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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.

About this comparison →

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

Steering complaints

168 reports
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59,000 miles · Dec 29, 2014
Steering

IN AUGUST OF 2014 I GOT IN MY CAR, 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA, STARTED IT. MEMORY IS SET FOR MY DRIVERS SEAT. SEAT SET AS NORMAL. STEERING/TILT DID NOT MOVE AS IT IS SET TO MY POSITION. DID NOT MOVE IN, OUT, UP NOR DOWN TRIED TO SET IT, DID NOT WORK MANUALLY EITHER. TOOK MY CAR TO DEALER, THEY SAID THE MOTOR HAS GONE OUT IN STEER/TIL…

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IN AUGUST OF 2014 I GOT IN MY CAR, 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA, STARTED IT. MEMORY IS SET FOR MY DRIVERS SEAT. SEAT SET AS NORMAL. STEERING/TILT DID NOT MOVE AS IT IS SET TO MY POSITION. DID NOT MOVE IN, OUT, UP NOR DOWN TRIED TO SET IT, DID NOT WORK MANUALLY EITHER. TOOK MY CAR TO DEALER, THEY SAID THE MOTOR HAS GONE OUT IN STEER/TILT AND IT WILL COST CLOSE TO $500.00 TO GET FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10668713

Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 2014
Steering

TODAY I GOT STRANDED, MY 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA WOULDN'T START DUE TO MY STEERING WHEEL BEING LOCKED AND WOULDN'T UNLOCK. TRIED EVERYTHING THE MANUAL STATED AND NOTHING WORKED. NOW I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I'M GOING TO GET CHARGED A LOT OF MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT THE DEALER SHOULD PAY FOR. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND…

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TODAY I GOT STRANDED, MY 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA WOULDN'T START DUE TO MY STEERING WHEEL BEING LOCKED AND WOULDN'T UNLOCK. TRIED EVERYTHING THE MANUAL STATED AND NOTHING WORKED. NOW I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I'M GOING TO GET CHARGED A LOT OF MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT THE DEALER SHOULD PAY FOR. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT NISSAN IS AWARE OF THIS MALFUNCTION BUT DOES NOT PLACE A RECALL ON IT. MY CAR ISN'T EVEN PAID OFF YET AND I'M HAVING AN ISSUE WITH IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND? I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW IN 2009 AND IS WELL MAINTAINED WITH LOW MILES. NISSAN SHOULD PUT A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, IT CAN BE DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10661342

75,000 miles · Nov 21, 2014
Electrical SystemSteering

NISSAN INTELLIGENT KEY WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH ENGINE START FUNCTION. YELLOW KEY LIGHT WAS ON, KEY WOULD UNLOCK AND LOCK THE CAR, BUT IT WILL NOT START. SUSPECTED ISSUE FROM READING ALL OTHER NISSAN MAXIMA OWNER FORUMS IS THAT IT IS A STEERING LOCK FAILURE. HAD TOW TRUCK TAKE OUR CAR TO THE NEAREST CAR MAX NISSAN DEALER WHERE…

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NISSAN INTELLIGENT KEY WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH ENGINE START FUNCTION. YELLOW KEY LIGHT WAS ON, KEY WOULD UNLOCK AND LOCK THE CAR, BUT IT WILL NOT START. SUSPECTED ISSUE FROM READING ALL OTHER NISSAN MAXIMA OWNER FORUMS IS THAT IT IS A STEERING LOCK FAILURE. HAD TOW TRUCK TAKE OUR CAR TO THE NEAREST CAR MAX NISSAN DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2012. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10660146

32,000 miles · Nov 8, 2014
Electrical SystemSteering

REACHES A NORMAL BEVERAGE CENTER IN MY NISSAN MAXIMA 2009 AND WENT OUT IN 4 HOURS WHEN NOT LIT IT WANTED TO TURN ON MY CAR, THE SCREEN SHOWED TWO INTELLIGENT KEYS WARNING LIGHTS NISSAN AND SECURITY INDICATOR, THE KEY WORKED PROPERLY, THE LIGHTS OF THE CAR TOO, THE PROBLEM IS JUST NOT TURNED ON AT ALL, I WENT TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP…

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REACHES A NORMAL BEVERAGE CENTER IN MY NISSAN MAXIMA 2009 AND WENT OUT IN 4 HOURS WHEN NOT LIT IT WANTED TO TURN ON MY CAR, THE SCREEN SHOWED TWO INTELLIGENT KEYS WARNING LIGHTS NISSAN AND SECURITY INDICATOR, THE KEY WORKED PROPERLY, THE LIGHTS OF THE CAR TOO, THE PROBLEM IS JUST NOT TURNED ON AT ALL, I WENT TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND ARE CHARGING ME 1400 USD TO FIX MY CAR AND I SEE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM IN 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA IS VERY COMMON TO HAVE SOME GUARANTEE SHOULD THE DAMAGED PIECE, I NEED HELP WITH MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10653576

