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2010 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Maxima years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Nissan Maxima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 99.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

238 reports with mileage · 37 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 158 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 →
  • Suspension. Review the 29 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 reports8 injury reports

Power Train complaints

15 reports
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44,000 miles · May 12, 2014
Power Train

CVT NISSAN 2010 MAXIMA PROBLEMS & ISSUES ----THESE ARE RECORDED PROBLEMS WITH NISSAN'S NEW CVT TRANSMISSION ON NISSAN MAXIMA 2010. THE CVT EXHIBITS LOST OF POWER, HIGH RPM, LOUD WHINING NOISE, AND CVT GETS STUCK IN 6TH GEAR (WON'T DOWN SHIFT) IN MANUAL AND DRIVE MODE. THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT HIGH SPEEDS AND GIVES A P1778 …

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CVT NISSAN 2010 MAXIMA PROBLEMS & ISSUES ----THESE ARE RECORDED PROBLEMS WITH NISSAN'S NEW CVT TRANSMISSION ON NISSAN MAXIMA 2010. THE CVT EXHIBITS LOST OF POWER, HIGH RPM, LOUD WHINING NOISE, AND CVT GETS STUCK IN 6TH GEAR (WON'T DOWN SHIFT) IN MANUAL AND DRIVE MODE. THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT HIGH SPEEDS AND GIVES A P1778 CODE (OTHER CODES AS WELL). . THIS CVT TRANSMISSION SUCKS. I TOOK IT TO FOUR DEALERSHIPS. I WAS TOLD NOTHING IS WRONG. THE CAR WAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED WITH "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON". THE ERROR CODE 1778 &. FOUR OTHER CODES WERE PULLED IN TOTAL. THE OVERALL DIAGNOSIS IS "COMPLETE CVT TRANSMISSION FAILURE"I CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS. THE CODE OCCURRED AT 44K, 65K, 85K MILES, AND 94K MILES, AND EACH TIME IT WAS UNDIAGNOSABLE SINCE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT STAY ON. I WAS ABLE TO GET THIS DIAGNOSED WITH A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AT 124,000 MILES. AT NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS I SPOKE WITH MEGAN, JUANITA AND THEN CALLIA FROM THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH (SO SHE SAYS - SHE WAS A TELEPHONE REPRESENTATIVE). ALL OF THESE NISSAN REPS HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF NISSAN ENGINES OR CVT'S. CONSUMER AFFAIRS REFUSED TO BELIEVE THAT THE DEALERS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM EXISTS, EVEN DESPITE THE TSB'S, WARRANTY EXTENSION, NUMEROUS CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS, AND MY NUMEROUS CALLS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS TO NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS. ALL IN ALL THEY DID NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE ONGOING ISSUES WITH THE CVT. THESE NISSAN DEALERS, NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENTS, AND NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS ARE CROOKS --- I WOULD ADVISE ANYONE TO NOT BUY NISSAN CARS. IF YOU DO HAVE TO BUY A NISSAN BEWARE THAT THEY WILL TRY TO RIP YOU OFF AT EVERY DIAGNOSIS AND DECISION POINT ON THEIR PART. I AM VERY SORRY TO SAY. I USED TO THINK NISSAN WAS A GOOD COMPANY. HTTP://YOUTU.BE/PD9ZDCU9EYM HTTP://YOUTU.BE/8V9LHH8KROS HTTP://YOUTU.BE/BTKFBFWJLSG. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10587829

35,000 miles · Oct 3, 2013
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

NISSAN MAXIMA 2010 - SPORT EDITION. THE CVT TRANSMISSION EXHIBITS SEVERE LOSE OF POWER ON 75MPH ROADWAY DRIVING BETWEEN PHOENIX AND FLAGSTAFF ARIZONA, UP ELEVATION. LACK OF POWER IS PRESENT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AS WELL. ON 75 MPH HIGHWAYS THE CVT BEGINS TO WHINE, THE ENGINE HAS HIGH RPM, LOUD WHINING NOISE FROM CVT, AND CAR GETS S…

