← New search

2012 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2012 Nissan Maxima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 99.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected 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

85 reports with mileage · 22 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports2 fire reports5 injury reports

What owners actually said

107 reports
1,000 miles · Mar 30, 2014
Air Bags

SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR, WHENEVER MY WIFE SIT ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE "AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT TURNS ON. MY WIFE IS 120 LB. BEING VERY CONCERN THAT AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY DURING AN ACCIDENT I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP COUPLE TIMES IN EARLY 2012 AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO ISSUE. I EVEN BROUGHT MY WIFE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SHO…

Read full complaint

SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR, WHENEVER MY WIFE SIT ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE "AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT TURNS ON. MY WIFE IS 120 LB. BEING VERY CONCERN THAT AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY DURING AN ACCIDENT I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP COUPLE TIMES IN EARLY 2012 AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO ISSUE. I EVEN BROUGHT MY WIFE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SHOW IT, AND THEY SAID THAT MY WIFE IS NOT SITTING CORRECTLY... SUCH A STUPID EXCUSES. NISSAN NEED TO FIX THIS... THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ! LOOKING AT FORUM AND CHECKING THE COMPLAIN HERE, APPARENTLY I AM NOT ALONE.. JUST VERY SURPRISED THAT EITHER NISSAN OR NHTSA HAS NOT TAKE ANY ACTION OVER IT... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10575653

Mileage unknown · Mar 27, 2014
Air BagsEquipment Adaptive/mobility

SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR IN MAY 2013 I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL TIMES THAT WITH OR WITHOUT SOMEONE IN MY PASSENGER SEAT MY AIR BAG SENSOR WILL LIGHT UP SHOWING THAT THE AIR BAG IS OFF NO MATTER HOW I OR THE PERSON IN THE SEAT MOVES IT WILL NOT COME ON. THE AIR BAG JUST REMAINS TURNED OFF. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME I JUST FOU…

Read full complaint

SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR IN MAY 2013 I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL TIMES THAT WITH OR WITHOUT SOMEONE IN MY PASSENGER SEAT MY AIR BAG SENSOR WILL LIGHT UP SHOWING THAT THE AIR BAG IS OFF NO MATTER HOW I OR THE PERSON IN THE SEAT MOVES IT WILL NOT COME ON. THE AIR BAG JUST REMAINS TURNED OFF. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME I JUST FOUND OUT HOW TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT IT IN HOPES OF GETTING IT FIXED. I KNOW THERE ARE RECALLS ON MANY NISSAN MAKES AND MODELS FOR THIS BUT THE 2012 MAXIMA IS EXCLUDED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10575063

7,500 miles · Mar 26, 2014
Air Bags

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT PASSENGER AIR BAG "OFF" LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHEN MY WIFE WAS SEATED - THE INSTANCE DID NOT REPEAT ITSELF FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND THEN IT WOULD CONSISTENTLY HAPPEN WHEN OTHER PASSENGERS OF VARIOUS WEIGHTS WERE SEATED. BEEN THAT I WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP …

Read full complaint

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT PASSENGER AIR BAG "OFF" LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHEN MY WIFE WAS SEATED - THE INSTANCE DID NOT REPEAT ITSELF FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND THEN IT WOULD CONSISTENTLY HAPPEN WHEN OTHER PASSENGERS OF VARIOUS WEIGHTS WERE SEATED. BEEN THAT I WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE TO HAVE IT SERVICED - THE SERVICE MANAGER WENT TO THE EXTENT TO ASKING ME TO HAVE MY WIFE COME TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY CAN INSPECT HER "SEATING POSITION" (NOT A JOKE, THAT'S HOW HE WANTED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM EVEN AFTER I TOLD HIM THAT PASSENGERS OF VARIOUS WEIGHTS AND STATURES HAD PRESENTED THE SAME PROBLEM). SO DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT LATER THAT DAY ON A SHORT TRIP TO THE SUPERMARKET WITH MY WIFE THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. I RETURNED TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP AND ONCE AGAIN WAS GIVEN THE SAME "WE CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM". THIS VEHICLE POSSES A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN TO ME AND MY FAMILY. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL NISSAN CUSTOMER FOR 15 YEARS AND HAVE OWNED MULTIPLE VEHICLES BUT THIS WILL BE THE LAST VEHICLE I EVER PURCHASE FROM THIS MAKER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10575028

