2002 Nissan MAXIMA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
205 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
64,200 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 128 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 21 of 205 complaints (10.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 37 | 18.0% |
| Steering behavior | 21 | 10.2% |
| Engine operation | 20 | 9.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 13 | 6.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 3.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.0% |
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 | 21 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 20 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 20 |
| Engine | 19 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 17 |
| Electrical System | 16 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 10 |
| Steering | 9 |
Air Bags: 21; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 20; Vehicle Speed Control: 20; Engine: 19; Engine And Engine Cooling: 17; Electrical System: 16; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 10; Steering: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 32 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 24 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 18 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 15 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 28 |
| 150,000 and above | 11 |
Under 25,000: 32; 25,000 to 49,999: 24; 50,000 to 74,999: 18; 75,000 to 99,999: 15; 100,000 to 149,999: 28; 150,000 and above: 11
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (32). 77 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 |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 26 |
| 2003 | 38 |
| 2004 | 26 |
| 2005 | 8 |
| 2006 | 12 |
| 2007 | 11 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 8 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2025 | 3 |
2002: 26; 2003: 38; 2004: 26; 2005: 8; 2006: 12; 2007: 11; 2008: 6; 2009: 9; 2010: 10; 2011: 6; 2012: 6; 2013: 9; 2014: 8; 2015: 5; 2016: 4; 2017: 7; 2018: 2; 2019: 3; 2020: 3; 2021: 1; 2022: 2; 2025: 3
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 37 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 21 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 20 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 10004881 · 2003-01-29 (January 29, 2003)
I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 NISSAN MAXIMA IN MAY 2002. I BEGAN TO SEE AN ABS LIGHT WHEN DRIVING IN JAN 2003 WHEN I HAD 9,800 MILES ON THE CAR. BRAKES BEGAN TO CATCH AND THEN FAILED COMPLETELY BEFORE I COULD GET HOME OR TO THE DEALERSHIP. NO ACCIDENT, DUE COMPLETELY TO LUCK. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. GOT CAR BACK AND IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS ABS LIGHT AGAIN ON WHILE DRIVING. THIS TIME NO CATCHING OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. RETURNED TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. ANOTHER PART REPLACEMENT. LESS THAN 1 WEEK LATER THE ABS LIGHT…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004881 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10024626 · 2003-06-20 (June 20, 2003)
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE ACCELERATES INSTEAD OF SLOWING DOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10024626 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10042228 · 2003-11-17 (November 17, 2003)
WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF. THE DRIVER LOST THE BRAKES, AND STEERING AND HAD TO MANUALLY COME TO A SAFE STOP. *AK NISSAN REPLACED THE AIR FLOW SENSOR. *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10042228 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10070093 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
THIS MAX HAD THE TRANSVERSE LINK RECALL PERFORMED IN 9/02. AT THIS TIME, THE LEFT AXLE WAS NOT PROPERLY PLACED BACK IN THE TRANSMISSION. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY KEPT BLOWING US OFF. FINALLY, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN THE MOBILE TUNNEL AND THE TRANS WENT OUT ALONG WITH THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION. NISSAN REPAIRED THE VEHICLE BUT IT STILL DRIVES LIKE A PIECE OF JUNK. THESE GUYS ARE RIDICULOUS AND NEED TO BE DEALT WITH SERIOUSLY. I HAVE SINCE FILED SUIT BUT WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP.
Owner-reported narrative. 19,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10070093 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10052138 · 2003-12-30 (December 30, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE STALLED IN AN INTERSECTION. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 27,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052138 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10067967 · 2004-04-28 (April 28, 2004)
THIS INCIDENT INOVLVES MY NISSAN MAXIMA 2002 SE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHILE DRIVING ON I-25 IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CAR STARTED TO BUCK AND ENGINE POWER WAS SEVERELY REDUCED. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY SLOWED TO LESS THAN 45 MPH AND JUST MISSED BEING HIT FROM BEHIND BY THE FOLLOWING TRAFFIC. I WAS FORTUNATE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND WORK MY WAY OVER TO THE SHOULDER. WHEN STOPPED THE CAR STALLED AND WAS DIFFICULT TO RESTART. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP AT VERY REDUCED SPEED (…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10067967 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10033309 · 2003-08-22 (August 22, 2003)
2K2 HID THEFT. FRONT LIGHTS. HOOD, GRILL, ELECTRICAL, FENDER AND BUMPER DAMAGE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10033309 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10043157 · 2003-10-18 (October 18, 2003)
HEAD LIGHTS WERE STOLEN FROM THE VEHICLE. DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, HOOD AND BUMPER BECAUSE THIEF KNEW THAT THERE WAS NO MOTION SENSOR ALARM. THE BRACKETS HOLDING EACH $724 LIGHT IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND CAN EASILY BE SNAPPED/BROKEN. THE ANTI-THEFT KIT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FIX THE ISSUE THAT THE LIGHTS CAN STILL BE REMOVED BY BREAKING THE BRACKET WITHOUT OPENING THE HOOD. THE HORN WIRING WAS ALSO REMOVED BECAUSE OF ITS EASY ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH THE GRILL. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10043157 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10153399 · 2006-03-22 (March 22, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE SKIP AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO STEER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE GAS LEVEL SENSOR, EMISSION AND FUEL INJECTOR AND FLUSHED THE BRAKE LINES. THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. UPDATED 4/11/2006 - *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 15,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10153399 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11309769 · 2020-02-18 (February 18, 2020)
[XXX] POWER STEERING SYSTEM TIRES FUEL PUMP AIR BAGS BATTERY EVERYTHING HAS BEEN FALLING APART SINCE 2018, IT'S BEEN FIXED AND COUPLE MONTHS LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM COMES UP. EVERY MECHANIC THAT TOUCHES THIS CAR, SAID THE SAME THING TO CHECK UP THE RECALL STATUS. BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY ISSUES WITH IT, AND THE MILEAGE IS LOW. SO THERE IS A FAULTY PARTS, THAT KEEP BRAKING DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, AND I HAVE BEEN CALLING ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AT LEAST 4 TIMES SINCE DECEMBER. BRAND NEW TIRES AND BRAKES WERE INSTALLED AND STILL HAV…
Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11309769 at NHTSA ↗