2010 MAXIMA HAS PROBLEM CAN'T DRIVE FROM CVT
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 →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
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.
What owners actually said
275 reportsTAKATA RECALL: WHEN TURNING YOU CAN HEAR SOME TYPE OF NOSE COMING FROM TIRES, HAD BRAKES REPLACED AS WELL AS TIRES
BOTH FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLY IS DAMAGED AND CRACKING. RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM SEEMS TO NEED REPLACED. SUSPENSION FEELS STIFF AND IS LOUD WHEN GO OVER SMALL BUMPS
I WAS AT HOME ASLEEP WHEN A TEXT CAME THROUGH ON MY PHONE. IT WAS A TEXT FROM MY HOME ALARM LETTING ME KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE GARAGE. WHEN I WENT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON, THERE WERE BLACK STAINS ON THE WALLS BY THE GARAGE ENTRY DOOR. WHEN I REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON,I CALLED 911. I RAN OUT OF THE HOUSE…
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I WAS AT HOME ASLEEP WHEN A TEXT CAME THROUGH ON MY PHONE. IT WAS A TEXT FROM MY HOME ALARM LETTING ME KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE GARAGE. WHEN I WENT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON, THERE WERE BLACK STAINS ON THE WALLS BY THE GARAGE ENTRY DOOR. WHEN I REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON,I CALLED 911. I RAN OUT OF THE HOUSE LEAVING MY CAR KEYS AND PURSE ON THE BAR. WHEN I RAN TO THE ALLEY, MY NEIGHBOR AND A POLICE OFFICER TRIED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT THAT CAME OUTSIDE OF THE GARAGE DOOR(GARAGE DOOR WAS STILL CLOSED). WHEN THE FIREFIGHTERS PULLED THE GARAGE DOOR OFF, THE CAR WAS RUNNING WITH THE LIGHTS ON. ONCE THE FIRE WAS COMPLETELY OUT, THE FIREFIGHTERS LOCATED MY CAR KEYS AND PURSE WHERE I LEFT THEM. THE CAR WAS STILL LOCKED BECAUSE I ALWAYS SET THE ALARM WHEN I GET OUT OF IT AND I DID NOT HAVE A REMOTE START. SO HOW DID THE CAR START BY ITSELF AND THE KEYS WERE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE?I LOST MY HOUSE AND CAR IN THE FIRE. HAD CAR SERVICED AT CLAY COOLEY NISSAN IN IRVING, TX APRIL 25,2017 FOR BATTERY DYING,BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON,VDC LIGHT WAS ON, BRAKES WERE MAKING A NOISE, AND WHEN ON BRAKES VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. TOTALLY CONFUSED AT THIS POINT NOT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED.
SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
STEERING- WHEN TURNING THE COLUM IT SQUEEKS; RIGHT OR LEFT AS I AM SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE THE TURN. SUSPENSION- STRUT INSLUATORS NEED TO BE REPLACED; THIS WAS MENTIONED YEARS BACK IN A RECALL AND MINE ARE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED, I AM NOT ORIGIONAL OWNER. PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT- CONSTANTLY ON LOWER CONTROL ARMS- REPLACED DRIVE…
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STEERING- WHEN TURNING THE COLUM IT SQUEEKS; RIGHT OR LEFT AS I AM SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE THE TURN. SUSPENSION- STRUT INSLUATORS NEED TO BE REPLACED; THIS WAS MENTIONED YEARS BACK IN A RECALL AND MINE ARE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED, I AM NOT ORIGIONAL OWNER. PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT- CONSTANTLY ON LOWER CONTROL ARMS- REPLACED DRIVERS SIDE BUT NEEDS PASSENGER SIDE REPLACED AS WELL
STEERING COLUMN FAILURE. THE STEERING LOCKING MECHANISM SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. HAD TO GET IT TOWED AND COST NEARLY $1,500 TO GET THE VEHICLE FIXED. FOR A WELL MAINTAINED 2010 MAXIMA, THATS A LARGE UNEXPECTED BILL. SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO LOTS OF NISSAN MODELS. NISSAN NEEDS TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION.