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NISSAN MAXIMA 2010 - SPORT EDITION. THE CVT TRANSMISSION EXHIBITS SEVERE LOSE OF POWER ON 75MPH ROADWAY DRIVING BETWEEN PHOENIX AND FLAGSTAFF ARIZONA, UP ELEVATION. LACK OF POWER IS PRESENT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AS WELL. ON 75 MPH HIGHWAYS THE CVT BEGINS TO WHINE, THE ENGINE HAS HIGH RPM, LOUD WHINING NOISE FROM CVT, AND CAR GETS STUCK IN 6TH GEAR IN BOTH MANUAL SHIFT MODE AND DRIVE MODE. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE OR MAINTAIN SPEED WITH OTHER VEHICLES AT THE POSTED 75 MPH SPEED LIMIT. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT GIVE A CODE BUT ONCE GAVE A P1778 CODE - FAULTY SOLENOID OR STEP UP MOTOR. THIS ISSUE OCCURS FREQUENTLY WITHIN CITY DRIVING AS WELL, IN ADDITION TO HIGH SPEED HIGHWAYS ON LONG DRIVES OVER HILLY ROADS CLIMBING UP ELEVATION. IN CITY DRIVING THE CVT WILL NOT RESPOND WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED LEAVING THE VEHICLE IN THE CENTER OF TRAFFIC WHEN ENTERING A BUSY HIGHWAY. AT OTHER TIMES THE VEHICLE IS ABLE TO ACCELERATE DRAMATICALLY (NORMAL) TO THE SPEED OF CARS ON A BUSY MAIN STREET (55MPH). AND, THEN SUDDENLY THE CAR JUST LACKS POWER WHEN ENTERING A BUSY 3-4 LANE STREET (55 MPH) AND YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY 3-4 LANE STREET WITH APPROACHING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE IS BARELY ABLE TO GET ITSELF OUT OF THE WAY AT FULL THROTTLE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORST AND DID NOT OCCUR WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW. CVT FLUID WAS CHANGED AT 44,000 MILES PRIOR TO NISSAN RECOMMENDATION. THIS CVT TRANSMISSION SUCKS AND THE DEALERSHIPS ARE GIVING CUSTOMERS A HARD TIME SINCE THE PROBLEM DOESN'T NOT GIVE A ENGINE TROUBLE CODE. THE CODE P1778 EVENTUALLY IS CLEARED FROM THE COMPUTER ON ITS OWN WHEN IT DOES OCCUR. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS CVT TRANSMISSION PERSISTS AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY FAIL TO ACCELERATE AND MAINTAIN THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT DURING CITY DRIVING AND ON HIGH SPEED HIGHWAYS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10546581

16,000 miles · Aug 23, 2011
Power Train

ON 3 OCCASIONS, WHEN TRYING TO STOP THE CAR FROM A SLOW SPEED, THE THROTTLE FAILED TO DISCONNECT. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN FROM 25 MPH TO 3MPH, BUT I COULD NOT GET IT TO STOP UNTIL I PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL. WHEN I DID THAT, THE ENGINE RACED JUST LIKE IT WOULD IF YOU WERE ON THE GAS AND SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. I HAVE HAD THE C…

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ON 3 OCCASIONS, WHEN TRYING TO STOP THE CAR FROM A SLOW SPEED, THE THROTTLE FAILED TO DISCONNECT. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN FROM 25 MPH TO 3MPH, BUT I COULD NOT GET IT TO STOP UNTIL I PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL. WHEN I DID THAT, THE ENGINE RACED JUST LIKE IT WOULD IF YOU WERE ON THE GAS AND SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR 13 MONTHS AND THIS DID NOT HAPPEN UNTIL2 MONTHS AGO, AND HAS NOW HAPPENED 3 TIMES. OF COURSE, NISSAN CAN'T REPLICATE AND SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. ONLY HAPPENED AT SLOW SPEED AND WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF STARTING THE CAR AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS.. WEATHER WAS ABOVE 70 ALL 3 TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10421193

17,500 miles · Apr 8, 2011
Power Train

PURCHASED A NEW 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THIS PAST WEEKEND, 4-3-11 WHILE TRAVELING ENGINE DEVELOPED A LOUD SOUND LIKE METAL TO METAL GRINDING OR LOUD MUFFLER. CAR TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE CHECKED, HAS BEEN THERE FOR 4 DAYS AND YESTERDAY WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. EXTREMELY LOW MILEAGE ON THIS MO…

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PURCHASED A NEW 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THIS PAST WEEKEND, 4-3-11 WHILE TRAVELING ENGINE DEVELOPED A LOUD SOUND LIKE METAL TO METAL GRINDING OR LOUD MUFFLER. CAR TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE CHECKED, HAS BEEN THERE FOR 4 DAYS AND YESTERDAY WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. EXTREMELY LOW MILEAGE ON THIS MODEL & NO EXCUSE FOR THIS TRANSMISSION TO BE BAD ALREADY! IT APPEARS THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER REPORTS OF TRANSMISSIONS GOING BAD IN THE NISSAN MAXIMA, CAN THIS BE INVESTIGATED?? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10395261

2,975 miles · Mar 8, 2010
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

WHILE DOING NORMAL DRIVING, ON TWO OCCASIONS, ONE COMING DOWN A SLIGHT HILL AND PLANNING TO STOP AT A CORNER, AND ONCE WHEN PULLING INTO MY CARPORT, WITH FOOT LIGHTLY ON THE BRAKE, I NOTICED THE ENGINE RACING AT 2000 RPM OR SO, TRYING TO ACCELERATE. WAS ABLE TO HOLD CAR WITH FOOTBRAKE, AND, AFTER STOPPING, PROBLEM DID NOT SEEM …

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WHILE DOING NORMAL DRIVING, ON TWO OCCASIONS, ONE COMING DOWN A SLIGHT HILL AND PLANNING TO STOP AT A CORNER, AND ONCE WHEN PULLING INTO MY CARPORT, WITH FOOT LIGHTLY ON THE BRAKE, I NOTICED THE ENGINE RACING AT 2000 RPM OR SO, TRYING TO ACCELERATE. WAS ABLE TO HOLD CAR WITH FOOTBRAKE, AND, AFTER STOPPING, PROBLEM DID NOT SEEM TO REPEAT IMMEDIATELY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10317855

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.