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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

What owners actually said

275 reports
35,162 miles · Nov 28, 2014
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND OFTEN FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE BATTERY AND TH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND OFTEN FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ESCL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 1/23/15*CN THE STEERING LOCK MODULE WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 03/02/15

NHTSA ODI #10661199

42,000 miles · Nov 26, 2014
SteeringUnknown Or Other

I WENT INTO MY CAR AND TRIED TO TURN IT ON ONLY TO SEE THE YELLOW KEY LIGHT UP ON THE DASH ALONG WITH MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP ON ME. SO I CALL NISSAN THEY TRY TO GIVE ME A COUPLE TRICKS TO MAYBE GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK AND NOTHING WORKED, SO I HAD TO GET IT TOWED IN. THERE THEY SAID THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL L…

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I WENT INTO MY CAR AND TRIED TO TURN IT ON ONLY TO SEE THE YELLOW KEY LIGHT UP ON THE DASH ALONG WITH MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP ON ME. SO I CALL NISSAN THEY TRY TO GIVE ME A COUPLE TRICKS TO MAYBE GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK AND NOTHING WORKED, SO I HAD TO GET IT TOWED IN. THERE THEY SAID THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ON ME AND THERE WAS "NO SPECIFIC CAUSE" AS TO WHY THIS OCCURRED. AND THE REAL KICKER IS THAT MY CAR IS STILL COVERED UNDER THE FACTORY WARRANTY BUT THIS ISSUE ISN'T INCLUDED IN THAT WARRANTY SO I HAD TO PAY OVER $900 TO REPLACE IT. THE PART THAT BAFFLED ME IS THAT THIS ISSUE IS COVERED UNDER THE 09 MAXIMA AND 2010 370Z'S WARRANTY BUT THE 2010 MAXIMA EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE SAME ISSUE IS SKIPPED OVER FOR SOME REASON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10661018

39,273 miles · Nov 24, 2014
Electrical System

CAME OUT OF THE STORE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. GOT THE CAR TOW TO THE NISSAN DEALER ON MONDAY NOVEMBER 25TH 2014. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS A INTERNAL SHORT IN THE STEERING LOCK THAT COST ME $950.00 TO REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10660544

38,000 miles · Nov 20, 2014
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

NHTSA ODI #10659829

57,000 miles · Nov 20, 2014
Electrical SystemSteering

I WAS AT WORK, WENT TO GET INTO MY CAR AND COULDN'T START IT UP. I NOTICED THE "LOCK" WAS ON AND THE KEY LIGHT. I CALLED MY HUSBAND AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. MY HUSBAND CAME AND PICKED ME UP AND FORTUNATELY WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY JOB. WE WENT INTO GANLEY NISSAN IN MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, OH AN…

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I WAS AT WORK, WENT TO GET INTO MY CAR AND COULDN'T START IT UP. I NOTICED THE "LOCK" WAS ON AND THE KEY LIGHT. I CALLED MY HUSBAND AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. MY HUSBAND CAME AND PICKED ME UP AND FORTUNATELY WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY JOB. WE WENT INTO GANLEY NISSAN IN MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, OH AND THEY TOLD ME TO TRY THE KEY PORT. I PLACED MY KEY INTO THE KEY PORT, STILL NOTHING. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE PEOPLE AT GANLEY AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL CHECK MY EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT THIS WAS ONLY COVERED ON ALTIMA'S LAST YEAR AND NOT MAXIMA'S. MY QUESTION IS WHY NOT! THIS IS FRAUD AS FAR I AM CONCERNED. HOW CAN THESE BIG INDUSTRIES GET AWAY WITH THIS NONSENSE, SELLING US PRODUCTS THAT DOES NOT LAST, AND THEN WE HAVE THE SERVICE INDUSTRY CAPITALIZING ON THIS. IT IS NOT FAIR, AND THIS IS A BIG BUMMER ON MY THANKSGIVING/CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY IF I HAVE TO COME OUT OF MY POCKET FOR SOMETHING THAT NISSAN SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF. THEY HAVE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS FOR MAXIMA AS WELL TO DO A RECALL, OR BE FAIR AND PAY FOR THESE REPIARS. THIS IS NOT RIGHT! I LOVED MY CAR UNTIL YESTERDAY! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10659659

57,000 miles · Nov 20, 2014
Electrical System

CAR PARKED AT MY EMPLOYMENT PARKING LOT AND WILL NOT START BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND KEY INTELLIGENT KEY LIGHT IS ON. KEY DOES NOT WORK. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH NISSAN FOR YEARS, AND NISSAN WANTS TO CHARGE ME $100 FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHEN THEY ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND HOW TO FIX IT. COMPLAINT: VEHI…

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CAR PARKED AT MY EMPLOYMENT PARKING LOT AND WILL NOT START BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND KEY INTELLIGENT KEY LIGHT IS ON. KEY DOES NOT WORK. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH NISSAN FOR YEARS, AND NISSAN WANTS TO CHARGE ME $100 FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHEN THEY ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND HOW TO FIX IT. COMPLAINT: VEHICLE WON'T START; NISSAN'S FAILURE TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE IT CORRECTED; FAILURE TO START WITH STEERING WHEEL IN LOCK POSITION AND INTELLIGENT KEY DOES NOT WORK. THE INTELLIGENT KEY IS NOT THAT INTELLIGENT! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10659629

74,000 miles · Nov 19, 2014
Electrical SystemSteering

AFTER GETTING BACK INTO MY CAR AFTER DINNER, MY CAR WOULD NOT START. THE STEERING WHEEL MOVES, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS LOCKED. THE PUSH IGNITION SWITCH WOULD ONLY GO IN THE "LOCK" POSITION. THE "KEY" ICON WAS LIT UP ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH. PUTTING THE FOB KEY INTO THE SLOT (THE BACK UP WAY OF STARTING THE CAR) ALSO DID N…

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AFTER GETTING BACK INTO MY CAR AFTER DINNER, MY CAR WOULD NOT START. THE STEERING WHEEL MOVES, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS LOCKED. THE PUSH IGNITION SWITCH WOULD ONLY GO IN THE "LOCK" POSITION. THE "KEY" ICON WAS LIT UP ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH. PUTTING THE FOB KEY INTO THE SLOT (THE BACK UP WAY OF STARTING THE CAR) ALSO DID NOT WORK. FROM WHAT I READ ON LINE, MANY 2009-2010 NISSAN MODELS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, WHICH HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO A STEERING COLUMN LOCK MECHANISM THAT DOESN'T DISENGAGE. I IMAGINE THIS WILL COST ME ABOUT 700-1000$ TO FIX, NOT TO MENTION THE COST TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10659592

82,000 miles · Nov 19, 2014
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK ON THE VEHICLE HAS MALFUNCTIONED AND WILL NOT ALLOW THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK. THIS ULTIMATELY PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING DO TO THE PUSH TO START FEATURE. NISSAN RELEASED A WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THE 2009 MODEL MAXIMA WHICH IS IDENTICAL TO 2010 MODEL THAT I HAVE, BUT THE REPLACEMENT PART F…

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THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK ON THE VEHICLE HAS MALFUNCTIONED AND WILL NOT ALLOW THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK. THIS ULTIMATELY PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING DO TO THE PUSH TO START FEATURE. NISSAN RELEASED A WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THE 2009 MODEL MAXIMA WHICH IS IDENTICAL TO 2010 MODEL THAT I HAVE, BUT THE REPLACEMENT PART FOR MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY.PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THERE ARE ALMOST 100 SIMILAR COMPLAINTS LISTED ON NHTSA WEBSITE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10659168

69,959 miles · Nov 15, 2014
Steering

ON MY 2010 MAXIMA THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK FAILED. THE SYMPTOM WAS THAT I WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR, BUT THE PUSH BUTTON START FAILED. AFTER HAVING MY CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP AND THE REPAIR COMPLETED AT A COST OF $1059.57 I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE NOTIFIED ME THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT HIS SHOP NUMEROUS …

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ON MY 2010 MAXIMA THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK FAILED. THE SYMPTOM WAS THAT I WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR, BUT THE PUSH BUTTON START FAILED. AFTER HAVING MY CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP AND THE REPAIR COMPLETED AT A COST OF $1059.57 I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE NOTIFIED ME THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT HIS SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES AND THAT HE THOUGHT THERE WAS AN EXTENSION ON THE WARRANTY FOR THE FAILED PART AND LABOR. IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS EXTENSION WAS ONLY FOR THE 2009 MAXIMA FOR THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART. I FILED A CLAIM TO NISSAN AND I WAS REJECTED BY THEM. I EXPLAINED THEM THIS IS THE IDENTICAL PART AND PROBLEM THAT THE 2009 MAXIMA'S HAD, BUT THERE WAS NO NEGOTIATING WITH THEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10655181

62,000 miles · Nov 14, 2014
Steering

PUSH START BUTTON JUST STOPPED WORKING. I CALLED AAA AND THE GUY WHO TOWED ME TO THE NISSAN DEALER TOLD ME HE SEES 10 ALTIMAS AND MAXIMAS PER WEEK (YES, HE SWORE IT WAS 10 PER WEEK!) WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE STEERING LOCK PROBLEM, WHICH DISABLES THE PUSH-START BUTTON. I ASKED HIM IF HE SEES ANY OTHER MANUFACTURERS WITH THIS PROBL…

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PUSH START BUTTON JUST STOPPED WORKING. I CALLED AAA AND THE GUY WHO TOWED ME TO THE NISSAN DEALER TOLD ME HE SEES 10 ALTIMAS AND MAXIMAS PER WEEK (YES, HE SWORE IT WAS 10 PER WEEK!) WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE STEERING LOCK PROBLEM, WHICH DISABLES THE PUSH-START BUTTON. I ASKED HIM IF HE SEES ANY OTHER MANUFACTURERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. HE SAID NO. THE COST WAS $920 TO FIX IT. BASED ON WHAT THE AAA GUY TOLD ME, AND THE INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF ANGRY PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THIS WEBSITE, IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THE SCALE OF THIS DEFECT MERITED A RECALL. WHAT A SHAME. THREE OF MY PAST FOUR CARS HAVE BEEN NISSANS, INCLUDING THE LAST TWO. I PAY OFF MY MAXIMA IN A FEW MONTHS AND WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO BUYING THE NEW MAXIMA AS SOON AS IT COMES OUT. AFTER THIS, NEITHER I NOR ANYONE IN MY FAMILY WILL EVER, EVER, BUY A NISSAN AUTOMOBILE AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10655054

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.