2013 Nissan MAXIMA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2013 Nissan MAXIMA has 71 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (34% of all complaints), specifically: 1/1/15 moderate vibration in vehicle at 60mph took vehicle to dealer in march to balance tires. upon leaving still felt vibration.4/1/2015 returned vehicle advised of moderate vibration experienced at highway speeds.advised they felt vibration, took off my wheels/tires and swapped them from a new ma. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 1 crash report 1 injury

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

24 complaints

34%

• 1/1/15 MODERATE VIBRATION IN VEHICLE AT 60MPH TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER IN MARCH TO BALANCE TIRES. UPON LEAVING STILL FELT VIBRATION.4/1/2015 RETURNED VEHICLE ADVISED OF MODERATE VIBRATION EXPERIENCED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.ADVISED THEY FELT VIBRATION, TOOK OFF MY WHEELS/TIRES AND SWAPPED THEM FROM A NEW MA
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED ONCE AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE BEFORE STALLING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE REST
• WHILE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY HIGHWAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WAS NO LONGER MOVING. THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED ALL THE WAY DOWN INTO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR WAS AT A STAND STILL. WHILE TRANSFER TRUCKS AND INCOMING TRAFFIC ON A BUSY HIGHWAY THE MAXIMA LEFT ME STRANDED AS THE CAR WOULD NO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“1/1/15 MODERATE VIBRATION IN VEHICLE AT 60MPH TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER IN MARCH TO BALANCE TIRES. UPON LEAVING STILL FELT VIBRATION.4/1/2015 RETURNED VEHICLE ADVISED OF MODERATE VIBRATION EXPERIENCED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.ADVISED THEY FELT VIBRATION, TOOK OFF MY WHEELS/TIRES AND SWAPPED THEM FROM A NEW MA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

16 complaints

23%

• THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DOES NOT ACTIVATE WITH MY WIFE IN THE SEAT. SHE IS WELL OVER THE 80 POUND LIMIT FOR ACTIVATION. SEAT WAS CHANGED BUT DID NOT CHANGE. DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THERE IS NO FIX. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. *TR
• WHEN I SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED, ABOUT 90% OF THE TIME....IT MAY GO OFF AT SOME POINT, BUT EVEN WITH 110 ADULT IT IS ON SO THAT THE AIRBAG IS NOT ACTIVE. *TR
• WHEN AN ADULT IS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT WILL OCCASIONALLY LIGHT UP INDICATING THAT THE AIRBAG HAS TURNED ITSELF OFF. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DOES NOT ACTIVATE WITH MY WIFE IN THE SEAT. SHE IS WELL OVER THE 80 POUND LIMIT FOR ACTIVATION. SEAT WAS CHANGED BUT DID NOT CHANGE. DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THERE IS NO FIX. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

LIGHTING

9 complaints

13%

• THE DIM HEADLIGHT SETTING IS SO DIM THAT CAR CAN NOT BE SAFELY OPERATED AFTER DARK WITHOUT TURNING ON THE BRIGHT LIGHT SETTING. IT IS A SAFETY HAZZARD! I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC FOR 30 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH POOR HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE CHANGED THE BULBS BUT IT HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. I HAVE READ S
• LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM THEY CREATE A SAFETY HAZARD.
• THE DIM HEADLIGHT SETTING IS SO DIM THAT CAR CAN NOT BE SAFELY OPERATED AFTER DARK WITHOUT TURNING ON THE BRIGHT LIGHT SETTING. IT IS A SAFETY HAZZARD! I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC FOR 30 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH POOR HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE CHANGED THE BULBS BUT IT HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. I HAVE READ SE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE DIM HEADLIGHT SETTING IS SO DIM THAT CAR CAN NOT BE SAFELY OPERATED AFTER DARK WITHOUT TURNING ON THE BRIGHT LIGHT SETTING. IT IS A SAFETY HAZZARD! I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC FOR 30 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH POOR HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE CHANGED THE BULBS BUT IT HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. I HAVE READ S”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

