEM WITH FAILED BRAKES. THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE FROM NISSAN USA CORP. EXCEPT TO SAY THAT THEIR ENGINEER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. BOTH MYSELF AND THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY NISSAN CAR DEALERSHIP HERE IN SAGINAW TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE AT NISSAN BUT WE ARE LEFT WITH NO ANSWERS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE BRAKES AND I AM AFRAID TO TAKE IT OUT ON THE ROAD. I HAVE HAD A RENTAL CAR FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS WITH ONLY A VERBAL REASSURANCE THAT THE NISSAN CORPORATION WOULD PAY FOR IT. I AM WONDERING WHETHER YOU CAN LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND WHETHER NISSAN ALSO HAS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR BRAKES LIKE THE TOYOTA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10312458

30,000 miles · Jan 7, 2010
Service Brakes, Electric

THE BRAKES ON MY NISSAN MAXIMA FAILED AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BY CARS AS I SLID INTO A MAJOR INTERSECTION WHILE BRAKING FOR A RED LIGHT. I WAS ONLY DRIVING AT 5MPH BECAUSE I SAW THE LIGHT FROM ABOUT FIVE CAR LENGTHS AWAY AND I BRAKED AT 2 CAR LENGTHS AWAY FROM THE LIGHT. I BRAKED AGAIN TWICE BUT THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO FAIL AS I SL…

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THE BRAKES ON MY NISSAN MAXIMA FAILED AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BY CARS AS I SLID INTO A MAJOR INTERSECTION WHILE BRAKING FOR A RED LIGHT. I WAS ONLY DRIVING AT 5MPH BECAUSE I SAW THE LIGHT FROM ABOUT FIVE CAR LENGTHS AWAY AND I BRAKED AT 2 CAR LENGTHS AWAY FROM THE LIGHT. I BRAKED AGAIN TWICE BUT THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO FAIL AS I SLID INTO THE INTERSECTION. LUCKILY FOR ME, THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME FOR ME TO MOVE THE CAR TO A SAFE POSITION. THE BRAKES THEN HELD AGAIN UNTIL I DROVE TO THE DEALER.THE BRAKE PROBLEM OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE THOUGH I DID NOT RECOGNIZE IT AS SUCH , ONCE ON THE SAME DAY AND ONCE WITHIN THE SAME WEEK. IT WAS INTERMITTENT. IT OCCURRED AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 20MPH AND WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF STARTING THE CAR AND DRIVING. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 20 TO 25 DEGREES F AND THE ROADS WERE CLEAN. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT NISSAN ENGINEERS HAVE TO EVALUATE THE CAR. ITS BEEN MORE THAN THREE WEEKS, NEITHER THE DEALER NOR I HAVE HEARD FROM NISSAN AS TO WHAT THEY ARE DOING ABOUT IT. I EVEN REPORTED THE INCIDENTS TO THE ONLINE NISSAN CONSUMERS.THEY ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIVING THE COMPLAINT AND THAT'S ALL. I AM STILL DRIVING THE RENTAL CAR ARRANGED BY THE DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10298540

Official recalls

1

09V358000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.