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2010 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Maxima years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Nissan Maxima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 99.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

238 reports with mileage · 37 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 158 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 →
  • Suspension. Review the 29 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 reports8 injury reports

What owners actually said

275 reports
50,000 miles · Dec 13, 2013
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED TO START. THE KEY WARNING SYMBOL WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ODI #10555921

50,600 miles · Dec 10, 2013
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE KEY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. ON THE THIRD OCCASION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK UNIT N…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE KEY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. ON THE THIRD OCCASION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,600. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10555498

55,444 miles · Dec 6, 2013
Electrical SystemSteering

PURCHASED VEHICLE NOVEMBER 2012 EVERYTHING WORK FINE PARKED CAR WENT TO BED WOKE UP NEXT DAY CAR WOULD NOT START, INTELLIGENT KEY OPEN AND LOCK DOORS, HORN HONKS GOOD, KEY SYMBOL ON DASH SHOWING STEADY, PUSH BUTTON START SYMBOL STATES LOCK, BOUGHT NEW CAR BATTERY, NEW INTELLIGENT KEY BATTERY STILL WONT START. CALLED DEALER, SE…

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PURCHASED VEHICLE NOVEMBER 2012 EVERYTHING WORK FINE PARKED CAR WENT TO BED WOKE UP NEXT DAY CAR WOULD NOT START, INTELLIGENT KEY OPEN AND LOCK DOORS, HORN HONKS GOOD, KEY SYMBOL ON DASH SHOWING STEADY, PUSH BUTTON START SYMBOL STATES LOCK, BOUGHT NEW CAR BATTERY, NEW INTELLIGENT KEY BATTERY STILL WONT START. CALLED DEALER, SERVICE TECH STATES KNOWN PROBLEM AS STEELING MECHANISM LOCKED. HAD TO PAY TO TOW VEHICLE TO DEALER. END OF STORY COST 857.00 TO FIX PLUS 200.00 FOR THE TOW AND NISSAN WONT ASSIST IN ANY KIND OF WAY. DEALER TECH SAYS I HAVE 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON WORK BUT THIS CAN HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME. I FIND THIS TO MAKE THE VEHICLE UNRELIABLE IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS EVEN LIFE THREATENING. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH THIS IS A VERY HIGHLY COMMON ISSUE WHICH NISSAN IS WELL AWARE OF. MY FAMILY AND I OWN MANY NISSAN VEHICLES AND AFTER THIS WE AS FAMILY WILL NO LONGER PURCHASE NISSAN VEHICLES. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THERE ISN'T A RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10555126

59,842 miles · Dec 5, 2013
Electrical SystemSteering

I BOUGHT A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA 2 MONTHS AGO. I DROVE IT TO WORK THIS PARTICULAR DAY AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE BUT WHEN I TRIED TO LEAVE TO GO OUT FOR LUNCH, MY CAR WOULDN'T START. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS THE BATTERY, BUT ALL LIGHTS WORKED PERFECTLY AND HORN WAS STILL BLOWING. CALLED THREE NISSAN DEALERSHIPS IN MY AREA TO GET A…

