2012 Nissan MAXIMA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
107 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
55,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 85 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 26 of 107 complaints (24.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 16 | 15.0% |
| Steering behavior | 10 | 9.3% |
| Braking behavior | 8 | 7.5% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 3.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 3.7% |
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 |
| Unknown Or Other | 23 |
| Electrical System | 19 |
| Power Train | 17 |
| Engine | 11 |
| Steering | 10 |
| Seats | 6 |
| Structure:Body | 6 |
Air Bags: 26; Unknown Or Other: 23; Electrical System: 19; Power Train: 17; Engine: 11; Steering: 10; Seats: 6; Structure:Body: 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 | 18 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 18 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 22 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 13 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 11 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 18; 25,000 to 49,999: 18; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 3
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (22). 22 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 |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 19 |
| 2019 | 13 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2013: 6; 2014: 17; 2015: 6; 2016: 15; 2017: 7; 2018: 19; 2019: 13; 2020: 4; 2021: 6; 2022: 5; 2023: 4; 2024: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 16 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 8 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 10432916 · 2011-10-26 (October 26, 2011)
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.
Owner-reported narrative. 10,245 miles reported. Look up ODI 10432916 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10588452 · 2014-05-14 (May 14, 2014)
I PURCHASED MY NISSAN MAXIMA BAND NEW TWO YEARS AGO. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS MY VEHICLE RECEIVED ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE, WHICH WAS PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. AT 67,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT 'IT JUST HAPPENS SOMETIMES WITH PERFORMANCE ENGINES'. THE TRANSMISSION IS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I AM NOW TOTALLY DISENCHANTED WITH THE VEHICLE. I KEEP VEHICLES FOR THE LIFETIME OF A CAR. I STILL HAVE A 2000 HONDA ACCORD WITH OVER 300,000 MILES (ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE…
Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10588452 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10466671 · 2012-07-19 (July 19, 2012)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 20,117 miles reported. Look up ODI 10466671 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10562532 · 2014-02-01 (February 1, 2014)
I WAS DRIVING ON RT41 NEAR CHICAGO IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT 65MPH AND TRIED TO CHANGE THE LANE TO GET INTO LEFT LANE FROM MIDDLE LANE, RIGHT THEN WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING SLIGHT LEFT TO CHANGE LANE, IT FELT LIKE THE STEERING OF MY CAR GOT LOCKED. MY CAR WAS INCHES AWAY FROM COLLIDING INTO CONCRETE BARRICADE, I HAD TO WRESTLE WITH THE STEERING TO AVOID THAT CRASH AND PULLED THE CAR ON THE SHOULDER. I MIGHT HAVE GOT KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS. THIS IS REALLY A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. MY CAR IS AT D…
Owner-reported narrative. 21,482 miles reported. Look up ODI 10562532 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10568553 · 2014-03-11 (March 11, 2014)
WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA, I WAS SLOWING TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY STALLED DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO PUSH THE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. AFTER STOPPING, I RESTARTED THE CAR, AND WAS WITHOUT POWER STEERING AFTER THAT. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, OTHERS REPORTING THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS CRASHES OR WORSE. MY CAR IS O…
Owner-reported narrative. 42,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10568553 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10671314 · 2015-01-09 (January 9, 2015)
RELEASED BRAKE, STARTED ROLLING FORWARD TO CROSS TRAFFIC, STEP ON ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. NO ENGINE REV OR ANYTHING. PUMPED ACCELERATOR MANY TIMES AND FINALLY ENGINE ENGAGED. NEARLY CAUSING PASSENGER SIDE TO BE HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS WITH BOTH MY WIFE AND MYSELF DRIVING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10671314 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10549026 · 2013-10-23 (October 23, 2013)
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 RUNNI…
Owner-reported narrative. 31,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10549026 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10700695 · 2015-03-20 (March 20, 2015)
WHEN VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 YEARS OLD THE POSITIVE BATTERY CONNECTOR CONNECTING THE POWER CABLE FROM THE AUTOMOBILE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO THE BATTERY CORRODED AND CAME APART. THE NISSAN PART DESCRIPTION AND PART NUMBER IS "BATTERY TERMINAL 243 - PART # 24340-7F003). THIS WAS REPLACED WITH A FACTORY PART. APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 YEARS LATER IT CORRODED AND CAME APART AGAIN. THIS FAILURE CAUSES THE ENGINE TO LOOSE ANY ELECTRICITY FROM THE BATTERY, WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES AND AIR…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10700695 at NHTSA ↗