IllustrationAIRBAG SENSOR BLINKING. SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. READ OTHERS COMPLAIN OF SAME. DEALERSHIP SAYS IT WILL COST $1700 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. SINCE IT IS A RECURRING COMPLAINT IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A RECALL ITEM.
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
What owners actually said
339 reportsPANARAMIC SUNROOF EXPLODED DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. NO CARS IN FRONT OR BEHIND.
MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THE ESCL (ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK) FAILING. NISSAN IS OFFERING TO REPLACE FREE OF CHARGE FOR VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS (NHTSA #10119190, NISSAN CAMPAIGN ID PC516). HOWEVER, NISSAN HAS STATED THAT MY VIN# IS NOT PART OF THE PROGRAM. NISSAN HAS ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE NHTSA SET THE PARAMETERS…
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MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THE ESCL (ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK) FAILING. NISSAN IS OFFERING TO REPLACE FREE OF CHARGE FOR VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS (NHTSA #10119190, NISSAN CAMPAIGN ID PC516). HOWEVER, NISSAN HAS STATED THAT MY VIN# IS NOT PART OF THE PROGRAM. NISSAN HAS ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE NHTSA SET THE PARAMETERS FOR THE VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN, AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF IT IS TRUE THE NHTSA SET THE VIN# PARAMETERS FOR THIS PROGRAM, AND IF SO WHY MY CAR, WHICH HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM MULTIPLE TIMES, IS NOT INCLUDED. IF IT IS NOT TRUE THAT THE NHTSA SET THE PARAMETERS, WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL LIABILITIES NISSAN FACES IN BLAMING THE PROBLEM ON THE NHTSA. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. .IT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING, AND HAS POTENTIAL TO STRAND DRIVERS IN POTENTIALLY HARMFUL SITUATIONS.
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.
DASHBOARD MELTING VERY STICKY AND SHINY, VERY HARD TO SEE OUT OF WINDSHIELD WHEN SUN GLARES OFF DASHBOARD.
OCT 9, 2017, DROVE THE CAR FOR 15 MINUTES, TO DESTINATION. WHEN READY TO LEAVE, CAR WOULD NOT START, AFTER PUSHING STARTER BUTTON. CHANGE FOB KEY BATTERY AND STILL WOULD NOT START. STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED IN UPRIGHT POSITION. CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER STATES THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK IS FAULTY. REPLACEMENT COST $1100+. THI…
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OCT 9, 2017, DROVE THE CAR FOR 15 MINUTES, TO DESTINATION. WHEN READY TO LEAVE, CAR WOULD NOT START, AFTER PUSHING STARTER BUTTON. CHANGE FOB KEY BATTERY AND STILL WOULD NOT START. STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED IN UPRIGHT POSITION. CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER STATES THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK IS FAULTY. REPLACEMENT COST $1100+. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM, OBVIOUSLY, IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND BE AN ENDANGERMENT TO STRANDED OCCUPANTS.
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
WHINING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT AS SOON AS VEHICLE IS TURNED ON AND CONTINUES WHILE RUNNING. MANY FORUMS DESCRIBE THIS AS BAD SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS DUE TO COMPLETE WEAR-OUT OF PLASTIC MATERIAL. MOTOR NEEDS TO BE PULLED TO REPLACE TENSIONERS. 19 HOURS LABOR AT DEALER PLUS PARTS PUTS THIS REPAIR AT $2500 …
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WHINING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT AS SOON AS VEHICLE IS TURNED ON AND CONTINUES WHILE RUNNING. MANY FORUMS DESCRIBE THIS AS BAD SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS DUE TO COMPLETE WEAR-OUT OF PLASTIC MATERIAL. MOTOR NEEDS TO BE PULLED TO REPLACE TENSIONERS. 19 HOURS LABOR AT DEALER PLUS PARTS PUTS THIS REPAIR AT $2500 PLUS. PHOTO ATTACHED SHOWS NEW PART AND OLD PART REPLACED BY A DEALER.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED TO START AND THE KEY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAG…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED TO START AND THE KEY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
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.