← 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
31,000 miles · Oct 23, 2013
Electrical SystemEngine

I WAS DRIVING SOUTH OF THE NJ TURNPIKE I HEARD A LOUD BOOM SOUND AND VIBRATIONS ON THE ACCELERATOR I LOOKED IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND SAW DEBRIS AND A CLOUD OF SMOKE. SMELLS OF SOMETHING BURNING ALSO THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF MY CAR. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED PULLING OVER FROM THE M…

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING SOUTH OF THE NJ TURNPIKE I HEARD A LOUD BOOM SOUND AND VIBRATIONS ON THE ACCELERATOR I LOOKED IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND SAW DEBRIS AND A CLOUD OF SMOKE. SMELLS OF SOMETHING BURNING ALSO THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF MY CAR. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED PULLING OVER FROM THE MIDDLE LANE AS I'M PULLING OVER ALMOST CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT THE CAR WENT DEAD EVERYTHING JUST BLEW OUT COAST OFF TO THE SHOULDER ALMOST KILLING MYSELF AND OTHERS. I IMMEDIATELY RUSHED OUT OF THE CAR AND STARTED RUNNING ON THE SHOULDER BECAUSE I THOUGHT MY CAR WAS GOING TO BLOW UP. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY CALLED PULEIOS TOW TRUCK OF NORTH BRUNSWICK NJ WHICH WAS A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE THEY TOWED ME OFF THE TURNPIKE I HAD TO PAY $150 OUT OF POCKET FOR THIRD PARTY TOWING THAT I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF NO CONTROL OF AND NO MONEY! NISSAN ROADSIDE SUPERVISOR[XXX]TOLD ME "THAT'S YOUR BILL TO PAY AND SOON AS YOU PAY WE WILL DISPATCH OUR TOW TUCK TO TAKE YOU TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP. WHERE I HAD THE CAR SERVICED." AFTER THE MONEY WAS PAID I STILL HAD TO WAIT ANOTHER 2 1/2HR. AFTER BEING STRANDED FROM QUARTER TO 9AM. JUST HEARTLESS FOR A CUSTOMER WHO WAS ALMOST KILLED ON THE NJ TURNPIKE ALL FROM THERE MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE BATTERY WHICH EXPLODED AND BLEW TWO BIG HOLES IN THE ENGINE. DIAGNOSTIC DONE BY NORTH PLAINFIELD NJ...MY ENGINE IS COMPLETELY BLOWN AND THE CAR IS ONLY 14 MONTHS OLD. NOW HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10549026

Mileage unknown · Aug 5, 2013
Air Bags

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG TURNS OFF WHEN EITHER WHEN MY HUSBAND WHICH IS 230LBS AND MYSELF 132 LB AND SOME OTHER PASSENGERS. REPORTED THIS TO NISSAN BROUGHT THE CAR IN. THE SAY ITS WORKING FINE. EVEN WHEN I HAVE VIDEO THAT THE AIRBAG HAS CLICKED OFF FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10533667

3,000 miles · Jul 28, 2013
Air Bags

AIR BAG OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN A 200 LB ADULT IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT BUT MORE OFTEN THEN NOT. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY CAN NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE IF SOMEONE IS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10532278

12,000 miles · May 7, 2013
Air Bags

WHEN ANY ADULT SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHO IS NOT HEAVY WILL NOT ENABLE THE AIRBAG. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT IS HOW IT IS SUPPOSE TO BE BUT THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN ANY OTHER CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10510978

3,000 miles · Apr 29, 2013
Air Bags

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INTERMITTENTLY (A LOT!) DOES NOT HAVE AN AIRBAG FOR 130+ POUND PERSON, BUT DOES HAVE AIRBAG FOR 80LB CHILD. HAVE HAD TO THE DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES, NISSAN REPORTS THAT THIS IS WITHIN THEIR SPECIFICATIONS; THEY HAVE DISMISSED THE COMPLAINT. I HAVE FURTHER REPORTED TO NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS COMPLAINT #…

Read full complaint

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INTERMITTENTLY (A LOT!) DOES NOT HAVE AN AIRBAG FOR 130+ POUND PERSON, BUT DOES HAVE AIRBAG FOR 80LB CHILD. HAVE HAD TO THE DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES, NISSAN REPORTS THAT THIS IS WITHIN THEIR SPECIFICATIONS; THEY HAVE DISMISSED THE COMPLAINT. I HAVE FURTHER REPORTED TO NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS COMPLAINT #11108041, BUT SINCE I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A YEAR NOW, I DO NOT FEEL CONFIDENT IN THEIR "HELP". *TR

NHTSA ODI #10509925

20,117 miles · Jul 19, 2012
Steering

TODAY I FOUND MY NISSAN MAXIMA 2009 MAKING A REPETITIVE GRINDING SOUND. UPON INVESTIGATION I DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS THE MOTOR FOR THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. IT IS CURRENTLY STUCK IN THE HIGHEST POSITION AND IT IS EXTREMELY CLUMSY TO DRIVE AND BLOCKS VISION TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN RESEARCHING THE REPAIR I DISCOV…

Read full complaint

TODAY I FOUND MY NISSAN MAXIMA 2009 MAKING A REPETITIVE GRINDING SOUND. UPON INVESTIGATION I DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS THE MOTOR FOR THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. IT IS CURRENTLY STUCK IN THE HIGHEST POSITION AND IT IS EXTREMELY CLUMSY TO DRIVE AND BLOCKS VISION TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN RESEARCHING THE REPAIR I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY COMMON EVENT AND FEEL A RECALL IS IN ORDER. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE FREQUENT NATURE OF THIS REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10466671

10,245 miles · Oct 26, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC START BUTTON, WHICH THE CONTACT BELIEVED CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. IN ADDITION, WHILE SHIFTING INTO DRIVE THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS INVESTIGATING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPA…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC START BUTTON, WHICH THE CONTACT BELIEVED CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. IN ADDITION, WHILE SHIFTING INTO DRIVE THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS INVESTIGATING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,245.

NHTSA ODI #10432916

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.