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2009 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Maxima years

Owner complaints for the 2009 Nissan Maxima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 99.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

272 reports with mileage · 67 unknown

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.

  • Steering. Review the 168 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 79 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports2 fire reports5 injury reports

Steering complaints

168 reports
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140,000 miles · Aug 30, 2016
Steering

ESCL DISABLED MY PUSH BUTTON START. NOW I AM UNABLE TO START LET ALONE DRIVE MY VEHICLE. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER (ADDITIONAL COST TO MYSELF) AND THE DEALER IS GOING TO CHARGE CLOSE TO $1200.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THIS WAS A RECALL BUT EXPIRED IN 2015. WHY WON'T NISSAN BE RESP…

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ESCL DISABLED MY PUSH BUTTON START. NOW I AM UNABLE TO START LET ALONE DRIVE MY VEHICLE. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER (ADDITIONAL COST TO MYSELF) AND THE DEALER IS GOING TO CHARGE CLOSE TO $1200.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THIS WAS A RECALL BUT EXPIRED IN 2015. WHY WON'T NISSAN BE RESPONSIBLE AND PAY FOR THIS INSTEAD OF THE CONSUMER? THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE VEHICLE SEEING HOW IT IS SUCH A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AGAINST NISSAN VEHICLE OWNERS

NHTSA ODI #10899477

Mileage unknown · Aug 21, 2016
Steering

MY STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. I WAS UNABLE TO START MY CAR AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. IT COST ME ALMOST $1300 TO FIX. I SEE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL??

NHTSA ODI #10897437

88,984 miles · Aug 21, 2016
Steering

TURNED CAR OFF TO GO INTO POST OFFICE. RETURNED AND IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. WENT HAD NEW BATTERY PUT IN KEY PAD. STILL NOTHING. CALLED NISSAN FOR SUGGESTIONS. NONE GIVEN. HAD TO HAVE TOWED TO NISSAN. AFTER THEY CHECKED WAS TOLD STEERING LOCK UNIT HAD INTERNAL FAILURE. NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AFTER OWNING SEVE…

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TURNED CAR OFF TO GO INTO POST OFFICE. RETURNED AND IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. WENT HAD NEW BATTERY PUT IN KEY PAD. STILL NOTHING. CALLED NISSAN FOR SUGGESTIONS. NONE GIVEN. HAD TO HAVE TOWED TO NISSAN. AFTER THEY CHECKED WAS TOLD STEERING LOCK UNIT HAD INTERNAL FAILURE. NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AFTER OWNING SEVERAL CARS. A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND ONE THAT SHOULDN'T BE OCCURRING ON A 2009 MODEL CAR. I 'M VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CAR SINCE I HAD HEARD SO MANY GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT. I GAVE UP ON CADILLAC'S TO GET A NISSAN. SURE BELIEVE I MADE A BIG MISTAKE. THERE ARE OTHER LITTLE QUIRKS THAT HAVE BOTHERED ME. I'M ON MY THIRD CAR BATTERY. BOUGHT THE LAST ONE IN APRIL 2014.THE KEY PAD LOCKS HAVE TO BE CHANGED EVERY YEAR. THE ORIGINAL PAINT JOB IS VERY SHALLOW. THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS STEERING LOCK UNIT.

NHTSA ODI #10897408

87,500 miles · Aug 20, 2016
Steering

WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR LAST YEAR,THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD GO UP. IT MADE A GRINDING NOISE. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED IT UNDER WARRANTY FOR NO CHARGE. IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING IN AUGUST OF 2016. CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY NOW. THERE ARE SO MANY FOLKS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL CAR. NISSAN SHOULD RECALL…

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WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR LAST YEAR,THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD GO UP. IT MADE A GRINDING NOISE. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED IT UNDER WARRANTY FOR NO CHARGE. IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING IN AUGUST OF 2016. CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY NOW. THERE ARE SO MANY FOLKS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL CAR. NISSAN SHOULD RECALL THESE CARS AND FIX THE PROBLEM FOR FREE. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT MOVE UP. IT IS STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION AND MAKES A GRINDING NOISE.

NHTSA ODI #10897322

Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 2016
Steering

PARK CAR. GOT BACK IN STEERING WHEEL LOCK, LEFT CAR OVER TO FRIEND HOUSE.

NHTSA ODI #10897105

87,000 miles · Aug 4, 2016
Steering

MY 18 OLD SONS CAR JUST HIT 87000 MILES AND THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM HAS FAILED. NOT ONLY IS THIS A $900 REPAIR BUT IT IS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM WITH NISSAN VEHICLES. MY SON WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT AT 12AM. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES WHILE HIS CAR IS OFF. HE IS UNABLE TO START IT. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED 3 TIMES WITH THE DEA…

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MY 18 OLD SONS CAR JUST HIT 87000 MILES AND THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM HAS FAILED. NOT ONLY IS THIS A $900 REPAIR BUT IT IS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM WITH NISSAN VEHICLES. MY SON WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT AT 12AM. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES WHILE HIS CAR IS OFF. HE IS UNABLE TO START IT. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED 3 TIMES WITH THE DEALER SAYING IT WAS A BATTERY PROBLEM. HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED. NISSAN ADMITS THERE IS A STEERING LOCK PROBLEM AND THAT THE RECALL PERIOD ENDED IN JAN 3016. MY SON IS 18 AND JUST BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A REPUTABLE MAJOR CAR DEALERSHIP IN TOWN. ANYTIME A DRIVER IS AT RISK IN A PARKING GARAGE OR LOT OR FREEWAY WITH A CAR THAT HAD THIS NOTABLE PROBLEM IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

NHTSA ODI #10893315

60,000 miles · Jul 29, 2016
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE "INDICATOR KEY NOT BEING RECOGNIZED" MESSAGE APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE.…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE "INDICATOR KEY NOT BEING RECOGNIZED" MESSAGE APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

NHTSA ODI #10891621

130,000 miles · Jul 18, 2016
Steering

STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTIONS STRANDING THE DRIVER IN POSSIBLY DANGEROUS LOCATIONS OR HOURS. HAD TO TOW TO DEALER AND PAY $1094 FOR REPAIRS

NHTSA ODI #10885524

110,000 miles · Jul 15, 2016
SteeringUnknown Or Other

STEERING WHEEL LOCK PROBLEM-I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I WAS STRANDED LATE IN THE EVENING AND WAS NOT ABLE TO GET HOME AND DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE MY CAR. MY CAR WAS PARKED AND WOULD NOT START. THE EXPERIENCE WAS TRAUMATIZING.

NHTSA ODI #10885098

92,000 miles · Jul 12, 2016
Steering

THE ESCL MODULE WENT OUT ON MY MAXIMA. FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING IN MANY, MANY MAXIMA FORUMS, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2009 MAXIMAS'. IN FACT, MANY FORUMS DISCOURAGE BUYING THE 2009 AND SUGGEST EARLIER MODELS. CURRENTLY, MY AUTOMOBILE IS DISABLED AT THE MECHANIC'S SHOP WITH A REPAIR FEE OF $1070.

NHTSA ODI #10884324

Official recalls

1

09V358000 · Suspension

Sep 16, 2009

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 ALTIMA AND MAXIMA PASSENGER CARS. THE UPPER FRONT STRUT INSULATORS MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED OUT OF SPECIFICATION RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT INSULATOR TO CRACK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE STRUT INSULATOR IS CRACKED, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT ROD TO COME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING POSITION, WHICH COULD AFFECT VEHICLE STABILITY AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FRONT STRUT INSULATORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-NISSAN1 (1-800-647-7261).

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.