1994 Nissan MAXIMA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
46 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
114,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1994 model year. Data snapshot: . 10 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Injectors is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 46 complaints (10.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 17.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 10.9% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 4.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 4.3% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Injectors | 5 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 |
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 4 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 3 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 3 |
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Injectors: 5; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Fuel System, Gasoline: 4; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 4; Air Bags:Frontal: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 3; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 2
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 36 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 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 7 |
| 1996 | 4 |
| 2000 | 11 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
1995: 7; 1996: 4; 2000: 11; 2001: 6; 2002: 3; 2003: 3; 2004: 2; 2005: 5; 2008: 2; 2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2013: 1
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Injectors leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 8 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 5 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10007110 · 2003-02-14 (February 14, 2003)
THE FRONT SEAT FAILED.*DT *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007110 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10043842 · 2003-10-29 (October 29, 2003)
1994 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS 138,000 MILES. ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE WITHIN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. WHEN DRIVING, THE DIGITAL READOUT ON THE CAR CLOCK BEGINS TO FADE. THEN THE RADIO CUTS ON AND OFF. THEN, ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASH ARE LOST, THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON, AND THE CAR DIES. AFTER BEING TOWED, THE BATTERY WAS RECHARGED, THE ALTERNATOR SHOWED IT WAS CHARGING THE BATTERY, AND THE CAR CRANKED AND RAN FINE. IT WILL RUN FINE FOR A DAY OR TWO, THEN IT TOTALLY CUTS OFF WHEN IT IS BEING DRIVEN. TO MAKE THINGS MORE INTERESTING, THE PASSENGE…
Owner-reported narrative. 137,990 miles reported. Look up ODI 10043842 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10043845 · 2003-10-29 (October 29, 2003)
1994 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE WHEN STARTED IN THE MORNINGS. USUALLY, BUT NOT ALWAYS, ODOR GOES AWAY AFTER 20-30 MINUTES OF DRIVING. THIS IS A RANDOM PROBLEM, AND APPEARS TO BE WORSE IN COOLER WEATHER BUT HAS OCCURRED IN WARM WEATHER. STRENGTH OF THE ODOR VARIES DAY BY DAY. THE CAR HAS BEEN CHECKED FOR FAULTY FUEL INJECTORS, THE HOSING HAS BEEN CHECKED, THE FUEL FILTER CHANGED. THERE ARE NO "CLEAN SPOTS" INDICATING GAS LEAKAGE ON AN OLD DIRTIER ENGINE. ODOR IS SO STRONG AT TIMES THAT THE CAR HAS TO BE PARKED OUTSIDE THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10043845 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074305 · 2004-05-26 (May 26, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC REPAIRED THE PROBLEM ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074305 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10094097 · 2005-03-14 (March 14, 2005)
CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR RECALLS 95V244000 AND 94V194000 REPAIRS CONCERNING WHEELS AND THE FUEL FILLER. CONSUMER WAS CHARGED FOR THE LABOR, AND THE REPAIRS ON THE WHEELS WAS NOT PERFORMED. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. A BROKE VACUUM LINE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO IDLE POORLY. THE VEHICLE'S WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10094097 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10094453 · 2004-09-27 (September 27, 2004)
NHTSA RECALL 95V244000 CONCERNING FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY PIPE FILLER NECK. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL. HOWEVER, DEALER CHARGED CONSUMER $1,700.00 FOR RECALL REPAIRS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10094453 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10122494 · 2005-05-31 (May 31, 2005)
DT: FOR THE PAST YEAR SMELLED GAS. BEEN TOOK TO DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES. DONE REPAIRS TO HOSES,EXHAUST, ETC. LATER DISCOVERED THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL INJECTION. SYSTEM. WHEN AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON HIGH THE SMELL WAS EVIDENT. ALSO, THIS WAS PRESENT IN THE MORNING WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED FOR THE FIRST 5 MINUTES. TOOK TO SERVICE DEALER, AND FOUND NO LEAKS, BUT DID PERFORM SMOKE TEST AND NUMEROUS INSPECTIONS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, IS WAS PRESENT WHEN IS DEFROST WAS TURNED ON. GAS SMELL IWASSTRON…
Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10122494 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10125937 · 2005-06-20 (June 20, 2005)
MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN 2003 I GOT IT REBUILT IT WENT OUT AGAIN IN 2004 EVERY PERSON I KNOW OWN A 1991-1994 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS THESE PROBLEMS AND I DONT THINK ITS RIGHT.SO THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE CARS TRANSMISSION.
Owner-reported narrative. 129,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125937 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
94V194000 · Wheels
Reported: 1994-10-05 (October 5, 1994)
THE ALUMINUM WHEELS WERE CLEAR COATED SEVERAL TIMES TO PROTECT THE METAL FINISH. SOME EXCESSIVE COATING CAN LEAVE THE WHEEL NUTS AN EXCESSIVE DISTANCE FROM THE WHEEL HUB WHEN TIGHTENED, ALLOWING THEM TO LOOSEN OVER TIME.
Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE THE HUB BOLTS TO BREAK AND RESULT IN THE WHEEL SEPARATING FROM THE VEHICLE AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE CLEAR PLASTIC COATING FROM THE BRAKE ROTOR MATING SURFACE ON THE BACK OF EACH WHEEL AND FROM THE WHEEL NUT MATING SURFACES. THE WHEELS WILL BE REINSTALLED AND THE WHEEL NUTS TIGHTENED. WHEELS, HUB BOLTS, AND NUTS WILL BE REPLACED IF NECESSARY.
NHTSA campaign record ↗95V244000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
Reported: 1995-12-15 (December 15, 1995)
IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A MIXTURE OF MUD AND SALT TO GET TRAPPED BETWEEN THE FUEL FILLER TUBE AND WHEEL HOUSING. THE TRAPPED MUD AND SALT CAN RESULT IN CORROSION OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE AND THE WHEEL HOUSING.
Consequence: SIGNIFICANT CORROSION OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE MAY RESULT IN FUEL LEAKS WHICH IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. IN ADDITION, THE LEFT REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS MOUNTED TO THE WHEEL HOUSING AND IN THE EVENT OF SIGNIFICANT CORROSION, AND THE MOUNTING COULD FAIL IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES AND CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN DEPENDING UPON THE EXTENT OF THE CORROSION.
NHTSA campaign record ↗