RoadVitals

2000 Nissan Maxima Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest May 21, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 360 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Nissan Maxima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structureSteeringSuspension
Filed May 21, 2015

I HAVE A 2000 MAXIMA WITH 150,000 MILES. I CARRIED IT FOR INSPECTION AND IT FAILED DUE TO THE FRONT END BEING RUSTED OUT. THE PIECE THAT HOLDS THE FRONT ENGINE MOUNT IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT.

NHTSA ID
10717604
Incident
May 7, 2015
Mileage
150,000 mi
Body & structureEngineSteering
Filed Aug 10, 2014

WE OWN A 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA SE. WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH IT. AT AROUND 68,000 MILES WE HAD TO PAY AROUND $1000 TO REPLACE ALL OF THE IGNITION COIL WIRES ON THE CAR BECAUSE IT WOULD STALL AND QUIT RUNNING. WE TOOK IT TO WALLACE NISSAN IN KINGSPORT TENNESSEE AND HAD IT REPAIRED. THEY TOLD US THEN THAT IT WAS A " KNOWN ISSUE" WITH NO OFFICIAL RECALL FROM NISSAN SO WE WOULD HAVE TO COVER THE FULL COST OUT OF POCKET. NEXT WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD THESE "NOISES" IN THE FRONT WHEELS THAT THEY KEEP TELLING US IS FROM RUSTED BRAKE DUST SHIELDS. NOW THE CAR VIBRATES ALL OVER THE ROAD, GOING TO A MECHANIC TOMORROW, MOST LIKELY RACK & PINION ISSUE. WHILE UNDER THE HOOD TODAY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE STEERING ISSUE, HUBBY NOTICED THAT THE BRACE THAT HOLDS THE MOTOR & RADIATOR IS SEVERELY RUSTED....WE'VE REPLACED MULTIPLE O2 SENSORS, MASS AIR FLOW SENSORS, CONSTANT ISSUES WITH BRAKES SINCE WE'VE OWNED THIS THING... ETC ETC NISSAN HAS MAJOR ISSUES WITH THIS CAR FROM WHAT I AM READING..... WHAT A SHAME THEY REFUSE TO FIX THEIR MISTAKES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10621261
Incident
Jul 6, 2005
Mileage
68,000 mi
BrakesPowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Feb 27, 2014

CAR COMPLETELY LOOSES ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKES, WITH NO DRIVER AND OR PASSENGER RECOURSE BUT TO ESCAPE THE VEHICLE BEFORE A CAR COMES UP BEHIND YOU. 93 COMPLAINTS SEEN ON LINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM . SEEMS I SAW OTHER NISSAN MAXIMA OWNERS IN THOSE COMPLAINTS TO NISSAN PETITION THAT HAD 2001 2002 AND 2003 . THE IGNITION COIL WIRES ARE BEING REPLACED AND SOMETIMES THE IGNITION MODULE. TAKES A LOT OF MONEY TO FIND OUT WHAT IT IS AND THE COST TO FIX IS USUALLY 600 TO MORE THAN 1000 DOLLARS, NOT TO MENTION ALL THE THINGS REPLACED TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS. ALL COIL WIRES HAVE TO BE REPLACED AS THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST WONT SHOW WHICH CYLINDER IT IS, WHEN DRIVING ALL LOSS OF RPM THEN STOPS SUDDENLY WITH NO STEERING BECAUSE IT LOCKS UP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10566207
Incident
Jul 1, 2013
Mileage
99,000 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Jan 27, 2013

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 ABOUT THESE ISSUES ARE EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUES PEOPLE ARE HAVING WITH THIS VEHICLE AT THE SAME MILEAGE. O2 SENSOR, ELECTRICAL, DECAY, ETC.. ANYONE WHO OWNS THIS VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT LEAST WARNED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE PROBLEMS THIS VEHICLE HAS AND PARTS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED OR FIXED CAN LEAD TO PEOPLE GETTING IN FATAL CRASHES. I WONDER WHAT THE STATISTICS FOR FATAL CRASHES WITH THESE MODEL YEARS ARE COMPARED TO OTHER? *TR

NHTSA ID
10494843
Incident
Jan 14, 2013
Mileage
167,000 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Aug 20, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH STEERING BECOMES ERRATIC UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES. VEHICLE VIBRATES AND SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY. ALSO BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10034251
Steering
Filed Aug 9, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported2 deaths reported

THIS ACCIDENT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE EXPLAINED BY POLICE OR ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTIONIST. NO WITNESSES HAVE COME FORWARD. ONE CAR ACCIDENT. CAR LEFT INTERSTATE AND CLIPPED A POLE MIDWAY DOWN THE DRIVER'S SIDE..BETWEEN THE FRONT AND BACK SEATS. THE CAR RIPPED INTO TWO PIECES THAT WERE 150FT APART WHEN THEY STOPPED. THE DRIVER WAS KILLED LAONG WITH MY 3 YR OLD DAUGHTER. MOTHER IN LAW SUSTAINED SEVERE HEAD TRAUMA RESULTING IN BEING DISABLED. SHE HAS NO MEMORIES OF THE ACCIDENT. THE GARAGE THE TOWED THE CAR STATED THAT THEY ARE BUILT WITH NO FRAMES???? PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY ARE SPENDING THOUSANDS ON CARS THAT RIP APART LIKE COKE CANS.*AK

NHTSA ID
765419
Incident
Jan 28, 2001
Body & structureFuel systemSteering+2 more
Filed Mar 12, 2001

VEHICLE KEEPS PULLING TO RIGHT.*AK THERE IS A WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE WHILE DRIVING. UNEVEN HEATING AND DEFROST IMPROPER. THEFT WARNING ALARM WILL SOUND FOR NO REASON. TRUNK AND HOOD IS ASYMMETRICAL. VEHICLE GETS BAD GAS MILEAGE. *SLC

NHTSA ID
882783
Incident
Mar 12, 2001
AirbagsSteering
Filed Aug 28, 2000
Crash reported

DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE, SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF STEERING, HIT ANOTHER CAR, SPUN AROUND HIT THE CEMENT MEDIAN BACKWARDS, MEANWHILE, NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND AT SOME POINT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN, NOT SURE AT WHAT POINT- COULD HAVE PRECEEDED THE ENTIRE EVENT

NHTSA ID
729343
Incident
Jul 27, 2000

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .