2010 Nissan Maxima Steering Problems

While driving to work car stalled going 20MPH, no power brakes, no power steering, coasted to safe side of road. Waited ten minutes car pressed start car restarted. Five days later, going to store, driving 35 mph, car stalled while running, no power steering, no power brakes, coasted to safe side of road. Waited ten minutes car restarted. This is an on going safety problem. My father in law had this same vehicle and he was afraid to drive it because of the same issues.

NHTSA ID

11485332

Incident

Sep 9, 2022

MY POWER STEERING PUMP HAS A SLOW LEAK IN IT.

NHTSA ID

11389708

Incident

Jan 15, 2021

FOR WHILE THE CAR WOULD VIBRATE WHEN HITTING EVEN THE SLIDE IS BUMP CAUSING INSTABILITY IN NOT ONLY STEERING NOISES CLICKING BUT ONCE WE SAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR THE FIX FINALLY FINDING OUT IT WAS THE INSULATOR FOR THE STRUT THIS PART OF THE SAME RECALL WHICH STATED THIS INSULATOR WAS A DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER THEREFORE NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS RECALL

NHTSA ID

11386560

Incident

Jun 11, 2020

Mileage

13,500 mi

MY TRANSMISSION BEGAN MAKING A WINNING NOISE, THEN IT GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER. NOW MY TRANSMISSION IS DONE. THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. I GAVE A CVT TRANSMISSION. ALSO HAVE ISSUES WITH STRUTS.HAD NOISE SINCE 2019.

NHTSA ID

11319941

Incident

Mar 25, 2020

Mileage

21,523 mi

I WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AFTER RETURNING TO MY PARKED CAR DURING A LATE NIGHT DRIVE TO VISIT A FRIEND. WHEN I TRIED THE PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE FROM PAST LOCK. I NOTICED A NEW LIGHT INDICATOR FOR MY "INTELLIGENT KEY" I HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE. AFTER A QUICK GOOGLE, I FOUND THAT THESE SYMPTOMS WERE LINKED TO A ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK DEFECT THAT HAD BEEN KNOW FOR YEARS. AFTER CONTACTING NISSAN I WAS TOLD THAT ARE INDEED HAVE A SERVICE CAMPAIGN FOR THE 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA HOWEVER FOR I AM FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECT AS MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN "SERVICE CAMPAIGN". BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT I WAS STRANDED MILES FROM HOME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND FORCED TO PAY OVER 800$ OUT OF POCKET IN EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO REPLACE A PART THAT MAY VERY WELL FAIL AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.

NHTSA ID

11269190

Incident

Oct 14, 2019

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BECAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD LOCK UP. ALSO, THE KEY INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT HAD TO TAKE OFF THE PANELING AND TAP THE STEERING COLUMN BOX TO GET THE STEERING COLUMN TO UNLOCK FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,247. *DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11246502

Incident

Aug 23, 2019

Mileage

173,247 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11151176

Incident

Dec 27, 2017

Mileage

102,578 mi

I BEEN HAVING VIBRATIONS AND CLUNK NOISES SINCE I BROUGHT THE CAR IN 2013 THE CAR SHAKES AND VIBRATES AT 55 MPH SINCE THEN I REPLACE SHOCKS STRUTS BALL JOINTS CONTROL ARMS AND TIRES BUT THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE.

NHTSA ID

11047845

Incident

Nov 9, 2016

STEERING- WHEN TURNING THE COLUM IT SQUEEKS; RIGHT OR LEFT AS I AM SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE THE TURN. SUSPENSION- STRUT INSLUATORS NEED TO BE REPLACED; THIS WAS MENTIONED YEARS BACK IN A RECALL AND MINE ARE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED, I AM NOT ORIGIONAL OWNER. PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT- CONSTANTLY ON LOWER CONTROL ARMS- REPLACED DRIVERS SIDE BUT NEEDS PASSENGER SIDE REPLACED AS WELL

NHTSA ID

10995830

Incident

Apr 2, 2017

Mileage

790,000 mi

STEERING COLUMN FAILURE. THE STEERING LOCKING MECHANISM SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. HAD TO GET IT TOWED AND COST NEARLY $1,500 TO GET THE VEHICLE FIXED. FOR A WELL MAINTAINED 2010 MAXIMA, THATS A LARGE UNEXPECTED BILL. SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO LOTS OF NISSAN MODELS. NISSAN NEEDS TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION.