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I BOUGHT A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA 2 MONTHS AGO. I DROVE IT TO WORK THIS PARTICULAR DAY AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE BUT WHEN I TRIED TO LEAVE TO GO OUT FOR LUNCH, MY CAR WOULDN'T START. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS THE BATTERY, BUT ALL LIGHTS WORKED PERFECTLY AND HORN WAS STILL BLOWING. CALLED THREE NISSAN DEALERSHIPS IN MY AREA TO GET ADVICE ON WHAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE, THEY ALL SUGGESTED THAT I MAY NEED A NEW BATTERY IN THE FOB. THE FOB WAS STILL WORKING TO UNLOCK AND LOCK THE CAR SO OBVIOUSLY THIS WASN'T THE PROBLEM. STILL I TRIED FOR HOURS TO GET THE CAR STARTED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO. AFTER BEING STRANDED FOR HOURS, I HAD LEAVE MY CAR. THE NEXT DAY, I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY TOLD ME THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM (YET THEY DIDN'T SUGGEST IT WHEN I CALLED). THE ELECTRICAL STEERING CONTROL UNIT HAD GONE OUT OR MALFUNCTIONED. THEY HAD THE REPLACEMENT PART IN STOCK AND HAD MY CAR REPAIRED THE SAME DAY, WHICH COST ME $815.52. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS ACTUALLY ISSUED FOR THE 2009 ALTIMA'S FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. I CALLED NISSAN AND THEY WERE HAPPY TO OPEN A CASE FOR ME AND FORWARD IT TO THE CORPORATE OFFICE TO SEE IF I COULD GET REIMBURSED SINCE THIS IS A COMMON AND KNOWN PROBLEM. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM NISSAN CALLED ME BACK THE FOLLOWING DAY AND INFORMED ME THAT THEY ARE NOT ISSUING A EXTENDED WARRANTY OR ISSUING REFUNDS FOR THE PROBLEM. IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WHY HASN'T IT BEEN RECALLED AND WHY WON'T NISSAN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM? I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING IN MY CASE AND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ. WHAT IF THE SAME THING HAPPENS TO THE "NEW" PART? I'LL BE STRANDED AGAIN, NEED TOWING AGAIN, AND HAVE TO PAY FOR A KNOWN, UNCORRECTED PROBLEM AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10554918

86,000 miles · Dec 4, 2013
Electrical SystemSteering

WENT TO START MY 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA THIS MORNING FOR WORK AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE YELLOW KEY LIGHT INDICATOR WAS LIT ON THE DASH, BRAKE WAS HARD TO PRESS. THE CAR WOULD NOT CHANGE FROM "LOCK" MODE TO "ACC" OR "ON" POSITION. THE CAR WOULD NOT START, DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WITH THE FOB BUT THE CAR WOULD DO NOTHING ELSE. READING TH…

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WENT TO START MY 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA THIS MORNING FOR WORK AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE YELLOW KEY LIGHT INDICATOR WAS LIT ON THE DASH, BRAKE WAS HARD TO PRESS. THE CAR WOULD NOT CHANGE FROM "LOCK" MODE TO "ACC" OR "ON" POSITION. THE CAR WOULD NOT START, DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WITH THE FOB BUT THE CAR WOULD DO NOTHING ELSE. READING THE MANUAL, I WAS ABLE TO TELL WHAT THE INDICATOR LIGHT MEANT. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE I SEARCHED THE RESULT AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME MALFUNCTION AND HOW THIS HAS NOT BEEN LABELED AS A RECALL DUE TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS. BASICALLY THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROL LOCK WILL NOT DISENGAGE LEAVING YOU STRANDED. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE 2009 ALTIMA AND MAXIMA BUT NOT THE 2010 WHICH USES THE SAME PART. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THE REPAIR COST RUN AROUND $800-$1000. WAITING NOW FOR THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO CALL ME BACK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10554784

43,000 miles · Dec 4, 2013
Electrical SystemEngineSteering

I PARKED MY CAR AND WENT INSIDE MY INLAWS WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD AND 3 WEEK OLD. WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE MY I-KEY WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. THE KEY OPENED THE DOORS BUT THE BRAKE WAS LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T TURN ON. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE AND CHECKING THE BATTERIES IN THE KEY FOBS I DISCOVERED THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ESCL (ELECTR…

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I PARKED MY CAR AND WENT INSIDE MY INLAWS WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD AND 3 WEEK OLD. WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE MY I-KEY WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. THE KEY OPENED THE DOORS BUT THE BRAKE WAS LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T TURN ON. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE AND CHECKING THE BATTERIES IN THE KEY FOBS I DISCOVERED THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ESCL (ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK). THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR NISSANS PRODUCED IN 2009. NISSAN ACTUALLY EXTENDED THE 2009 MODELS WARRANTY FOR THIS PART. MY VEHICLE WAS PRODUCED IN 2009 BUT IS A 2010 MODEL AND NOT COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE REPAIR FOR THIS IS ABOUT $800 AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. NISSAN IS IGNORING THIS ISSUE IN 2010 MODELS WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE. HAD I BEEN ANYWHERE ELSE THIS ISSUE COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE WITH ME AND MY TWO KIDS STRANDED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10554760