42,950 miles · Mar 11, 2014
EngineSteering

WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA, I WAS SLOWING TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY STALLED DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO PUSH THE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. AFTER STOPPING, I RESTARTED THE CAR, AND WAS WITHOUT POWER STEERING AFTER THAT. I H…

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA, I WAS SLOWING TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY STALLED DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO PUSH THE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. AFTER STOPPING, I RESTARTED THE CAR, AND WAS WITHOUT POWER STEERING AFTER THAT. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, OTHERS REPORTING THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS CRASHES OR WORSE. MY CAR IS OUTSIDE OF NISSAN'S FACTORY WARRANTY, BUT GIVEN THE CAR IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD WITH 43K MILES, IT SEEMS IT IS STILL FAR TO NEW TO BE HAVING A PROBLEM SUCH AS THIS. BASED ON THE COMMENTS ONLINE, IT WOULD BE IN NISSAN'S AND THE PUBLIC'S BEST INTEREST FOR NISSAN TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING MECHANISMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10568553

22,300 miles · Mar 6, 2014
Air BagsSeat BeltsStructureCrashInjury

ME AND MY WIFE WERE TRAVELING NORTHBOUND IN OUR 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA AROUND 30MPH ON WESTERN AVENUE IN CHICAGO WHEN SUDDENLY A FORD FOCUS 2007 THAT RAN A STOP SIGN TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON ROSEMONT AVENUE T-BONED US ON DRIVER'S SIDE. AS OUR CAR WAS MOVING AT A SIGNIFICANT SPEED IT STOPPED AFTER CRASHING INTO A FIRE HYDRANT WHICH W…

Read full complaint

ME AND MY WIFE WERE TRAVELING NORTHBOUND IN OUR 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA AROUND 30MPH ON WESTERN AVENUE IN CHICAGO WHEN SUDDENLY A FORD FOCUS 2007 THAT RAN A STOP SIGN TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON ROSEMONT AVENUE T-BONED US ON DRIVER'S SIDE. AS OUR CAR WAS MOVING AT A SIGNIFICANT SPEED IT STOPPED AFTER CRASHING INTO A FIRE HYDRANT WHICH WAS ON THE CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION. MY WIFE WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL IN AN AMBULANCE WITH ARM AND BACK INJURIES AND I ALSO HAD INJURIES ON MY LEFT ARM, SHOULDER AND LOWER BACK. MY MAIN CONCERN IS WHY NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED IF THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT A SPEED MORE THAN 20 MPH AND HIT A SOLID OBJECT(FIRE HYDRANT). BOTH OF US WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. THE CAR WAS DECLARED TOTALED BY BOTH THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATORS. I AM GLAD THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPENED AT A HIGH SPEED OTHERWISE I WOULD RESTING IN PEACE NOT BE FILING THIS COMPLAIN. NISSAN SHOULD BE QUESTIONED AS TO WHAT SPEED THE AIRBAGS IN MAXIMA DEPLOY AND WHY NONE OF THEM INCLUDING CURTAIN AND FRONTAL DEPLOYED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10567728

14,650 miles · Feb 17, 2014
Steering

AS I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY GOING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ONTO AN OVERPASS, THE STEERING BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN ALMOST CAUSING ME TO GO STRAIGHT AHEAD HITTING THE WALL OF THE OVERPASS. AS I CAME TO THE NEXT STOPLIGHT A FEW FEET AHEAD TO PULL OVER INTO THE GAS STATION I COULD BARELY TURN THE CORNER. FIGHTING WITH THE STEERING I MA…

