2003 Nissan MAXIMA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
206 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
86,600 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 147 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 43 of 206 complaints (20.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 38 | 18.4% |
| Braking behavior | 16 | 7.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 5.3% |
| Steering behavior | 9 | 4.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 2.9% |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 43 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 39 |
| Air Bags | 27 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 22 |
| Electrical System | 14 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 10 |
| Unknown Or Other | 10 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 |
Engine: 43; Engine And Engine Cooling: 39; Air Bags: 27; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 22; Electrical System: 14; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 10; Unknown Or Other: 10; Vehicle Speed Control: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 28 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 19 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 18 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 23 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 33 |
| 150,000 and above | 26 |
Under 25,000: 28; 25,000 to 49,999: 19; 50,000 to 74,999: 18; 75,000 to 99,999: 23; 100,000 to 149,999: 33; 150,000 and above: 26
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (33). 59 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 | 1 |
| 2003 | 28 |
| 2004 | 24 |
| 2005 | 13 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2008 | 11 |
| 2009 | 10 |
| 2010 | 11 |
| 2011 | 12 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 19 |
| 2016 | 11 |
| 2017 | 12 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
2002: 1; 2003: 28; 2004: 24; 2005: 13; 2006: 4; 2007: 8; 2008: 11; 2009: 10; 2010: 11; 2011: 12; 2012: 2; 2013: 5; 2014: 9; 2015: 19; 2016: 11; 2017: 12; 2018: 8; 2019: 5; 2020: 7; 2021: 3; 2023: 1; 2024: 2
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 38 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 11 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 10051731 · 2003-12-18 (December 18, 2003)
WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 241,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051731 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10059948 · 2004-02-27 (February 27, 2004)
LOSS OF POWER. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 33,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059948 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10018234 · 2003-05-09 (May 9, 2003)
WHEN BRAKES THE WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. MR THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHERE THE ENGINE REVVED @1500 RPM, THEN HAD GONE BACK TO IDLE. SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10018234 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10057531 · 2004-02-04 (February 4, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN T AND LOST CONTROL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT A GUARD RAIL, AND ROLL OVER TWICE. VEHICLE LANDED UPSIDE DOWN. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. HOWEVER, PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10057531 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10083179 · 2004-08-02 (August 2, 2004)
THE HEADLIGHTS TO A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA HAVE BEEN STOLEN ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ON BOTH OCCSSIONS THE THIEFS BENT THE INTERNAL METAL FRAME THAT MOUNTS THE BUMPER TO THE CAR TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE HEADLIGHT FROM BELOW. THIS FRAME IS A SHEET METAL STAMPING THAT CAN EASILY BE BENT BY APPLYING A SMALL AMOUNT OF A PERSONS BODY WEIGHT TO THE STRUCTURE. THE SHEET METAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE FENDER AND HOOD ALSO ALLOW A THIEF TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE HEADLIGHT BY FORCIBLY BENDING BACK THESE STRUCTURES. THE PLASTIC BRACKET THAT HOUSES THE HEADLIGHT…
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10083179 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10127290 · 2005-07-01 (July 1, 2005)
MY BATTERY/BRAKE LIGHTS WENT ON MY 2003 NISSAN MURANO AND THE ENGINE DIED WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. I LOST MY BRAKES AND STEERING AND ALMOST CAUSED A BIG ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY WITH SPEEDING CARS BEHIND ME GOING 55-65 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AGAIN BUT IT DIED AT THE ENTRANCE OF A ONE LANE ROAD LEADING TO THE FDR DRIVE IN NEW YORK CITY. WORSE IS THAT THERE A BIG CONSTRUCTION UNDER THE 59TH ST. BRIDGE AND I WAS STUCK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS CONSTRUCTION AND CAUSED A MAJOR, MAJOR TRAFFIC FROM YORK AVENUE TILL FDR. I HAD TO BE …
Owner-reported narrative. 32,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10127290 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074532 · 2004-05-31 (May 31, 2004)
IN BETWEEN MY 12000 MILE OIL CHANGE, AND 15135 MILES, A CLUNKING AND LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME APPARENT AS I DROVE OVER IRREGULAR OR BUMPY SURFACES. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER AND TOOK THE CAR IN ON 5/26/2004. THE DEALER FOUND THAT BOTH FRONT STABILIZER LINKS HAD FAILED INTERNALLY. THE LINKS BALL JOINT DID NOT BREAK, BUT WERE SEVERELY WORN. BOTH LINKS WERE REPLACED. SINCE THE DEALER HAD LINKS IN STOCK, I WILL ASSUME THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST FAILURE OF THIS TYPE. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF BOTH ACTUALLY FAILED WHILE DRI…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,135 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074532 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10124884 · 2005-06-10 (June 10, 2005)
DT: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED AT INTERVAL TIMES. WHEN TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER, THEY CLAIM EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE TRANSMISSION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONSTANTLY CAME ON. CONSUMER WAS TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, AND THEY ALL SAID THAT THE CODES WERE NOT MATCHING. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10124884 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10238102 · 2008-08-14 (August 14, 2008)
NISSAN MURANO, 2003 WITH APPROXIMATELY 75,400 MILES. AUGUST 9, 2008, MY DAUGHTER AND WIFE WERE DRIVING THE CAR AND CALLED ME ON MY CELL PHONE VERY EXCITED AND UNSET STATING, ?THE CAR WON?T ACCELERATE AND IT IS JERKING,, WHAT SHOULD WE DO?? I INSTRUCTED THEM TO PARK THE CAR UNTIL I ARRIVE TO CHECK IT OUT I DIDN?T WANT THEM TO GET ONTO THE MAJOR HIGHWAY IN THE HEAVY TRAFFIC. I ARRIVED AND DROVE THE CAR HOME. I PARKED THE CAR IN OUR GARAGE AND DIDN?T DRIVE IT UNTIL MONDAY FOR WORK. HAD NO PROBLEMS THAT DAY AND DROVE IT TO WORK, BOTH WIFE AND I …
Owner-reported narrative. 74,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10238102 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10204324 · 2007-09-27 (September 27, 2007)
THE MURANO LOST ACCELERATION ON THE INTERSTATE AND WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR; IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE EXIT RAMP BETWEEN I-95 NORTH AND I-26 TOWARD CHARLESTON, SC. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND HAD TO BE PUSHED "OUT OF HARM'S WAY BY A TRUCKER, AND A COUPLE WHO STOPPED TO HELP. I WAS BROUGHT TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP (20 MILES AWAY IN ORANGEBURG, SC). THE SERVICE DEPT. DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP SHUT DOWN, STOPPED WORKING. THE PART HAD TO BE ORDERED, AND I HAD TO PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR FROM ENTERPRISE , SO THAT I COULD DRIVE THE R…
Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204324 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10573648 · 2014-03-20 (March 20, 2014)
MY 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA GLE HAS HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE ABS AND THE TSC LIGHTS COMING ON. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER WHO RAN DIAGNOSTICS ON IT AND SAID IT WAS THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WHICH I HAD ALREADY REPLACED DUE TO AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING, OR THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PACKAGE. AS I AM FAIRLY MECHANICAL (FATHER WAS A MASTER MECHANIC) THIS DID NOT SEEM LOGICAL TO ME. THE SPEEDOMETER HAS NOW QUIT WORKING COMPLETELY AND THE TACHOMETER IS NOW HAVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS. I HAVE ALSO C…
Owner-reported narrative. 168,960 miles reported. Look up ODI 10573648 at NHTSA ↗