NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Steering complaints
168 reportsClear category filter50,177 miles · Feb 15, 2013
Electrical SystemSteering
IN MY TRAVEL TO WORK I ARRIVED AT THE LOCAL GAS STATION TO FUEL UP. AFTERWARDS, I GOT BACK IN AND TRIED TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE "KEY INDICATOR" WAS THE ONLY LIGHT THAT WAS SHOWING ON THE DASH AND THE WORK "LOCK" WAS SHOWING ON THE PUSH TO START BUTTON. I END UP HAVING TO CALL A ROLL BACK TO TOW MY CAR TO THE …
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IN MY TRAVEL TO WORK I ARRIVED AT THE LOCAL GAS STATION TO FUEL UP. AFTERWARDS, I GOT BACK IN AND TRIED TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE "KEY INDICATOR" WAS THE ONLY LIGHT THAT WAS SHOWING ON THE DASH AND THE WORK "LOCK" WAS SHOWING ON THE PUSH TO START BUTTON. I END UP HAVING TO CALL A ROLL BACK TO TOW MY CAR TO THE NEAREST NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHICH IS OUT OF STATE AND CAUSED ME $200. ONCE I ARRIVED, THE NISSAN EMPLOYEE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE CAR LOCK STEERING THAT WAS PREVENTING THE CAR TO START AND THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST $866 TO REPAIR. I HAD TO OPTION BUT TO PAY BECAUSE I NEED MY CAR TO GO TO WORK. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE THAT OWN NISSAN MAXIMA'S AND OTHER NISSAN MAKES. THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE IT'S FREQUENTLY HAPPENED TO OTHERS RESULTING IN ALL BEING STRANDED. I HAD NO INDICATION THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. IT HAPPENED SUDDEN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10498282
84,000 miles · Feb 14, 2013
Steering
WENT INTO THE STORE, CAME OUT AND MY CAR WOULD NOT START. THE KEY SYMBOL KEPT SHOWING UP, STEERING COLUMN WAS IN THE LOCKED POSITION & THE BRAKES WERE LOCKED AS WELL. HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME AFTER SOME DIAGNOSTIC TESTS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM. THIS IS A …
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WENT INTO THE STORE, CAME OUT AND MY CAR WOULD NOT START. THE KEY SYMBOL KEPT SHOWING UP, STEERING COLUMN WAS IN THE LOCKED POSITION & THE BRAKES WERE LOCKED AS WELL. HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME AFTER SOME DIAGNOSTIC TESTS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM. THIS IS A PART RECALLED ON THE 2009 370Z & GTR NISSAN MODELS BUT NOT FOR THE MAXIMA OR ALTIMA. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN & LUCKILY I WAS SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO HOME OTHERWISE MY SON & I WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN FREEZING COLD WEATHER. NISSAN TOOK THIS PART OUT OF THEIR 2010 MODELS SO IT OBVIOUSLY IS A FAULTY PART. KIND OF SHADY THAT THEY HAVE NOT RECALLED IT YET, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS BEING A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10498165
50,532 miles · Feb 12, 2013
Electrical SystemEngineSteering
UPON ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR, IGNITION WOULD NOT CHANGE FROM "LOCK" TO "ACC" OR "ON". INTELLIGENT KEY WARNING LAMP WAS LIT STEADY ON DASH. STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS NOT LOCKED. ALL POWER AND OTHER FUNCTIONS WORKED (LIGHTS, DOOR LOCKS, ETC). BATTERY IS FINE. DEALER FOUND STEERING LOCK CONTROL MODULE PART 48700-9N00A FAULTY AN…
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UPON ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR, IGNITION WOULD NOT CHANGE FROM "LOCK" TO "ACC" OR "ON". INTELLIGENT KEY WARNING LAMP WAS LIT STEADY ON DASH. STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS NOT LOCKED. ALL POWER AND OTHER FUNCTIONS WORKED (LIGHTS, DOOR LOCKS, ETC). BATTERY IS FINE. DEALER FOUND STEERING LOCK CONTROL MODULE PART 48700-9N00A FAULTY AND REPLACED WITH STEERING LOCK CONTROL MODULE PART 48700-9N00B. SIMILAR PART ON NISSAN GTRS WAS RECALLED, PART NUMBER 48700-JF00A OR 48700-JF00B, BEING REPLACED BY 48700-JF00C SAME PART NUMBER IS FAILING FOR NISSAN 370ZS AS WELL, SAME YEARS AND SAME PART NUMBER 48700-JF00A OR 48700-JF00B, YET THEY ARE NOT BEING RECALLED. THIS PROBLEM IS ALSO OCCURRING IN NISSAN MAXIMAS AND NISSAN MURANOS IN ALL MODELS OF NISSAN THIS PART WAS REMOVED IN MID 2010 DUE TO CONSISTENT FAILURE. THE PART COSTS APPROXIMATELY $500 FROM NISSAN, IS USUALLY OUT OF STOCK AND BACK ORDERED, AND COSTS ANOTHER $400-$500 TO BE INSTALLED AT A DEALER. THERE SHOULD BE A MAKE-WIDE RECALL FOR ALL MODELS FOR THIS PART. FAILURE OF THIS PART STRANDS THE DRIVER WITH NO WARNING OF IMPENDING FAILURE. HOW CAN AELECTRONIC PART MOUNTED INSIDE THE PASSENGERS COMPARTMENT FAIL SO OFTEN AT LESS THAN THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF SERVICE? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10497908
