2018 Nissan Maxima Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Maxima years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 23rd of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Maxima. That ranks 23rd out of 29 Maxima model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is unknown or other (8 complaints, 22%), typically at around 38,266 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 36owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Other | 8 | 22% | 38,266 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 19% | 30,050 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 6 | 17% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 14% | 35,975 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 6% | 30,600 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 6% | 19,684 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 6% | 13,400 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 6% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 3% | 39,357 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 3% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 3% | 51,533 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 3% | 40,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Nissan Maxima recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipPark outside
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair, under recall number 18V-601. In addition, this recall expands the previous population. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
Risk: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS actuator, free of charge. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available, currently expected to be during summer 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: If the ABS warning light remains illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure (EA19002) — opened Jul 29, 2019, closed Jun 16, 2025.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I am submitting this as a formal complaint regarding an ongoing and unresolved safety issue with my 2018 Nissan Maxima (VIN: [XXX] ). Despite multiple attempts to have this issue diagnosed and repaired, the problem continues without resolution. The issue occurs after driving for approximately 30…
My rear passenger side coil spring broke. This is a dealer only item. I contacted the dealer and the item is on back order. It is my only means for transportation. I didnât cause this break, and now I canât even get it fixed until it comes in whenever that may be. The dealership doesnât have…
In June 2019, while driving my 2018 Nissan Maxima, the vehicle suffered a sudden and violent mechanical failure. Without warning, the steering wheel jerked forcefully to the side, and the vehicle became uncomtrollabel leading to an approx 100-foot spin across a median. âI have since verified this…
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the power door functions on the front driverâs door failed to operate on two separate occasions. Due to the failure, the contact had to enter the vehicle from the front passengerâs side before crawling over into the driverâs seat…
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the instrument panel was intermittently dim upon starting the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving the instrument panel eventually brightened before returning to a dim setting. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several…
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 | 36 | 2 |
| 2017 Maxima | 106 | 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 Maxima | 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 2018 Nissan Maxima?
Owners most often report unknown or other, service brakes, forward collision avoidance problems. The top one, unknown or other, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Nissan Maxima?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 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 2018 has far fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.