1996 Nissan MAXIMA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
45 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
100,300 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: . 15 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 45 complaints (11.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 15.6% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 11.1% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 6.7% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 6.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 6.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 4.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | 5 |
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 3 |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 3 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
Air Bags:Frontal: 5; Air Bags: 4; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 3; Tires:Tread/Belt: 3; Unknown Or Other: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 5 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 3
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 30 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 3 |
| 2000 | 12 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
1996: 3; 2000: 12; 2001: 6; 2002: 3; 2003: 6; 2004: 3; 2006: 2; 2007: 3; 2008: 3; 2009: 2; 2011: 1; 2015: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 7 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10003330 · 2003-01-24 (January 24, 2003)
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO SOON AT LOWER SPEEDS WHEN THE OVERDRIVE BUTTON IS ON. IF OVERDRIVES IS OFF THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS. I HAVE CHANGED THE FLUID BUT THE PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003330 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10191919 · 2007-05-29 (May 29, 2007)
1. I WAS PARKING NEAR DOWNTOWN SEATTLE AT A CURB PARKING SPOT. WHILE ALIGNING MY CAR TO THE CURB WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FROM IDLE SPEED TO FULL THROTTLE. BY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL VERY HARD AND SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL FROM DRIVE POSITION, I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CARD FROM LURCHING FORWARD AND HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT. THE CAR RETURNED TO IDLE SPEED AFTER SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL. 2. I HAD STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AT A FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION ON MERCER ISLAND, WA BEHIND ANOTHER CAR. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. SUDDENL…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,984 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191919 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10198673 · 2007-08-06 (August 6, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 1996 NISSAN MAXIMA. SHE STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHED AT ALL TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WA 75,900. UPDATED 02/01/08 *LJ. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE RADIO DID NOT WORK
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10198673 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10222383 · 2008-03-26 (March 26, 2008)
I FACED A RARE (I DON'T KNOW I AM THINKING IT AS RARE) PROBLEM WITH NISSAN MAXIMA. WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE MODE MY FRIEND, SITTING IN THE OTHER SEAT, ACCIDENTALLY CHANGED THE GEAR TO REVERSE MODE THEN THE STRANGE THING HAPPENED, THE CAR STEERING GOT LOCKED AND THE CAR GOT DECELERATED VERY FAST (AS I WAS APPLYING A BRAKE) AND EVEN THOUGH I CHANGED THE GEAR INTO DRIVE MODE THE CAR WONT PICK ACCELERATION AND BEHAVED AS IT IS IN THE NEUTRAL GEAR. SO, THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE ON THE LEFT LANE AND WE ALMOS…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10222383 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10056867 · 2004-02-09 (February 9, 2004)
1996 NISSAN MAXIMA, LOW MILEAGE (50,000) FAILED NC STATE INSPECTION DUE TO FAILURE OF BOTH CV JOINT BOOTS. IF THE BOOTS ARE NOT REPLACED, THE AXLES WILL FAIL - CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER OR SUDDEN LOCKUP ON 1 OR BOTH FRONT WHEELS.
Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056867 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10806661 · 2015-11-25 (November 25, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SLOWING DOWN AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,300.
Owner-reported narrative. 100,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10806661 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10200988 · 2007-08-28 (August 28, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT MUST MAKE 5 OR 6 ATTEMPTS IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE. OCCASIONALLY, HE MUST DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE FLOOR FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE FAILURE OCCURS EACH TIME HE ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY AFTER IT HAS BEEN PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS. IF THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN AND IS STILL WARM, IT TAKES 2 OR 3 ATTEMPTS TO START. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE FUEL SYSTEM RELATED AND HE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, FILTERS, WIRING HARNESS, AND STARTER. THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 143,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10200988 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10286192 · 2009-10-03 (October 3, 2009)
MY 1996 NISSAN MAXIMA CAUGHT ON FIRE BY ITSELF IN THE MIDNIGHT, AND IT WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. I RECEIVED THE VEHICLE FROM MY FRIEND AS A GIFT, WHICH WAS IN A VERY GOOD CONDITION. AND I ALSO PAID THE BUCKNER'S AUTO SERVICE CENTER AT KNOXVILLE, TN FOR CHECKING THE CAR IN DETAIL AND GETTING IT REPAIRED. BUT 8 DAYS AFTER, THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. DURING THE 8 DAYS, THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF MY APARTMENT, AND NOBODY EVER TOUCHED THE CAR. IT'S CLOUDY OR RAINY IN ALL THESE DAYS. THOUGH FORTUNATELY MY WIFE AND …
Owner-reported narrative. 206,576 miles reported. Look up ODI 10286192 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10093485 · 2004-10-02 (October 2, 2004)
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON EVEN AFTER ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS DONE. THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AFTER THE 1ST YEAR I BOUGHT IT. IN THE 5 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR, THE STARTER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED, TIE ROD ENDS WERE REPLACED, STRUTS WERE REPLACED, A NEW MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE WAS REPLACED, AND THIS YEAR, 2 OIL LEAKS DEVELOPED, 1 INSIDE THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS WAS A DEFECT OF NISSAN, NOT ANYTHING THAT I DID OR DIDN'T DO. IT COST OVER $700 TO FIX THE LEAKS. THE LEAKS BLEW OUT THE SENSORS, AND…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10093485 at NHTSA ↗