8 complaints

11%

• AFTER ABOUT 1 MILE OF DRIVING, THERE WAS A SMALL EXPLOSION HEARD UNDER THE CENTER CONSOLE DIRECTLY UNDER THE SHIFT CONSOLE. FIRE STARTED COMING OUT FROM THE SHIFT CONSOLE. BURNED UP CENTER SHIFTER CONSOLE AND CARPET SURROUNDING AREA. *TR
• I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON MY WAY TO WORK. I TOOK AN EXIT RAMP TO GET ON THE BELTWAY, AS I WAS HEADING TO THE BELTWAY, I HEARD A LOUD "POP" SOUND, AND AS I SLOWED DOWN TO PULL OVER, THINKING IT WAS A TIRE BLOWING OUT, I COULD HEAR A NOISE AS IF SOMETHING WAS SLOWLY BREAKING. AFTER I PULLED O
• I WAS SITTING IN MY CAR MOTOR OFF DURING LUNCH. I HEARD A HUGE EXPLOSION LIKE A GUNSHOT AND I THOUGHT I GOT SHOT. I WAS SHOCKED AND STARTLED I RAN OUT OF THE CAR. I INSPECTED MYSELF AND I LOOKED AROUND AND I WALKED UP TO MY CAR AND NOTICED THAT MY SUNROOF WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED. I CALLED NINE-ONE-ONE A

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“AFTER ABOUT 1 MILE OF DRIVING, THERE WAS A SMALL EXPLOSION HEARD UNDER THE CENTER CONSOLE DIRECTLY UNDER THE SHIFT CONSOLE. FIRE STARTED COMING OUT FROM THE SHIFT CONSOLE. BURNED UP CENTER SHIFTER CONSOLE AND CARPET SURROUNDING AREA. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

4 complaints

• S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING- LETTER FROM CONSTITUENT RE COPY OF LETTER ADDRESSED TO CARLOS GHOSN, CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY, LTD NOTIFYING THE COMPANY OF A MAJOR AUTOMOTIVE DEFECT WITH NISSAN'S 2013 MAXIMA. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE
• I WAS STOPPING FOR GAS TO HEAD BACK TO WORK, THEN I REALIZED THAT A CLOUD OF SMOKE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE.
• The transmission is failing in my car it doesn't want to go. stalling out shuttering,jerking.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING- LETTER FROM CONSTITUENT RE COPY OF LETTER ADDRESSED TO CARLOS GHOSN, CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY, LTD NOTIFYING THE COMPANY OF A MAJOR AUTOMOTIVE DEFECT WITH NISSAN'S 2013 MAXIMA. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 71 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: 1/1/15 MODERATE VIBRATION IN VEHICLE AT 60MPH TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER IN MARCH TO BALANCE TIRES. UPON LEAVING STILL FELT VIBRATION.4/1/2015 RETURNED VEHICLE ADVISED OF MODERATE VIBRATION EXPERIENCED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.ADVISED THEY FELT VIBRATION, TOOK OFF MY WHEELS/TIRES AND SWAPPED THEM FROM A NEW MA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DOES NOT ACTIVATE WITH MY WIFE IN THE SEAT. SHE IS WELL OVER THE 80 POUND LIMIT FOR ACTIVATION. SEAT WAS CHANGED BUT DID NOT CHANGE. DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THERE IS NO FIX. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
LIGHTING: THE DIM HEADLIGHT SETTING IS SO DIM THAT CAR CAN NOT BE SAFELY OPERATED AFTER DARK WITHOUT TURNING ON THE BRIGHT LIGHT SETTING. IT IS A SAFETY HAZZARD! I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC FOR 30 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH POOR HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE CHANGED THE BULBS BUT IT HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. I HAVE READ S
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: AFTER ABOUT 1 MILE OF DRIVING, THERE WAS A SMALL EXPLOSION HEARD UNDER THE CENTER CONSOLE DIRECTLY UNDER THE SHIFT CONSOLE. FIRE STARTED COMING OUT FROM THE SHIFT CONSOLE. BURNED UP CENTER SHIFTER CONSOLE AND CARPET SURROUNDING AREA. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)