2002 Nissan MAXIMA: complaints, problems and recalls

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 ↗

HEAD LIGHTS EASILY STOLEN ON NISSAN MAXIMA 2002, 2003 I HAVE A 2002 MAXIMA SE AND THE OTHER DAY MY HEAD LIGHTS WERE STOLEN WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE MY MOTHER IN LAW'S HOUSE. I FOUND OUT THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND NISSAN ISN'T TELLING ANYONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WHEN PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE THA THE WAY THE LIGHTS ARE CONNECTED THEY ARE EASILY STOLEN AND WILL BE AN ON GOING PROBLEM AS LONG AS YOU OWN THIS VEHICLE. NISSAN WILL RETRO FIT NEW LIGHTS AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE ABOUT $300.00, WHY SHOULD THE OWNER HAVE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004908 at NHTSA ↗

CAR HAS A PRONOUNCED HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION. CAR HAS AN ON/OFF THROTTLE BUCKING. THIS PROBLEM IS CONSTANTLY PRESENT.

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005424 at NHTSA ↗

"MY 2002 MAXIMA HAS CAUSED ME SOOOO MUCH HEADACHES SINCE I PURCHASED IT ! THE HEAD LIGHTS ARE TOO EASILY STOLEN ,I HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF THESE STUPID LIGHTS TWICE. I HAVE CALL NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIR,THE DEALER. .STILL CONTNUES TO SELLTHE CAR, WITHOUT INFORMING THE CUTOMER/CONSUMER ABOUT THE SERIOUS PROBLEMS THESE LIGHTS ARE CAUSING CONSUMERS....I JUST WANT NISSAN TO ALLOW ME TO CHANGE THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING AND PUT THE CONVENTIONAL 2001 HEADLIGHT WITHOUT VOIDING MY WARRANTY. I NO LONGER DESIRE TO POSSES THESE HID XENON …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007763 at NHTSA ↗

NAR 02/13/2003. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES WHEN THE GAS PEDAL OVER TRAVELED DUE THE DESIGN OF THE STOPPER. (LAWYER ON BEHALF OF CLIENT, YIDA CASTANEDA) *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008580 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE IT ROLLED BACKWARDS A COUPLE INCHES BEFORE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR.*AK *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009267 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2002 NISSAN MAXIMA. ITS HEAD LIGHT HAS BEEN STOLEN TWICE IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS, ONCE IN RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ AND THE OTHER IN WEST PATERSON, NJ. BOTH CASES, THEY POPPED OUT THE GRILL THEN POPPED HEAD LIGHTS FROM SIDE. THE RUMOR I HEARD WAS THAT SOME DEALER HAD 14 PAIRS OF MAXIMA'S HEAD LIGHTS STOLEN. I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING INTERNET FORUM, LISTENING TO MECHANICS, AND SEARCHING PLACES TO GATHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS MATTER AND FOUND OUT THAT THESE HEAD LIGHTS CAN BE STOLEN WITHIN FEW MINUTES. IN FACT, ON SECOND TIME, 2 MAXIMA'S IN…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010946 at NHTSA ↗

LEFT HAND DOOR MIRROR VIBRATES EXCESSIVELY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CREATES SAFETY HAZARD, ESPECIALLY AT HIGH SPEEDS AND AT NIGHT OR IN BAD WEATHER.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 17,458 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011050 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-01-11 (January 11, 2002)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, THE ODOMETER IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES REGISTERS DISTANCE IN KILOMETERS INSTEAD OF MILES AS IS SPECIFIED IN THE DESIGN. THE ODOMETER DOES NOT HAVE A LABEL THAT INDICATES "KILOMETERS" OR "KM" AS REQUIRED BY FMVSS NO. 101, "CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS."

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ODOMETER TO DETERMINE IF IT IS CORRECT AND, IF NOT, WILL REPLACE THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 12, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Reported: 2002-02-12 (February 12, 2002)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM, THE STOPPER FOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL PREVENT EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF THE ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR. IF THE DRIVER APPLIES OVERLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PUSHING IT TO THE RIGHT, THE PEDAL CAN "OVER TRAVEL" DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE PEDAL STOPPER.

Consequence: THIS WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP TO COME ON AND THE ENGINE SPEED TO BE SEVERELY LIMITED. IF THIS OCCURS UNEXPECTEDLY, IT COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW ACCELERATOR PEDAL STOPPER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 11, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 800-662-6200.

Reported: 2002-05-30 (May 30, 2002)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE PIN AT THE END OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION TRANSVERSE LINK (LOWER CONTROL ARM) COULD BREAK WHERE IT IS MOUNTED TO THE FRAME.

Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE A KNOCKING SOUND AND ABNORMAL STEERING. THIS COULD RESULT IN DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSVERSE LINKS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES WITH NEW ONES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 29, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.

Reported: 2003-11-17 (November 17, 2003)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR MAY HAVE AN IMPROPER SOLDER JOINT DUE TO SOLDER DEFORMATION CAUSED BY HEAT STRESS ACCELERATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF FLUX RESIDUE DURING THE SOLDERING PROCESS.

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON, CREATE A NO START CONDITION, CAUSE REDUCED ENGINE POWER, OR CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR(S), AND IN SOME CASES, THE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL SENSOR(S). VEHICLES INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN, 01V357, ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS NEW CAMPAIGN. THE REPLACEMENT SENSORS USED IN THAT CAMPAIGN ARE ALSO AFFECTED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.

Reported: 2015-05-15 (May 15, 2015)

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 and I35, 2003 FX35 and FX45, and 2001 I30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: On December 18, 2015 Nissan informed NHTSA of an amendment of this recall to remove 2004-2005 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 vehicles.

Reported: 2020-01-09 (January 9, 2020)

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated, frontal passenger air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 888-737-9511 or Infiniti customer service at 888-810-3715.