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1994 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1994 Nissan Maxima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 99.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 10 of 89 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports3 fire reports6 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

18 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 12, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ENGINE TYPE ON MY MAXIMA SE IS VE30DE. I BROUGHT MY MAXIMA TO MY MECHANIC WHEN I NOTICED A RATCHETING SOUND WHEN THE CAR WAS AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. AT FIRST THE SOUND WAS THE ONLY SYMPTOM, BUT ENGINE VIBRATION IS NOW NOTICEABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MY MECHANIC WAS INFORMED BY THE NISSAN PARTS DEPARTMENT THAT THE PROBLEM IS…

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THE ENGINE TYPE ON MY MAXIMA SE IS VE30DE. I BROUGHT MY MAXIMA TO MY MECHANIC WHEN I NOTICED A RATCHETING SOUND WHEN THE CAR WAS AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. AT FIRST THE SOUND WAS THE ONLY SYMPTOM, BUT ENGINE VIBRATION IS NOW NOTICEABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MY MECHANIC WAS INFORMED BY THE NISSAN PARTS DEPARTMENT THAT THE PROBLEM IS A COMMON ONE -- THE VTC INTAKE CAMSHAFT SPROKETS -- AND WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1300 TO FIX. THE NISSAN PARTS DEPARTMENT ALSO INFORMED MY MECHANIC THAT THE REPAIR PARTS ARE THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL PARTS, AND THAT THE FIX WOULD ONLY LAST FOR ABOUT A YEAR. IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE FOR NISSAN TO IGNORE A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT REOCCURS AFTER EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. I SPOKE TO NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS ANY MORE INFORMATION YOU NEED. THANK YOU, CHRIS

NHTSA ODI #700147

Mileage unknown · Nov 5, 1998
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED UNEXPECTEDLY, WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. NISSAN HAS REPAIRED THE TRANSMISSION, PROBLEM TAKEN CARE OF. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #830172

Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #531349

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #530761

Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #528255

Mileage unknown · Jan 1, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

TIMING CHAIN MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA ODI #527646

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #527582

Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 1995
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension

THE STRUT WAS BAD THERE IS A NOISE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND THE ENGINE LIGHT MALFUNCTION. TT

NHTSA ODI #958122

Official recalls

2

95V244000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:filler Pipe And Cap

Dec 15, 1995

IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A MIXTURE OF MUD AND SALT TO GET TRAPPED BETWEEN THE FUEL FILLER TUBE AND WHEEL HOUSING. THE TRAPPED MUD AND SALT CAN RESULT IN CORROSION OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE AND THE WHEEL HOUSING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SIGNIFICANT CORROSION OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE MAY RESULT IN FUEL LEAKS WHICH IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. IN ADDITION, THE LEFT REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS MOUNTED TO THE WHEEL HOUSING AND IN THE EVENT OF SIGNIFICANT CORROSION, AND THE MOUNTING COULD FAIL IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES AND CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN DEPENDING UPON THE EXTENT OF THE CORROSION.

94V194000 · Wheels

Oct 5, 1994

THE ALUMINUM WHEELS WERE CLEAR COATED SEVERAL TIMES TO PROTECT THE METAL FINISH. SOME EXCESSIVE COATING CAN LEAVE THE WHEEL NUTS AN EXCESSIVE DISTANCE FROM THE WHEEL HUB WHEN TIGHTENED, ALLOWING THEM TO LOOSEN OVER TIME.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE THE HUB BOLTS TO BREAK AND RESULT IN THE WHEEL SEPARATING FROM THE VEHICLE AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE CLEAR PLASTIC COATING FROM THE BRAKE ROTOR MATING SURFACE ON THE BACK OF EACH WHEEL AND FROM THE WHEEL NUT MATING SURFACES. THE WHEELS WILL BE REINSTALLED AND THE WHEEL NUTS TIGHTENED. WHEELS, HUB BOLTS, AND NUTS WILL BE REPLACED IF NECESSARY.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.