Mileage unknown · Nov 7, 2014
Electrical SystemSteeringSuspension

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH MY 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA, FIRST I KEEP HAVING TO REPLACE THE BATTERY WHICH I RECEIVED A NEW BATTERY FROM THE DEALER IN JANUARY OF 2013 WITH AN 84 MONTH WARRANTY, WELL TODAY THE BATTERY DIED AGAIN. I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE STEERING COLUMN SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST OF 2008. THE…

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I HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH MY 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA, FIRST I KEEP HAVING TO REPLACE THE BATTERY WHICH I RECEIVED A NEW BATTERY FROM THE DEALER IN JANUARY OF 2013 WITH AN 84 MONTH WARRANTY, WELL TODAY THE BATTERY DIED AGAIN. I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE STEERING COLUMN SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST OF 2008. THE FIRST TIME STEERING COLUMN LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. IT WAS REPLACED AGAIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE BATTERY AND THEN SEVERAL MONTHS LATER STOPPED WORKING AGAIN THE UP AND DOWN FUNCTION. SECOND THE VEHICLE SUSPENSION WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED DUE THE RECALL ...BUT I WAS TOLD RECENTLY BY DEALER THAT IT NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AND THEY WERE TRYING TO CHARGE ME OVER $1200 FOR A RECALLED ITEM. WHICH I REFUSED TO PAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10653533

76,545 miles · Oct 15, 2014
Steering

WAS DRIVING AND STEERING WHEEL STARTED GRINDING AND MOVING. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND COST OVER $800.00 TO REPLACE TWO MOTORS STEERING WHEEL. THEY TURNED IT OFF SO IT STOPPED MOVING ON IT'S OWN. STILL MAKING GRINDING NOISE. THEY NEED TO ISSUE A RECALL AS THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HUNDREDS OF CARS AND IS CAUSING ACCIDENTS. SHAME ON …

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WAS DRIVING AND STEERING WHEEL STARTED GRINDING AND MOVING. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND COST OVER $800.00 TO REPLACE TWO MOTORS STEERING WHEEL. THEY TURNED IT OFF SO IT STOPPED MOVING ON IT'S OWN. STILL MAKING GRINDING NOISE. THEY NEED TO ISSUE A RECALL AS THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HUNDREDS OF CARS AND IS CAUSING ACCIDENTS. SHAME ON NISSAN FOR JUST WANTING TO COLLECT THE MONEY, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T EVEN ORDER THE PARTS ON YOUR OWN TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10644987

48,000 miles · Oct 14, 2014
Steering

WENT TO TURN THE CAR ON AND THE BREAKS WERE STIFF AND THE STEERING WHEEL DIDN'T WANT TO TURN. APPARENTLY MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED FOR NO REASON. THIS HAS BEEN A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE NISSAN MAX. AND THEY REFUSE TO HAVE A RECALL AND EXPECT ME TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF POCKET. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10644614

75,000 miles · Sep 29, 2014
Steering

TILT MOTOR AND TELESCOPING MOTOR CEASED TO WORK. GRINDING SOUND WHEN USING THE 4 WAY ROCKER SWITCH TO TELESCOPE OR TILT THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10639919

57,600 miles · Sep 15, 2014
Steering

STEERING WHEEL TILT MOTOR FAILED, GRINDING GEAR NOISE AND WHEN PRESET BUTTON IS PRESSED, STEERING WHEEL GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN. PUSHING THE UP CONTROL FOR TILT ONLY PRODUCES GEAR GRINDING NOISE, STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT GO UP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10633381

92,000 miles · Jul 30, 2014
Steering

THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN IS LOCKED IN THE DOWN POSITION MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER WITH THE WHEELS HITTING MY KNEES AND EXTREMELY HARD ENTERING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE. I AM UNABLE TO ADJUST THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN AT ALL. THERE IS A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE COLUMN, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE MOTOR OR ELECTR…

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THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN IS LOCKED IN THE DOWN POSITION MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER WITH THE WHEELS HITTING MY KNEES AND EXTREMELY HARD ENTERING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE. I AM UNABLE TO ADJUST THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN AT ALL. THERE IS A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE COLUMN, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE MOTOR OR ELECTRICAL COMPONENT/ GEARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10617763

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.