NHTSA ID

10956176

Incident

Feb 11, 2017

Mileage

94,000 mi

ON SUNDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2017, I LEFT MY HOUSE TO VISIT MY BROTHER AT 10AM AND WHEN I CAME BACK OUTSIDE (20MINS LATER) TO MY CAR, IT WOULD NOT START. AN ORANGE LIGHT THAT READ "KEY" POPPED UP ON THE DASHBOARD. TRIED TO START THE CAR AND THE KEY LIGHT CAME ON, BRAKES WERE HARD TO PRESS, AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT START ONLY LOCK WOULD SHOW UP ON THE PUSH TO START BUTTON. AFTER TWO HOURS, I HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE, I DID SOME SEARCHING ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NISSAN MAXIMA AND NOT COVERED BY ANY EXTENDED WARRANTIES; THOUGH I READ THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED OFTEN ENOUGH WITH THE 2009 MAXIMA THAT NISSAN ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO COVER THIS REPAIR. THE PIECE IN QUESTION THAT WAS THE PROBLEM... QUOTED BY NISSAN IS THE "STEERING LOCK." THIS PIECE HAS BEEN RECALLED BY NISSAN IN THE EARLIER MODELS, BUT APPARENTLY NOT FOR MY VEHICLE (WHICH IS THE YEAR AFTER THE ONE THAT IS RECALLED) APPARENTLY THEY DIDN'T FIX THIS ISSUE. MONDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 2017, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP TO CONFIRM MY CAR ISSUE (LOCK STEERING) AND THE COST WAS GOING TO BE $1104 TO REPAIR, WITH MY MILITARY DISCOUNT THE COST WAS $985.46. STILL THIS IS MONEY I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PAY CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER MALFUNCTION AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WEAR AND TEAR OF VEHICLE. WHICH, BTW, THE VEHICLE IS IN GREAT SHAPE AND HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECKS AND ALL WORK COMPLETED BY A NISSAN TECHNICIAN WHICH MAKES THIS EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING. THIS COMPLAINT IS TO NOT ONLY BRING ATTENTION TO THE ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA, BUT TO ALSO GET REIMBURSED FOR MY OUT OF POCKET REPAIR. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL NISSAN CUSTOMER SINCE 2000 (THIS IS MY THIRD MAXIMA; FAVORITE TYPE OF CAR), BUT I CAN HONESTLY SAY NISSAN, YOU'RE LOSING YET ANOTHER CUSTOMER'THIS IS RIDICULOUS.

NHTSA ID

10949965

Incident

Feb 5, 2017

Mileage

77,120 mi

MY WIFE WAS STRANDED AT A BUSINESS AND OUR CAR WOULDN'T START. AFTER CALLING OUR LOCAL DEALER, IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING LOCK. WE PURCHASED THIS 2010 MAXIMA NEW IN SEPT. 2009. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY NISSAN. WE HAVE 67000 MILES AND WAS TOLD THAT IT'S NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10948587

Incident

Jan 30, 2017

Mileage

67,000 mi

VEHICLE IS AN IMPLACABLE CONDITION. JUST TURNED ONLY 70,000 MILES. CAR WAS PARKED AT MY PLACE OF BUSINESS. WHEN I CAME OUT TO GO HOME THE KEY LIGHT WAS ON. UPON DIAG. FOUND THE STEERING LOCK SOLENOID HAS MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE STRANDED. HAVING THE CAR TOWED 20 MILES AT MY EXPENSE I FIND PUT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR YEAR MAKE AND MODEL. VERY COSTLY REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10946565

