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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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53,000 miles · Aug 19, 2013
Steering

MY STEERING TILT STOPPED WORKING ABOUT A WEEK AGO (AUGUST 2013). THE POWER TILT MAKES A GRINDING SOUND AND WILL NOT GO INTO THE UP POSITION BUT RATHER GETS STUCK ON THE LOWEST LEVEL. I HAD TO FORCE IT BACK UP MANUALLY IN ORDER TO ENTER/EXIT THE CAR AND TO DRIVE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AT THE PROPER LEVEL. I TURNED OFF THE C…

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MY STEERING TILT STOPPED WORKING ABOUT A WEEK AGO (AUGUST 2013). THE POWER TILT MAKES A GRINDING SOUND AND WILL NOT GO INTO THE UP POSITION BUT RATHER GETS STUCK ON THE LOWEST LEVEL. I HAD TO FORCE IT BACK UP MANUALLY IN ORDER TO ENTER/EXIT THE CAR AND TO DRIVE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AT THE PROPER LEVEL. I TURNED OFF THE COMFORT SETTINGS AND HAVE TRIED NOT TO CHANGE ANY OF THE OTHER SETTINGS UNTIL I CAN GET THIS ISSUE LOOKED AT BY THE DEALERSHIP OR FIXED. MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH DRIVE THE VEHICLE SO THIS HAS BEEN AN INCONVENIENCE FOR BOTH OF US. EVEN WITH THE COMFORT SETTINGS OFF, THE TILT STILL CHANGES POSITION AT TIMES (POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF UNLOCKING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR? I READ SOMETHING ABOUT THAT HAPPENING FROM ONE OF THE FORUMS). I PURCHASED MY NISSAN AS A PRE-OWNED CERTIFIED CAR IN APRIL OF 2012 WITH 32,900 MILES ON IT. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR JUST OVER A YEAR SO THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING. I'VE READ SEVERAL FORUMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT THAT NISSAN HAS NOT ADDRESSED IT WITH A RE-CALL. I AM HOPING MY ISSUE WILL BE COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY AND IF SO, IT SHOULD ONLY BE A DEDUCTIBLE OF $50.00 ACCORDING TO WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID ON THE FORUMS. HOWEVER, OUT OF POCKET THIS PART CAN COST UPWARDS OF $600.00. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10536101

26,365 miles · Aug 8, 2013
Steering

STEERING WHEEL MADE GRINDING NOISE THEN FROZE IN LOWEST POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10534344

75,000 miles · Jul 30, 2013
Steering

STEERING WHEEL STUCK ON LOWEST POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10532578

52,426 miles · Jul 24, 2013
Steering

AFTER VEHICLE WAS STARTED, A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE TILT AND TELESCOPING OF THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME INOPERABLE. THE STEERING WHEEL IS STUCK AT THE LOWEST POSITION AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CANNOT BE SEEN WHILE DRIVING. THIS MAKES IT UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE MY LEGS ARE PRESSED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL AND COULD BE A S…

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AFTER VEHICLE WAS STARTED, A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE TILT AND TELESCOPING OF THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME INOPERABLE. THE STEERING WHEEL IS STUCK AT THE LOWEST POSITION AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CANNOT BE SEEN WHILE DRIVING. THIS MAKES IT UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE MY LEGS ARE PRESSED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL AND COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT FOR THIS, BUT DEALERSHIPS WILL NOT ADDRESS IT. THE COST IS ROUGHLY $800 TO REPAIR AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THIS PART(S) FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON DIFFERENT FORUMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10531670

54,800 miles · Jun 10, 2013
Steering

TILT MOTOR ON STEERING WHEEL FROZE IN LOWEST POSITION. REPLACED BY DEALER FOR $435.68, AFTER DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10515977

115,000 miles · Apr 2, 2013
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A TIRE REPAIR AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA ODI #10505418

42,000 miles · Mar 21, 2013
Steering

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK WILL MALFUNCTION WITHOUT ANY INDICATOR RENDERING THE CAR UNABLE TO START. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10503897

40,400 miles · Mar 14, 2013
Electrical SystemSteering

THE STEERING LOCK MODULE STOPPED WORKING. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR, THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES WERE LOCKED. THE KEYFOB BATTERY WAS FINE, AS WAS THE CAR BATTERY. I HEAR THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2009 NISSANS. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR 7 WEEKS AGO. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALER. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. HAVE…

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THE STEERING LOCK MODULE STOPPED WORKING. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR, THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES WERE LOCKED. THE KEYFOB BATTERY WAS FINE, AS WAS THE CAR BATTERY. I HEAR THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2009 NISSANS. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR 7 WEEKS AGO. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALER. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. HAVE TO WAIT 3 DAYS FOR THE PART. TOTAL COST - APPROX $900. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10503019

50,000 miles · Mar 2, 2013
Electrical SystemSteering

I HAD JUST STOPPED BY ANOTHER OFFICE IN MINNEAPOLIS TO PICK UP A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. IT WAS MY LAST ORDER OF BUSINESS OF THE EVENING. I WAS ABOUT 30 MINUTES FROM HOME. I WENT BACK OUT TO MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. I SPENT ABOUT 2.5 VERY STRESSFUL HOURS TRYING TO GET IT STARTED. I HAD MY 17 YEAR-OLD BRING ME MY OTHER FOB, I R…

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I HAD JUST STOPPED BY ANOTHER OFFICE IN MINNEAPOLIS TO PICK UP A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. IT WAS MY LAST ORDER OF BUSINESS OF THE EVENING. I WAS ABOUT 30 MINUTES FROM HOME. I WENT BACK OUT TO MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. I SPENT ABOUT 2.5 VERY STRESSFUL HOURS TRYING TO GET IT STARTED. I HAD MY 17 YEAR-OLD BRING ME MY OTHER FOB, I REPLACED BATTERIES IN THE FOB, I LOOKED UP PROBLEMS IN THE MANUAL. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED BACK TO THE NISSAN DEALER. TO MY DISMAY, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A COMMON ISSUE AND IT COST $850 TO FIX. SINCE THAT DAY, I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THE INTERNET TO READ ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND IT TURNS OUT THEY ARE EVERYWHERE! NISSAN MAXIMA, ALTIMA, 370Z...ALL 2009 TO 2010 MODEL YEARS. NISSAN NEEDS TO RECALL AND GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10501044

55,000 miles · Feb 25, 2013
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHUTTING HER VEHICLE OFF THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NOT MOVE UP OR DOWN. THE CONTACT THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING COLUMN DROPPED LOWER THAN NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO THE DEALER. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE STEERING …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHUTTING HER VEHICLE OFF THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NOT MOVE UP OR DOWN. THE CONTACT THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING COLUMN DROPPED LOWER THAN NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO THE DEALER. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE STEERING COLUMN FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

NHTSA ODI #10500025

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.