Problems · by component

2000 Nissan Maxima electrical system problems

181 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Nissan Maxima cite electrical system, 48% of all 376 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
181
48% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“SINCE I OWNED THIS CAR I HAVE MULTIPLE ISSUES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND I WAS TOLD THE CODE WAS INDICATING THE COILS WERE BAD. ALSO, I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SLIP AND TCS LIGHT COME ON. THE VEHICLE SHAKES AND LOSES POWER. ON TOP THAT I CAN'T GET THE CAR TO PASS INSPECTION. MY RADIO ALSO HAS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, IT WENT DARK. I FEEL WE SHOULD ALL FILE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2014Electrical system, EngineODI 10631381
“I BELIEVE, THE ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM WAS THERE SINCE I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE AFTER DRIVING COUPLE OF MONTHS (1000-1500 MILES) THE LIGHT APPEARED. FIRST, IT WILL COME AND GO AFTER APPROX 61,000 MILES IT BECAME PERMANENT. IN 2008 I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP BILL KAY AT DOWNERS GROVE IL PAID APPROX. $2,000 FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM BUT AFTER SOME TIME IT AGAIN CAME UP AND STARTED FLASHING. IN 2010 AGAIN I TOOK IT TO MAINEKE AUTO WORK SHOP AND GOT THE IGNITION COILS CHANGED, SILENCER/EXHAUST CHANGED AND PAID ALMOST $1,200 BUT AGAIN THE SAME PROBLEM OF ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK. THE PROBLOM GOES ON AND ON, RECENTLY I GOT THE NEW BATTERY AND TOOK IT TO THE GERALD NISSAN AT OGDEN AVE. NAPERVILLE, IL THEY SAID THEY CHANGED THE COILS BUT LIGHT CAME BACK THE VERY NEXT DAY. I PAID $800. NOW THEY ARE AGAIN MENTIONING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH SENSOR. PLEASE ADVISE AND HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM. THESE CARS ARE SUPPOSE TO BE STURDY AND NOT HAVE SUCH PROBLEM SO FREQUENTLY AND I AM SICK AND TIRED OF SPENDING MONEY ON THIS CAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 27, 2014Suspension, Electrical system, EngineODI 10628840
“I HAVE A 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA AND THE SLIP / TCS / CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON THEN IT STARTS TO SHAKE N LOOSES POWER. ENGINE LIGHT BLINKS AT TIMES.. I REPLACE ALL COILS AND SPARK PLUS WITH DEALER AND THEY TELL ME THE I NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE COIL HARNESS WHICH IS AROUND $1,000.. THEY SAY THAT THESE CARS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS.. I HAVE IN HAND OF MANY STORIES OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. AND IN ALL THE STORIES EVERYONE IS MAD BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 20, 2014Electrical systemODI 10626852
“I HAVE A 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA. RECENTLY THE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN PILING ON. THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING IN THE SUMMER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. THE AIR CONDITIONER NEEDS A NEW PUMP AND THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT I WAS TOLD IS THE O2 SENSOR. TODAY IS 1/27/13 AND A WEEK AGO MY POWER STEERING BELT SHREDDED. IT CAUSED THE CAR TO STALL TEMPORARILY BUT I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO MY LOCAL GARAGE TO BE FIXED. THE MECHANICS SAID IT WAS NOT ONLY THE POWER STEERING BELT BUT THE ALTERNATOR BELT AND THE PUMPS AS WELL. THE PROBLEM WAS TAKEN CARE OF AND I PICKED THE CAR UP. BEFORE I PULLED OUT I TRIED THE HEAT AND DEFROST BUT THEY WOULD NOT WORK NOW. THE HEAT AND DEFROST HAD BEEN ACTING STRANGE AND SMELLED AS IF BURNING WAS HAPPENING. THE HEAT WOULD BE HARD TO TURN OFF AT TIMES. THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF HEAT WERE ALL THE SAME MOST TIME. THE MECHANICS LOOKED AT IT LATER AND SAID THE CAR NEEDS A O2 SENSOR AND THE WHOLE CLIMATE CONTROL MECHANISM. THE MECHANISM ON MY CAR HAD MELTED WIRES. I HAVE BEEN NOTICING A LOT OF WEIRD ELECTRICAL QUIRKS OUTSIDE OF THEE HEAT. I HAVE NOTICED A LOT OF DECAY FOR A CAR USED EVERYDAY. THE PROBLEMS THAT PROMPTED ME TO LOOK ONLINE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 27, 2013Steering, Electrical systemODI 10494843
“THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING AND THEN DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. HAD TO EXIT OFF THE ROAD FAST AS THE CAR COASTED DOWN TO PREVENT OTHER CARS FROM HITTING THE CAR. IN DANGER OF OTHER CARS RUNNING OVER CAR WHILE OUR CAR MALFUNCTION. TOOK CAR TO SHOP AND WAS TOLD A 2 DOLLAR O-RING ON THE AUTO CONTROL VALVE HAD ALLOWED AIR LEAKAGE AND THIS IN TURNED CAUSED FAILURE OF THE ECM ELECTRON CONTROL MODULE. BOTH AUTO CONTROL VALVE AND ECM NEEDS REPLACING WHERE THE CAR CAN BE SAFELY DRIVEN. THE FACT OF THIS FAILURE DID NOT BRING IN THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT TILL AFTER THE EVENT AND FACT IT WILL COST OVER $2000 DOLLARS TO REPAIR A CAR THAT IS NOT WORK MUCH MORE $3000 ARE JUST FACTS. NISSAN NEEDS TO AT LEAST SEND OUT TO THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT OWNS OF THIS MODEL AND MAKE COULD HAVE THIS CONDITION THAN CAN HAPPEN AND EXIST AND CAUSE ERRATIC BEHAVIOR OF THE CAR IF NOT CHECK BY NISSAN. A $2 DOLLAR PART CAUSING A $2000 DOLLAR REPAIR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 23, 2012Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 10449066
“I CHECKED MY OIL AND TRANSMISSION FLUID ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AFTER BUYING THE CAR AND RIGHT WHEN I SHUT THE HOOD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT POPPED ON AND STAYED ON OBVIOUSLY VERY TEMPERAMENTAL. ABOUT A WEEK LATER WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT THE ENGINE FELT A LITTLE WEIRD THEN WHEN I STARTED DRIVING RIGHT AWAY THE CAR LOST POWER SHUT DOWN AND ALL THE LIGHT POPPED ON I HAD MY 2 YEAR OLD AND 3 YEAR OLD AND FIANCE IN THE CAR AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND I ALMOST GOT HIT TRYING TO STEER IT OUT OF TRAFFIC INTO A MCDONALD'S. CALLED THE DEALER AND HE JUST LEFT US SITTING THERE IN THE HEAT. CALLED THE TOW TRUCK AND I WAS TRYING TO RESTART THE CAR BUT IT WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT STAY ON. SO I WAIT AND WAIT AND DECIDE TO TRY STARTING IT LIKE 20 MINUTES LATER AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP AS THE TOW TRUCK IS PULLING UP BUT HE CHARGED ME ANYWAY EVEN THOUGH I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT FROM THERE TO THE DEALERS ON MY OWN THE DEALERS MECHANIC KEPT TRYING TO DIAGNOSE THIS THING AND KEPT SAYING OH ITS FIXED NOW ABOUT 4 DIFFERENT TIMES...FIRST HE SAID IT WAS THE COIL PACK,THEN HE SAID IT WAS THE MAF MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR,THEN THEY SAID BAD GAS WAS PUT IN IT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 16, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 10414236

Showing 6 of 181 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.