62,000 miles · Dec 3, 2013
Electrical SystemSteering

STOPPED AT GROCERY STORE, WENT IN FOR AROUND 5 MINUTES, CAME BACK OUT AND CAR WOULDN'T START. THE KEY FOB WOULD LOCK AND UNLOCK DOORS, HEAD LIGHTS WOULD COME ON BUT WHEN PRESSING START BUTTON, NOTHING. PAID $50 TO HAVE IT TOWED TO NEAREST NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND IT SAT UNTIL MONDAY. AFTER THE DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT IT, THEY HAVE …

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STOPPED AT GROCERY STORE, WENT IN FOR AROUND 5 MINUTES, CAME BACK OUT AND CAR WOULDN'T START. THE KEY FOB WOULD LOCK AND UNLOCK DOORS, HEAD LIGHTS WOULD COME ON BUT WHEN PRESSING START BUTTON, NOTHING. PAID $50 TO HAVE IT TOWED TO NEAREST NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND IT SAT UNTIL MONDAY. AFTER THE DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT IT, THEY HAVE NOTIFIED ME THAT IT IS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK MODULE. LABOR AND PART WOULD BE $653.58. THIS IS EXTREMELY COMMON IN THE ALTIMAS AND NISSAN EVEN EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS PART ONLY AND ARE CURRENTLY COVERING COSTS FOR THIS PART TO BE REPLACED IN ALTIMAS. IT'S A SHAME TO PAY THIS MUCH FOR A VEHICLE AND CAN'T EVEN GET IT TO RUN DUE TO NISSAN'S FAULTY PARTS. AND WHY WOULD NISSAN COVER THE PART ON AN ALTIMA BUT NOT ON A MAXIMA EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME EXACT PART? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10554659

53,755 miles · Dec 2, 2013
Steering

CAR WOULD NOT START,BAD ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK. RECALL ON THE ALTIMAS AND Z CARS BUT NOT MAXIMAS WITH SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10554562

48,000 miles · Nov 27, 2013
Steering

ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE OF MY 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE IT. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THE 2009 MAXIMA AND ALTIMA AND IS NOW HAPPENING IN THE 2010 MAXIMA, HOWEVER NISSAN REFUSES TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY TO THE FAULTY 2010 MODELS AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10553968

67,000 miles · Nov 21, 2013
Electrical SystemEngine

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN I STOPPED AT THE BANK TO MAKE A TRANSACTION, WHEN I RETURNED TO MY CAR IT WOULD NOT START. MIND YOU IT WAS COLD AND DARK. I SPENT 3 HOURS FREEZING ME BUTT OFF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I DID WRONG NOT REALIZING IT WAS NISSAN THAT IS ACTUALLY AT FAULT. SO BASICALLY I'M OUT OF A DAYS PAY AT WORK, HAVE …

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I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN I STOPPED AT THE BANK TO MAKE A TRANSACTION, WHEN I RETURNED TO MY CAR IT WOULD NOT START. MIND YOU IT WAS COLD AND DARK. I SPENT 3 HOURS FREEZING ME BUTT OFF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I DID WRONG NOT REALIZING IT WAS NISSAN THAT IS ACTUALLY AT FAULT. SO BASICALLY I'M OUT OF A DAYS PAY AT WORK, HAVE TO PAY FOR A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE MY CAR BACK TO MY HOME BECAUSE IT DEALER I CLOSED, THEN PAY FOR ANOTHER TOW TRUCK IN THE MORNING TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALER THEN PAY TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED THE SAME TIME THEY RECALLED THE GT-R FOR THE SAME PARTS AND SAME ISSUES. AS A LOYAL CUSTOMER I AM VERY DISGUSTED, IRRITATED, AND TIRED OF THESE AVOIDABLE INCONVENIENCES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10553149

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.