ON SUNDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2017, I LEFT MY HOUSE TO VISIT MY BROTHER AT 10AM AND WHEN I CAME BACK OUTSIDE (20MINS LATER) TO MY CAR, IT WOULD NOT START. AN ORANGE LIGHT THAT READ "KEY" POPPED UP ON THE DASHBOARD. TRIED TO START THE CAR AND THE KEY LIGHT CAME ON, BRAKES WERE HARD TO PRESS, AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT START ONLY LOCK WOU…
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ON SUNDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2017, I LEFT MY HOUSE TO VISIT MY BROTHER AT 10AM AND WHEN I CAME BACK OUTSIDE (20MINS LATER) TO MY CAR, IT WOULD NOT START. AN ORANGE LIGHT THAT READ "KEY" POPPED UP ON THE DASHBOARD. TRIED TO START THE CAR AND THE KEY LIGHT CAME ON, BRAKES WERE HARD TO PRESS, AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT START ONLY LOCK WOULD SHOW UP ON THE PUSH TO START BUTTON. AFTER TWO HOURS, I HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE, I DID SOME SEARCHING ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NISSAN MAXIMA AND NOT COVERED BY ANY EXTENDED WARRANTIES; THOUGH I READ THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED OFTEN ENOUGH WITH THE 2009 MAXIMA THAT NISSAN ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO COVER THIS REPAIR. THE PIECE IN QUESTION THAT WAS THE PROBLEM... QUOTED BY NISSAN IS THE "STEERING LOCK." THIS PIECE HAS BEEN RECALLED BY NISSAN IN THE EARLIER MODELS, BUT APPARENTLY NOT FOR MY VEHICLE (WHICH IS THE YEAR AFTER THE ONE THAT IS RECALLED) APPARENTLY THEY DIDN'T FIX THIS ISSUE. MONDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 2017, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP TO CONFIRM MY CAR ISSUE (LOCK STEERING) AND THE COST WAS GOING TO BE $1104 TO REPAIR, WITH MY MILITARY DISCOUNT THE COST WAS $985.46. STILL THIS IS MONEY I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PAY CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER MALFUNCTION AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WEAR AND TEAR OF VEHICLE. WHICH, BTW, THE VEHICLE IS IN GREAT SHAPE AND HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECKS AND ALL WORK COMPLETED BY A NISSAN TECHNICIAN WHICH MAKES THIS EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING. THIS COMPLAINT IS TO NOT ONLY BRING ATTENTION TO THE ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA, BUT TO ALSO GET REIMBURSED FOR MY OUT OF POCKET REPAIR. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL NISSAN CUSTOMER SINCE 2000 (THIS IS MY THIRD MAXIMA; FAVORITE TYPE OF CAR), BUT I CAN HONESTLY SAY NISSAN, YOU'RE LOSING YET ANOTHER CUSTOMER'THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
MY WIFE WAS STRANDED AT A BUSINESS AND OUR CAR WOULDN'T START. AFTER CALLING OUR LOCAL DEALER, IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING LOCK. WE PURCHASED THIS 2010 MAXIMA NEW IN SEPT. 2009. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY NISSAN. WE HAVE 67000 MILES AND WAS TOLD THAT IT'S NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE.
VEHICLE IS AN IMPLACABLE CONDITION. JUST TURNED ONLY 70,000 MILES. CAR WAS PARKED AT MY PLACE OF BUSINESS. WHEN I CAME OUT TO GO HOME THE KEY LIGHT WAS ON. UPON DIAG. FOUND THE STEERING LOCK SOLENOID HAS MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE STRANDED. HAVING THE CAR TOWED 20 MILES AT MY EXPENSE I FIND PUT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE…
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VEHICLE IS AN IMPLACABLE CONDITION. JUST TURNED ONLY 70,000 MILES. CAR WAS PARKED AT MY PLACE OF BUSINESS. WHEN I CAME OUT TO GO HOME THE KEY LIGHT WAS ON. UPON DIAG. FOUND THE STEERING LOCK SOLENOID HAS MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE STRANDED. HAVING THE CAR TOWED 20 MILES AT MY EXPENSE I FIND PUT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR YEAR MAKE AND MODEL. VERY COSTLY REPAIR. *TR
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.
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