2011 Nissan Maxima problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (21) · Power Train (14) · Steering (9)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Nissan Maxima model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
64 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year (campaigns announced since 2010).
Service bulletins (115)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Structure:body 2026-04-13 · NTB09-131C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
certification label and vin plate replacement service information because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “certification label” or “vin plate/label” may be needed. hint: certification label = fmvss (federal motor vehicle safety standards) label. these items may be availabl
Structure:body 2026-04-13 · NTB09-131C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
certification label and vin plate replacement service information because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “certification label” or “vin plate/label” may be needed. hint: certification label = fmvss (federal motor vehicle safety standards) label. these items may be availabl
Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB13-107G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB13-027D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
can communication – network diagnostic flow chart this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB10-066C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
can communication codes – diagnostic tips and guidelines this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Visibility/Wiper 2024-04-30 · NTB17-019H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
window glass warranty information this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Showing the 6 most recent of 115 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-01-07 · Steering“my steering failed completely while driving, making it nearly impossible to turn.…”
2024-07-15 · Air Bags“airbag warning came on. i took to dealership for diagnostic. there was malfunction with the passenger airbag. seat coushin needed to be replaced so the “normal” wear and tear airbag would no longer be an issue. nissan stated this is not a safety concern and all expenses were out of pocket. …”
2024-06-29 · Power Train“the transmission is slipping it’s a cvt and they’re known for being the worst transmissions. i was entering the highway on a on ramp and i could no longer accelerate past 55 i was near flooring it and you can hear the engine working but the rpm’s are all over the odometer going from 3k-6.5k over and over. the problem has not been diagnosed professi…”
2023-08-12 · Unknown Or Other“we are the original owners of a 2011 nissan maxima. the dashboard material is deteriorating, creating a sticky and shiny patch across the base of the windshield which is distracting and highly reflective creating glare from the sun and bright lights impeding the ability to safely drive. the dashboard is also cracking and releasing small parts of bl…”
2023-05-05 · Steering“cvt transmission jerking , engine is always idling hard sometimes wants to even shut off , accelerating sometimes takes a lil while to respond , rack and pinion assembly faulty i would like for nissan to fix my car or get a lump sum check for all faulty errors these cars have…”
2023-03-11 · Visibility/Wiper“dashboard is melting which is making it extremely sticky but the worst part is that it is causing a visibility issues while driving. the glare is really bad. …”
2023-01-12 · Vehicle Speed Control“hi i bought car nissan maxima 2011 transmission not working well when i driving i stopped at the traffic after that car does not move forward …”
2022-11-23 · Air Bags“passenger seat airbag sensor has failed…”
2022-05-09 · Structure:body“my dashboard has been melted for some time now and it’s a safety hazard. when i drive at night, the light reflects on the dashboard and it makes it difficult to see, which is very dangerous with my kids in the car. i thought i could clean the dashboard but it’s very sticky. apparently this is a common issue with certain models of cars because i saw…”
2022-01-18 · Power Train“transmission failed on my vehicle at 40,000 miles while i was in the middle of traffic. my car stopped accelerating without warning and i nearly got into an accident …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.