28,600 miles · Feb 9, 2013
Electrical SystemSteering
CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND PARKED IN A PARKING LOT FOR 3 MIN. WHILE I WENT TO THE ATM MACHINE. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR IT WOULD NOT START. WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON, SO I CHECKED THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO LOOK UP THE SIGNAL AND IT WAS THE STEERING LOCK. HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALERS FOR REPAIR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10497606
71,000 miles · Feb 8, 2013
Steering
PARKED AT GROCERY STORE. ON RETURN KEY NOT RECOGNIZED BY KEYLESS PUSH STARTER. AFTER 2 HOURS OF TRYING TO START ENGINE IN MINUS 15 DEGREE CELSIUS, I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK AND WAITED FOR ANOTHER HOUR. TOWED TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP. LEFT ON LOT AS IT WAS AFTER HOURS. NEXT MORNING NISSAN TECHNICIAN ADVISED STEERING LOCK MODULE. $605.…
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PARKED AT GROCERY STORE. ON RETURN KEY NOT RECOGNIZED BY KEYLESS PUSH STARTER. AFTER 2 HOURS OF TRYING TO START ENGINE IN MINUS 15 DEGREE CELSIUS, I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK AND WAITED FOR ANOTHER HOUR. TOWED TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP. LEFT ON LOT AS IT WAS AFTER HOURS. NEXT MORNING NISSAN TECHNICIAN ADVISED STEERING LOCK MODULE. $605.00 TO REPLACE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10496873
59,000 miles · Feb 5, 2013
Steering
CAR IS STRANDED BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK IS FAULTY. LOOKED IT UP AND NISSAN HAS A FAULTY PART THAT IS IN SEVERAL CARS AND THEY ARE LETTING PEOPLE GET STRANDED AND CHARGING THEM $1200 DOLLARS TO FIX THE ISSUE. SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE. *TR HERE IS LOTS OF BACKGROUND HTTP://FORUMS.MAXIMA.ORG/7TH-GENERATION-MAXIMA-2009…
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CAR IS STRANDED BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK IS FAULTY. LOOKED IT UP AND NISSAN HAS A FAULTY PART THAT IS IN SEVERAL CARS AND THEY ARE LETTING PEOPLE GET STRANDED AND CHARGING THEM $1200 DOLLARS TO FIX THE ISSUE. SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE. *TR HERE IS LOTS OF BACKGROUND HTTP://FORUMS.MAXIMA.ORG/7TH-GENERATION-MAXIMA-2009/658823-STEERING-WHEEL-LOCK-ISSUE.HTML
NHTSA ODI #10496525
54,671 miles · Feb 1, 2013
Electrical SystemSteering
I WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT WITH FREEEZING TEMPERATURE. NISSAN HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY TO THE TUNE OF $800. IT IS A PART THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED ON THE GTR. IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED ON THE 370Z. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING ON THE MAXIMA OR ALTIMA. OWNERS OF THE 2009 ARE TOLD TO REMOVE THE FUSE TO TAKE THIS PAR…
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I WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT WITH FREEEZING TEMPERATURE. NISSAN HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY TO THE TUNE OF $800. IT IS A PART THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED ON THE GTR. IT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED ON THE 370Z. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING ON THE MAXIMA OR ALTIMA. OWNERS OF THE 2009 ARE TOLD TO REMOVE THE FUSE TO TAKE THIS PART OUT OF THE EQUATION AND NOT GET STRANDED. NISSAN HAS REPLACED THIS PART ON 2010 VEHICLES AND NEWER. THEY SHOULD REIMBURSE ANYONE WHO HAS TO MAKE THIS REPAIR. IT IS A PART THAT IS NOT NECESSARY IN THIS VEHICLE. PROVEN BY NISSAN HAVING THEIR TECHNCIANS REMOVE THE FUSE IN 2009 MAXIMAS, ALTIMAS, 370Z AND GTR. THE FAULTY PART HAS BEEN PROVEN TO EXIST IN THE 2009 GTR, 370Z AND MAXIMAS. NISSANS CHANGING OF THE PART IN 2010 AND NEWER VEHICLES IS A DIRECT ADMSSION OF THEIR GUILT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10496067
