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NHTSA-Verified · Common Problems

2011 Nissan Maxima
Common Problems

Ranked from 45 federal NHTSA complaints. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.

1
Safety
2
High severity
3
Medium
1
Low
1 problem on this vehicle involve a crash, fire, or injury risk. If you are experiencing one, stop driving and have it inspected.

7 Common Problems

Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.

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  1. 1

    Airbag malfunction

    20complaints
    Medium severityOther

    Passenger airbag sensors and warning lights malfunction, causing the airbags to fail to deploy or stay off.

  2. 2

    Dashboard melting and becoming sticky

    20complaints
    Low severityOther

    The dashboard material deteriorates, becoming sticky and reflective, causing glare and distraction while driving.

  3. 3

    Transmission slipping and jerking

    20complaints
    Medium severityTransmission

    The continuously variable transmission (CVT) experiences slipping, jerking, and hard idling, affecting acceleration and driving stability.

    $2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  4. 4

    Passenger Side Air Bag Malfunction

    3complaints
    Safety riskOther

    The passenger side air bag intermittently fails to deploy, posing a risk to passenger safety during a crash.

  5. 5

    Steering column locking up

    2complaints
    Medium severitySteering

    Steering column locks up, preventing the vehicle from being started or driven.

    $200–$1,500est. power-steering / eps repair · 1–6 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  6. 6

    Sunroof explosion

    2complaints
    High severityOther

    Panoramic sunroof suddenly explodes, causing glass to fall inside the vehicle.

  7. 7

    Transmission failure due to recall

    2complaints
    High severityTransmission

    Transmission failure leading to vehicle stalling and inability to drive, often requiring a new transmission.

    $2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs labor
    Get local quotes

Other years & sources

2010 Nissan Maxima2016 Nissan MaximaAll NHTSA complaints for this vehicle →

Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.