Incident

Jan 17, 2017

Mileage

70,000 mi

SEE ATTACHMENTS

NHTSA ID

10940298

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

50,940 mi

WENT TO USE CAR BEFORE WORK AND IT WOULDN'T START. TO THE PROPER MEASURES TO START IT BY GIVING IT A JUMP AND NO AVAIL. I FINALLY LOOKED IN THE MANUAL FOR THE WARNING NISSAN INTELLIGENT KEY ISSUE AND NO SOLUTION WAS FOUND. I BEGAN RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM AND 09 NISSANS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE BUT NOT NEWER MODELS. THIS TENDS TO HAPPEN AFTER 65K MILES AND MY CAR IS AT 91K. THE REPAIRS ARE EXPENSIVE AND CAUSED TO A DEFECT NOT THE WEAR AND TEAR OF THE DRIVER. NISSAN SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10940053

Incident

Jan 5, 2017

Mileage

91,000 mi

THE CAR DOESN'T START, THE STEERING WHEEL IS NOT LOCKED AND IT SHOWS A RED LIGHT WITH A KEY IN THE DASHBOARD, I WAS IN A PARKING LOT DOING GROCERY AND WHEN I WENT TO THE CAR TO GO BACK HOME IT DIDN'T START, SHOWING THAT RED LIGHT WITH A KEY ON IT.

NHTSA ID

10938930

Incident

Dec 30, 2016

I'M THE SECOND OWNER & IT'S RUN FINE SINCE NOVEMBER 2011. YESTERDAY IT WOULDN'T START DUE TO THE FAULTY/BROKEN IGNITION SWITCH. TOWED IT TO DEALER & IT'S GOING TO BE $910 TO REPLACE THE FAULTY ELECTRONIC IGNITION. VIN CONTAINS A'S (NOT B'S), INDICATING IT WAS FROM FIRST HALF OF 2010. IT PROBABLY HAS THE SAME DEFECT AS THE 2009 MAXIMAS THAT WERE RECALLED. DEALER 'CORRECTLY' STATES THE 2010 DOESN'T HAVE A RECALL, BUT IT SHOULD. LOVE NISSAN CARS, BUT AFTER THIS, I'LL NEVER TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. NISSAN NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE CARS TO RECIPROCATE CUSTOMER LOYALTY.

NHTSA ID

10935996

Incident

Dec 16, 2016

Mileage

55,000 mi

GOT IN CAR LEAVING FROM GYM THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED COULD NOT MOVE IT. CALLED DEALER WHO TOLD ME TO HOLD KEY FOB OVER CAR IGNITION DID NOT RESOLVE SITUATION. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED . I GOT ON LINE TO RESEARCH ABOUT THIS LOCKING MECHANISM AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MILLIONS OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO THIS VERY ISSUE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MILLIONS OF COMPLAINTS BEING FILED AGAINST NISSAN FOR THIS SITUATION. APPARENTLY THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS INTERNAL STEERING WHEEL LOCK MECHANISM HOWEVER NISSAN HAS PASSED THE COST OF THE FAULTY COMPONENT ONTO THE UNEXPECTED CONSUMER. THIS COST ME $1000.00 . SHAME ON YOU NISSAN. THANK GOD I WAS NOT IN MOTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10928314

Incident

Nov 26, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

CAR STARTED FINE ALL MORNING, I WENT INSIDE TOF PAY A BILL NOT EVEN 10 MINUTES LATER. I WENT TO MY CAR TO CRANK UP AND IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD, BRAKES WERE HARD, AND THE KEY DISPLAY FLASHING. I CALLED A MECHANIC TO TRY EVERYTHING NO BUDGE, SOON I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP. NISSAN CALLED THE NEXT DAY STATING THAT THE STEERING WHEEL MECHANISM HAD FAILED AND WARRANTY WAS COVERING IT. I ENDED UP DISHING OUT OVER 1300.00 TO GET IT FIX.