Read full complaint

AS I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY GOING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ONTO AN OVERPASS, THE STEERING BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN ALMOST CAUSING ME TO GO STRAIGHT AHEAD HITTING THE WALL OF THE OVERPASS. AS I CAME TO THE NEXT STOPLIGHT A FEW FEET AHEAD TO PULL OVER INTO THE GAS STATION I COULD BARELY TURN THE CORNER. FIGHTING WITH THE STEERING I MANAGE TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THEY SENT A TOW TRUCK TO PICK UP THE CAR ON 1/30/2014 AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAILED POWER STEERING PUMP. IT IS NOW 2/18/2014 AND NOT ONLY DID I NOT GET MY CAR BACK FROM REPAIR, THEIR IS NOT EVEN AN ETA ON WHEN THE PART THAT IS NEEDED IS GOING TO BE IN STOCK. DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED ME THAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS GOING TO TAKE APPROX A MONTH TO GET THE PART IN STOCK. I FIND THIS VERY UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10564728

20,000 miles · Feb 16, 2014
Steering

ON 2/6/2014, WHEN EXITING HIGHWAY, I LOSS POWER STEERING. DROPPED CAR OFF AT DEALER ON 2/7/14 AND WAS TOLD THAT POWER STEERING PUMP HAS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT FAILED. CONTACTED DEALER FOR AN UPDATE ON 2/12/14 AND WAS TOLD PART WAS ON BACKORDER WITH NO ETA AVAILABLE. AS OF 2/16/2014, NOT SURE WHEN MY CAR WILL BE FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10564605

35,000 miles · Feb 16, 2014
Steering

TOTAL AND ABRUPT FAILURE AND LOSS OF STEERING WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10564549

21,482 miles · Feb 1, 2014
Steering

I WAS DRIVING ON RT41 NEAR CHICAGO IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT 65MPH AND TRIED TO CHANGE THE LANE TO GET INTO LEFT LANE FROM MIDDLE LANE, RIGHT THEN WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING SLIGHT LEFT TO CHANGE LANE, IT FELT LIKE THE STEERING OF MY CAR GOT LOCKED. MY CAR WAS INCHES AWAY FROM COLLIDING INTO CONCRETE BARRICADE, I HAD TO WRESTLE WIT…

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING ON RT41 NEAR CHICAGO IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT 65MPH AND TRIED TO CHANGE THE LANE TO GET INTO LEFT LANE FROM MIDDLE LANE, RIGHT THEN WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING SLIGHT LEFT TO CHANGE LANE, IT FELT LIKE THE STEERING OF MY CAR GOT LOCKED. MY CAR WAS INCHES AWAY FROM COLLIDING INTO CONCRETE BARRICADE, I HAD TO WRESTLE WITH THE STEERING TO AVOID THAT CRASH AND PULLED THE CAR ON THE SHOULDER. I MIGHT HAVE GOT KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS. THIS IS REALLY A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. MY CAR IS AT DEALERSHIP SINCE THEN AND TODAY IS 2/1/14, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PUMP IS ON BACK ORDER UNTIL FIRST WEEK OF MARCH, SO MY CAR WILL SIT AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10562532

22,995 miles · Nov 4, 2013
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE OPEN DOOR WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED EVEN THOUGH ALL FOUR DOORS WERE CLOSED SECURELY. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN THE PUSH BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH WAS ENGAGED IT FAILED TO SHUT OFF THE ENGI…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE OPEN DOOR WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED EVEN THOUGH ALL FOUR DOORS WERE CLOSED SECURELY. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN THE PUSH BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH WAS ENGAGED IT FAILED TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND THE INTERIOR AUTOMATIC DOORS WOULD ONLY UNLOCK MANUALLY. IN ADDITION, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,995.

NHTSA ODI #10550745

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.