Problems · NHTSA complaints

2019 Nissan Maxima problems

Owners filed 18 complaints about the 2019 Nissan Maxima with NHTSA between Aug 2019 and Jun 2026. The most-cited component is engine (4).

Complaints
18
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine4
  2. Power train3
  3. Service brakes3
  4. Electrical system2
  5. Exterior lighting2
  6. Visibility/wiper2
  7. Structure2
  8. Wheels1
  9. Forward collision avoidance1
  10. Tires1
  11. Steering1
  12. Other / unknown5

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20192
20204
20212
20223
20230
20241
20253
20263

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine

4 reports1 crash
“My 2019 Nissan Maxima (approximately 70,000 miles) displayed a hazard warning indicating a vehicle failure and began stalling without warning. The vehicle was brought to Mossy Nissan on May 28, 2025, where it has remained for over 11 days. The dealership has been unable to identify or repair the root cause of the electrical failure. The vehicle has been observed stalling while in the dealership's possession. This is a safety defect — a vehicle that stalls without warning poses a direct risk to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. I am formally requesting NHTSA investigate this issue as a potential safety defect in the 2019 Nissan Maxima.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 8, 2026Electrical system, EngineODI 11742646

Power train

3 reports1 crash
“I purchased my 2019 Nissan Maxima [XXX] from Hyundai of Pineville I'm Charlotte NC. Over the past months including after purchase which I made Hyundai aware. The vehicle has an ongoing noise coming from I side the front hood of the vehicle. It sounds as of a pan etc... is hitting something, at times in slow motion there is a whining noise coming from the car, when just sitting in driver seat and pressing gas pedal when the car idle down after pressing the gas pedal there is a thump noise. The original owner of the vehicle traded the vehicle at Hyundai and appears they were from out of state is where the vehicle is from. So I have not received no recall etc... info also the prior owner, I keep getting stuff with there name.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 4, 2025Power train, EngineODI 11671273

Service brakes

3 reports1 crash
“I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY DASH LIT UP RED AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATED CAUSING AN ABRUPT STOP. THERE WERE NO OBJECTS IN THE ROAD AND ALL OTHER VEHICLES WERE IN SAFE RANGE, NOWHERE NEAR MY VEHICLE. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT OR SERIOUS INJURIES. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE AND I PURCHASED MY CAR BRAND NEW 6 MONTHS AGO.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 21, 2020Service brakesODI 11318895

Electrical system

2 reports
“I was driving at night when I got a headlight system error message on my instrument panel and I noticed my driver side headlight was not on. A few seconds later the light came back on and a minute or so later it went off again and came back on and I got the error message again. It came back on and has worked pretty much since but I have seen it flickering at night on a few occasions. The next day when it was light out I looked at both headlights and noticed a lot I mean a lot of condensation inside the headlight assembly. I know some fogging and some light condensation is normal on these LED lights but the amount inside the driver side headlight is not normal. And I was lucky enough to have the error and light go off and on in a fairly well lit area so thankfully I was not in an accident or driving on road that’s not well lit. There’s clearly a defect in the sealing of the headlight that’s allowing that much water in. And not having a headlight working because of an error caused by water that can disable my visibility especially on the driver side to due to the headlight not being sealed properly. There is not physical damage like a crack or anything in the…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 25, 2026Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11727083

Exterior lighting

2 reports1 crash
“DRIVING NORTH ON BISCAYNE BLVD 167TH ST NORTH MIAMI FL CAR DRASTICALLY WENT TO RIGHT AND WENT ON RISKING AND HIT POLES AND AIR BAGS CAME OUT I HAD NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE IT WAS MECHANICAL DEFECT I CALLED PRIOR TO RENTAL SAYING SOMETHING IS WRONG BUT NO ONE LISTENED.*DT*JB*DT CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER STATING VEHICLE WAS SOLD AS A SALVAGE.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 22, 2020Exterior lighting, Structure, EngineCrash reportedODI 11310709

Visibility/wiper

2 reports
“I recently purchased a 2019 Nissan Maxima in November of 2025 from the Nissan dealership, with in the matter of 2 weeks after getting the car as I was driving the sunroof just exploded sounding like a gunshot. My son was in the car and luckily, I had the shade up, so no glass got all over us. The issue almost caused a wreck due to me having to swerve after thinking someone was shooting and or something fell out of the sky. I have a panoramic sunroof, and the insurance company say they do not cover sunroofs.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 18, 2026Visibility/wiperODI 11718735
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

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