42,000 miles · Jan 29, 2013
Steering
THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK MALFUNCTIONED STRANDING MY IN A PARKING LOT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE AUTOMATIC LOCK MECHANISM LOCKED THE WHEEL AND DID NOT ALLOW EVEN ALLOW ME TO START THE CAR. WHEN LOOKING THIS UP THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT NISSAN MODELS. IN FACT THE EXACT SAME PART AS ALREADY BEEN RECALLED …
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THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK MALFUNCTIONED STRANDING MY IN A PARKING LOT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE AUTOMATIC LOCK MECHANISM LOCKED THE WHEEL AND DID NOT ALLOW EVEN ALLOW ME TO START THE CAR. WHEN LOOKING THIS UP THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT NISSAN MODELS. IN FACT THE EXACT SAME PART AS ALREADY BEEN RECALLED ON TWO DIFFERENT MODELS. APPARENTLY THERE HAS NOT BEEN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ON THE MAXIMA FOR THEM TO FIND THIS AN ISSUE FORCING THEM TO ADDRESS IT LIKE THERE WERE WITH THE OTHERS. I CALLED NISSAN AND THEY AGREE THAT THE EXACT SAME PART WAS RECALLED DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS BUT NOT ON THE 2009 MAXIMA BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT MADE TO RECALL IT YET. SO I JUST GOT STUCK WITH A 1000 BILL BY THE DEALER TO FIX AN UNNECESSARY STEERING WHEEL LOCK COLUMN WHICH IS KNOWN TO BE FAULTY AND HAS BEEN RECALLED BUT NOT YET IN THIS EXACT MODEL. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED SOON. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10495137
37,600 miles · Jan 22, 2013
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TEST RESULTS SHOWED A FAULTY STEERING LOCK UNIT WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING LOCK UNIT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,600.
NHTSA ODI #10493742
46,000 miles · Jan 8, 2013
Electrical SystemSteeringUnknown Or Other
ON THE MORNING OF 1/8/13 I DROVE MY 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA TO MY COMMUTER PARKING LOT, AND REALIZED THAT I DIDN'T COMPLETELY PARK IN MY SPACE AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF. I PROCEEDED TO START MY CAR WITH THE PUSH STOP/START BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. AS SOON AS I REALIZED MY VEHICLE WOULDN'T START, I BECAME VERY UPSET BECAUSE I JUST PURCHA…
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ON THE MORNING OF 1/8/13 I DROVE MY 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA TO MY COMMUTER PARKING LOT, AND REALIZED THAT I DIDN'T COMPLETELY PARK IN MY SPACE AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF. I PROCEEDED TO START MY CAR WITH THE PUSH STOP/START BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. AS SOON AS I REALIZED MY VEHICLE WOULDN'T START, I BECAME VERY UPSET BECAUSE I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE LAST JANUARY AND ONLY HAD A POWERTRAIN WARRANTY THAT WAS STILL ACTIVE. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM AND COMPLAINED, WHILE CRYING LEMON LAW. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ATTEMPTED TO HELP ME START THE VEHICLE WHILE OVER THE PHONE AND AFTER REALIZING WHAT THE ISSUE MAY BE, HE EXPLAINED THAT THERE IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA'S THAT HE BELIEVES THE COMPUTER MODULE IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAD GONE BAD. I ASKED IF NISSAN HAD RECALLED THAT PART SINCE IT WAS A COMMON ISSUE, HIS ANSWER WAS NO AND INFORMED ME IT'S GOING TO COST AROUND $750 JUST TO PURCHASE THE PART, AND WITH LABOR AROUND $900-$1000 TO REPAIR. I SAID IF THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH MY MODEL, THEN WHY DIDN'T NISSAN RECALL THAT PART. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN HAD NO EXPLANATION OTHER THAN MENTIONING, IT HASN'T HAPPENED TO ENOUGH PEOPLE YET WHICH I FEEL IS COMPLETELY ABSURD! THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AS MY VEHICLE WOULDN'T START WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, OR WARNING BEFOREHAND. PLEASE HELP! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10491911