NHTSA ID

10927904

Incident

Nov 9, 2016

Mileage

92,000 mi

VEHICLE STARTED FINE, MADE A STOP AT THE STORE BEFORE HEADING TO WORK IN THE AM, CAME OUT OF STORE ONLY TO FIND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. CALLED SERVICE DEPARTMENT USED FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE. ESCL OR ELECT. STEERING CONTROL LOCK MODULE BAD AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. PROBLEM KNOWN/COMMON BY NISSAN NEITHER EXTENDED WARRANTY NOR NISSAN WANT TO PAY TO REPAIR. WITH THIS BEING KNOWN AND COMMON THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS PART.

NHTSA ID

10926796

Incident

Nov 17, 2016

Mileage

79,000 mi

CAR WILL NOT START DUE TO STEERING WHEEL LOCK MALFUNCTION. CALLED MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED ME OF THE PROBLEM WHICH THEY ARE AWARE OF. HOWEVER, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY TO COVER THIS ISSUE EXPIRED MARCH OF 2015. SO THAT LEAVES THE CUSTOMER WITH AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE OF 900-1100 DOLLARS. NISSAN HAS NOT ISSUED ANY RECALL. I'M STUCK PAYING FOR A CAR THAT DOESN'T START AND FORCED TO SHELL OUT OVER A $1000 FOR A PROBLEM THAT IS THE MANFACTURER'S FAULT. THIS IS HIGHWAY ROBBERY. A COMPLETE RIPOFF TO NISSAN'S CUSTOMERS. THIS COMPANY IS A JOKE. I WILL NEVER EVER PURCHASE ANOTHER NISSAN AGAIN. AND I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT ONE ELSE DOES.

NHTSA ID

10924496

Incident

Nov 5, 2016

Mileage

89,880 mi

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK IS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT THAT NISSAN HAS KNOWN ABOUT IN THEIR 2009 MODELS. THE REPAIR IS GOING TO COST ME, AND ANYONE THAT COMES THIS ISSUES, AND THAT OUT OF WARRANTY $1100.00. THIS REPAIR ISN'T GUARANTEED EITHER. CALLED CONSUMER AFFAIRS ONLY TO BE TOLD NO. THIS PART YOU NEED IS ONLY AVAILABLE AT A NISSAN DEALERSHIP, AND THE PART ITSELF COST $900. FOR NISSAN TO NOT STAND BY THEIR CARS IS A SHAME.

NHTSA ID

10915440

Incident

Oct 10, 2016

Mileage

101,333 mi

STEERING LOCK CONTROL UNIT LEFT ME STRANDED. PARKED MY CAR THE NIGHT PRIOR AS USUAL AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART MY CAR THE NEXT MORNING LEAVING ME WITHOUT A WAY TO GET MY KIDS TO SCHOOL. AFTER READING UP ON THIS ISSUE I HAVE FOUND COMPLAINT AFTER COMPLAINT. NOT A HAPPY CUSTOMER.

NHTSA ID

10899723

Incident

Aug 31, 2016

Mileage

120,000 mi

THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK MODULE BROKE. THE CAR WOULD NOT START OR DRIVE. I HAD DRIVEN IT TO A HOME. STOPPED THE VEHICLE, TURNED IT OFF. WHEN I GOT BACK IN, IT DID NOT WORK AT ALL. THE CAR WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE MY INTELLIGENT KEY. PUSHING THE START BUTTON DID NOTHING. IT DID NOT EVEN LIGHT UP.

NHTSA ID

10898970

Incident

Aug 19, 2016

Mileage

43,000 mi

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW AND IT NOW HAS 49,000 MILES ON IT. IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED 3X AND I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO START MY CAR. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET IT STARTED BY CONTINUOUSLY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE AND SHIMMY THE WHEEL. I'M A 65 YEAR OLD FEMALE AND IT TAKES MINIMALLY 5 MINUTES TO COMPLETE THIS TASK IN A VEHICLE OVERHEATED BY THE SOARING SUMMER TEMPS. THIS US UNHEALTHY AND A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.

NHTSA ID

10894791

Incident

Aug 7, 2016

Mileage

48,800 mi