Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2001 Nissan Maxima, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags29
- Engine and engine cooling28
- Electrical system27
- Suspension24
- Service brakes, hydraulic22
- Vehicle speed control11
- Structure9
- Power train8
- Fuel system, gasoline8
- Engine7
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 6 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 43 2001 Maxima vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 34 people died inside them, and 3 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2001 Nissan Maxima failed the safety check 2.15% of the time — 7% more often than the average 2001 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 126,623 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
3 cars built in 2001 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 7 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
63 of these cars first registered in 2001 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 273,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
346 2001 cars are on the New Zealand register; 0% arrived as used imports, 99% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 10.9–11.8 L/100 km (about 20–22 mpg US), CO₂ 251–271 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxima · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 12.2 | 9.4 | 10.9 |
| Maxima · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.6 | 9.6 | 11.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 2001 Nissan Maxima.
| 2020003 10 Jan 2020 | Airbag Issue: This recall is for certain vehicles that had an airbag inflator replaced as a part of an earlier recall campaign. This recall provides a final repair. … |
| 2013117 11 Apr 2013 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the passenger (frontal) airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. Increased pressure may cause t… |
| 2003267 5 Nov 2003 | Engine On certain vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor may have an improper solder joint. This could cause the Service Engine Soon warning light … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated, frontal passenger air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 and I35, 2003 FX35 and FX45, and 2001 I30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE PIN AT THE END OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION TRANSVERSE LINK (LOWER CONTROL ARM) COULD BREAK WHERE IT IS MOUNTED TO THE FRAME.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Nissan told its dealers about the 2001 Nissan Maxima: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 633662 | SUBJECT REGARDING DRIVERS POWER SEAT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. *JG |
| 633613 | SUBJECT REGARDING DRIVERS POWER SEAT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. *JG |
| 633599 | SUBJECT REGARDING REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT. *JG |
| 632153 | SUBJECT REGARDING RATTLE OR BUZZ NOISE FROM REAR PARCEL SHELF WHEN LISTENING TO LOW FREUENCY / HIGH BASS BOSE AUDIO. *TT |
| 631934 | SUBJECT REGARDING DRIVER SIDE FRONT FLOOR CARPET TORN. *SLC |
| 631853 | SUBJECT REGARDING FRONT GLASS RUN RUBBER SQUEAK/SQUEAL NOISE. *SLC |
| 631760 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES. *SLC |
| 630979 | SUBJECT REGARDING DRIVER'S POWER SEAT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. *JG |
| 630807 | INFORMATION REGARDING CLUNK, RATTLE, OR KNOCKING NOISE FROM REAR CALIPER.*JB |
| 629426 | SUBJECT REGARDING CLUNK, RATTLE, OR KNOCKING NOISE FROM REAR BRAKE CALIPER.*JB |
| 629419 | CONCERNS WITH ALL DOORS INTERMITTENTLY LOCKING BY THEMSELVES. *JB |
| 629210 | SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE RETAINING BUTTON MISSING. *TT |
| 629208 | SUBJECT REGARDING DRIVER'S POWER SEAT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. *TT |
| 629204 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON WITH FRONT O2 SENSOR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0134, P0135, P0154, OR P0155. *TT |
| 629200 | EXHIBITING REAR CALIPER HUM/GROAN NOISE. *TT |
| 629184 | SUBJECT REGARDING WINDOW REGULATOR POP/TICK NOISE. *TT |
| 629182 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0100 (MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR - MAFS STORED). *TT |
| 629174 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT ENGINE IDLE DROPPING EXCESSIVELY OR STOPS WHEN ENGINE IS STARTED COLD. *TT |
| 629170 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE STOREED, ENGINE NO START, AND MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE A/C, ROUGH IDLE, OIL PRESSURE LIGHT INOPERATIVE. *TT |
| 628790 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIND NOISE REAR GLASS RUN RUBBER. *JG |
| 628205 | SUBJECT REGARDING MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP |
| 628202 | SUBJECT REGARDING MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP |
| 628197 | SUBJECT REGARDING MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP 'ON' WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1320 AND/OR SPARK KNOCK (DETONATION) DUE TO IGNITION COIL(S). *JG |
| 627801 | SUBJECT REGARDING LOW/NO IDLE AFTER COLD START. *YD |
| 627465 | SUBJECT REGARDING MANUAL TRANSMISSION; ON/OFF THROTTLE SENSITIVITY. *JG |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation