1998 Nissan Maxima Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Maxima years
- About as many complaints as other years 14th of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 113 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Nissan Maxima. That ranks 14th out of 29 Maxima model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (24 complaints, 21%), typically at around 82,632 miles. Complaints mention 13 crashes, 12 fires, 9 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 113owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 13complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Nissan Maxima problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 24 | 21% | 82,632 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 24 | 21% | 130,498 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 10 | 9% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 8 | 7% | 149,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 5% | 82,229 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 5% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 5% | 78,282 | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 4% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 4% | 183,025 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 4% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 2% | 175,882 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Nissan Maxima recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, one of the diodes used in the alternator may have been damaged when built. This can eventually result in failure of the diode and an electrical short which could melt the plastic housing.
Risk: If the combustible gas emitted by the melting plastic does not disperse due to air flow through the engine compartment, it could ignite and in turn ignite the fan guide in the alternator.
Fix: Dealers will replace the alternator. 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 1998 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while attempting to lift the vehicle onto a jack, the rocker panels started to cave in due to severe corrosion and rusting. The cause of the corrosion was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure…
I wish to receive reimbursement for out-of-pocket cost of repair and installation of new parts for the vehicles alternator having caught on fire. On or about november 24, 2014, my request was submitted to nissan of north per nissan manufacturers recall instructions. The recall issued in 2001 was…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 mph, smoke started to emit from the engine compartment. The vehicle was merged over to the side of the road where the contact noticed the presence of fire coming from the alternator. The contact was…
I just purchased a 1998 nissan maxima, went to change out the front bumper skin and fenders and as i took off the bumper skin the lower radiator support is rusted beyond belief and only one of the bolts on the cross member holding up the whole engine/trans and that one is rusted too. There is a big…
I would like to know why nothing has been done about nissan maxima's rusting and deteriorating radiator support (lower tie bar) that has been a problem from the mid 90's threw today's cars. There should be a recall on this issue and it should extend to all cars still being driven today. I have put…
Other Nissan Maxima years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Maxima | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 Maxima | 5 | 0 |
| 2021 Maxima | 3 | 0 |
| 2020 Maxima | 22 | 1 |
| 2019 Maxima | 18 | 1 |
| 2018 Maxima | 36 | 2 |
| 2017 Maxima | 104 | 4 |
| 2016 Maxima | 142 | 8 |
| 2015 Maxima | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 Maxima | 96 | 0 |
| 2013 Maxima | 62 | 0 |
| 2012 Maxima | 107 | 0 |
| 2011 Maxima | 106 | 0 |
| 2010 Maxima | 275 | 1 |
| 2009 Maxima | 339 | 1 |
| 2008 Maxima | 79 | 0 |
| 2007 Maxima | 129 | 1 |
| 2006 Maxima | 576 | 2 |
| 2005 Maxima | 948 | 2 |
| 2004 Maxima | 1,426 | 2 |
| 2003 Maxima | 206 | 3 |
| 2002 Maxima | 205 | 6 |
| 2001 Maxima | 172 | 3 |
| 2000 Maxima | 360 | 0 |
| 1999 Maxima | 165 | 0 |
| 1998 | 113 | 1 |
| 1997 Maxima | 102 | 1 |
| 1996 Maxima | 96 | 0 |
| 1995 Maxima | 152 | 0 |
See all Nissan Maxima problems by year, every Nissan model, or the Nissan VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Nissan Maxima?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 24 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Nissan Maxima?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Nissan Maxima a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Maxima model years, the 1998 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.