2001 Nissan MAXIMA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
172 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
72,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 117 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 26 of 172 complaints (15.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 30 | 17.4% |
| Steering behavior | 27 | 15.7% |
| Engine operation | 12 | 7.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 6.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 2.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 2.3% |
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 | 26 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 16 |
| Electrical System | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 |
| Suspension | 9 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 8 |
| Engine | 7 |
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm | 7 |
Air Bags: 26; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 16; Electrical System: 13; Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Suspension: 9; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 8; Engine: 7; Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 13 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 18 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 29 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 20 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 22 |
| 150,000 and above | 15 |
Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 18; 50,000 to 74,999: 29; 75,000 to 99,999: 20; 100,000 to 149,999: 22; 150,000 and above: 15
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (29). 55 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 |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 18 |
| 2004 | 17 |
| 2005 | 14 |
| 2006 | 15 |
| 2007 | 19 |
| 2008 | 12 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2001: 2; 2002: 11; 2003: 18; 2004: 17; 2005: 14; 2006: 15; 2007: 19; 2008: 12; 2009: 8; 2010: 10; 2011: 9; 2012: 2; 2013: 4; 2014: 7; 2015: 9; 2016: 4; 2017: 6; 2018: 1; 2019: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 30 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 27 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 12 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 10005614 · 2003-02-10 (February 10, 2003)
EVERY 3,000-6,000 MILES BRAKE ROTORS BECOME WARPED, CAUSING A SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHILE WHILE BRAKING. NISSAN, ACKNOWLEDGING A PROBLEM WITH THEIR PART, WOULD REPAIR ROTORS OR REPLACE THEM, BUT IT WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY REPAIR, AS THEY WOULD BECOME WARPED AGAIN AFTER A FEW THOUSAND MILES. NISSAN HAS NOW REFUSED TO REPAIR/REPLACE NEW ROTORS THAT WARPED ONLY AFTER FEW THOUSAND MILES.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005614 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005621 · 2003-02-10 (February 10, 2003)
FRONT ROTORS HAVE FAILED THREE TIMES WITHIN 60,000 AND NISSAN SAYS THAT THIS IS DUE TO DRIVING HABITS, I.E., ROTORS GET HOT AND THEN FAIL. REFERENCE # 4029350 PERJUDY EXT. 3773. DEALER HAS REPLACED ROTORS EACH TIME AND I FIND NO FAULT WITH DEALER WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THIS; OTHER THAN THE DRIVING HABITS AS EXPRESSED BY THE NISSAN REP. JUDY. THIS CONDITION IS DANGEROUS AND CAUSES THE CAR TO BE BOUNCE WITH LOSS OF CONTROL A VERY REAL POSSIBLITY. FOR THE SECOND REPLACEMENT, A STATEMENT IN THE FOLLOWUP TO NISSAN…
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005621 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020274 · 2003-07-28 (July 28, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH OR HIGHER THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED WHEN THE BRAKE WERE APPLIED. THE DRIVER SUSPECTED THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED. *NLM *CB *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020274 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10072213 · 2004-05-06 (May 6, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TO RESTART VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM PUMP DUE TO WORN OUT PARTS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10072213 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10089956 · 2004-08-27 (August 27, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND TOWED IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A WORN PART. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10089956 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10051143 · 2003-12-26 (December 26, 2003)
APPROX 1 MO AGO MY BATTERY AND BRAKE LIGHT WOULD LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO MECHANICAL EFFECT NOTED. THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR TESTED GOOD AND THE CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN. THEN ONE DAY ON THE HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL AT 75 MPH THE LIGHTS CAME ON. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER THE CRUISE CONTROL SHUT OFF BY ITSELF AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. DURING SLOWING TO EXIT THE THE HIGHWAY ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANELS BEGAN 'BOUNCING' WITH UNSTABLE READINGS AND THE ENGINE SEEMED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO DIE. I EXITED TO THE SHOUL…
Owner-reported narrative. 45,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051143 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10051667 · 2003-12-12 (December 12, 2003)
VEHICLE WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL REGARDING THE SUSPENSION DUE TO THE VIN, BUT EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM STATED ON THE RECALL. *LA THE VEHICLE HAD TO GET A REALIGNMENT, THE BOTTOM COVER WAS LOOSE AND THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT/LEFT AND THERE WAS AN ALTERNATOR PROBLEM WHERE THE BATTERY DID NOT CHARGE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED ASSISTANCE WITH GETTING THE VEHICLE FULLY CHECKED SINCE THE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED OCCURRED DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD. RECALL#02V146000. *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 14,125 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051667 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10130332 · 2005-07-27 (July 27, 2005)
MY NISSAN MAXIMA (2001) BEGAN TO HARD SHIFT BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR AT APPROX. 55,000 MILES. WHEN I REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER (TIM DAHLE NISSAN IN SANDY, UT) AT THE 60,000 MAINTENANCE SERVICE, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE SHIFTING PROBLEM GOT STEADILY WORSE. THE CAR BEGAN DOING IT RANDOMLY AT ANY GEAR. AT 74,000 MILES I FINALLY HAD TIME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM (AFTER I MADE THEM TEST DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN) AND REPLACED THE CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY IN THE TR…
Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10130332 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10185208 · 2007-03-15 (March 15, 2007)
WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 MAXIMA SE, WHEN I ACCELERATE TO PASS, THE CAR STALLS MOMENTARILY THEN THE ENGINE REVS ALMOST TO REDLINE AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS. I TOOK THE CAR TO BAKER JACKSON NISSAN IN HOUSTON AND THEY SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THEY REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT THE TRANSMISSION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10185208 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158710 · 2006-05-31 (May 31, 2006)
WE OWNED A 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA FOR 2 1/2 YEARS. WE PUT AN ALTERNATIVE ON IT AND THEN ON DEC 23, 2005 WE SMELLED SMOKE INSIDE OF THE CAR SITTING IN OUR GARAGE. CAR WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT FIRE. THE MECHANIC SAID THE COMPUTER HAD BURNED UP ON THE CAR & HAD BURNED OUT NUMEROUS RELAYS AND SENSORS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD BEEN ON FOR 3 MONTHS. THE DEALER CHECKED IT AND SAID IT WAS AN O2 SENSOR. WE REPLACED THE UPPER INTAKE, LOWER INTAKE, GASKETS, FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER, FUEL PRESSER SWITCH, O2 SENSORS, A COMPUTER. (ALL THE ABOVE ARE NISSAN DEA…
Owner-reported narrative. 129,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158710 at NHTSA ↗