Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
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Our database holds 95 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2014 Nissan Maxima. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 95 · page 1 of 4
I have a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The passenger side door abruptly stopped working and will not open from the inside or outside. Upon speaking with a mechanic, I learned that this is a very common issue with a Nissan and also that there is a class action lawsuit against Nissan because its believed to be a defect they knew about. Quote i received for repair would be over $400
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the passenger’s side air bag warning light was illuminated. The air bag located in the seat failed to activate as designed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the passenger’s side seat sensor was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the occupant sensor was inoperable. The dealer confirmed that the part was no longer in production. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.
Date(s) of Incident: Multiple incidents from [June 3, 2025] to [July 1, 2025] Summary of Complaint I am filing this complaint against Best Price Transmissions for negligence, non-compliance with automotive repair safety codes, and unprofessional conduct that has resulted in substantial financial loss, vehicle damage, and emotional distress. I have patronized this shop for years, trusting their work, but my vehicles have repeatedly left their care with more problems than they arrived with. The most recent incident involved an air conditioning repair that led to a coolant leak, the recommendation of unnecessary part replacements, and ultimately damage to my vehicle’s performance. Details of Incident 1. Unqualified Workers & Code Non-Compliance Mechanics admitted to not being certified automotive technicians. One employee intentionally released refrigerant from my AC system, claiming there was “too much pressure.” Repairs involving refrigerants must legally be performed by certified personnel; this was not followed. Several workers could not speak English, making communication difficult and contributing to repair errors. 2. Damage to Vehicle My AC and defrost no longer function. Vehicle now runs irregularly, despite having no such issues before their service. Owner previously promised to replace damaged parts caused by their negligence but has not contacted me or honored that agreement. 3. Evidence Collected I recorded both video and audio of conversations, mechanical work, and admissions from employees about their lack of certification. Receipts and photos are available to verify the timeline and repairs. 4. Financial & Emotional Impact I have spent over $2,000 on this matter. I am on a fixed monthly income, making these repeated expenses a severe financial burden. I feel bullied and taken advantage of by the staff, especially since I am disabled and rely on my vehicle for mobility. 5. Attempts at Resolution
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights became inoperable. The contact stated that the headlights failed to function properly, and the lights were dim. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the headlight assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,270.
While pulling into a parking space, I heard my engine racing. Immediately, I felt the car lurch forward. To avoid misapplying my foot to the gas pedal, I withdrew both my feet to the floor, next to the seat. The car continued forward at a fast rate. The car stopped going forward after it struck s building. However, the tires kept spinning, especially the front left tire. The engine ran briefly, until it stopped spontaneously. A few days previously, while driving at about 40 miles per hour on level ground, I felt the gas pedal to be unresponsive. Then it quickly reengaged. I mentioned this to my husband and he suggested that there may have been an air bubble in the fuel line. I don't know if the two events are related. Also, possibly related, I stopped using cruise control, because the car would surge and lapse during use. My insurance company is pursuing spontaneous acceleration. I visited my primary care physician the afternoon of the accident and was diagnosed with whiplash.
The dim lights on the vehicle are very dim, the fog lights are brighter than the dim lights. I’ve replaced the bulbs and headlights and neither fixed the issue. You can barely see in front of the car with the dim lights. It’s very unsafe to drive at night.
Low beam headlights are extremely/dangerously low even if the lights are brand new. In my opinion it's extremely dangerous to drive with only my high beams on but thats the only way I can see at night theres no confidence in relying on my low beams.
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and displayed symptoms relating to transmission failure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the CVT. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 50,400.
Code B1018 failing Occupant sensor in the passenger seat
Failure of multiple systems upon impact with a pothole causing the vehicle to light up brake warning light, traction control system warning light, and spin out with no steering capability, resulting in a total loss of the car, including the rear passenger tire and wheel to sheer off, snapped the tie rod, ripped off the rear bumper, and bent the vehicle rims. I suffered a closed head injury and whiplash, as well as soft tissue damage to right shoulder and knee. Airbags did deploy.
11/2022 dash air bag warning light started flashing in 2014 Nissan Maxima. Dealership said air bag sensor (part #873009DH5B)was bad and seat needed to be replaced est cost~$1600. In January, I called dealership to schedule seat replacement and was told part was on back order with no timeline for availability. Called Nissan Consumer Affairs, as recommended by dealership, and was given 3 locations where a seat was in stock. Called first site, seat was no longer available, called second site and purchased seat (~$1670)which was shipped here and installed by dealership for ~$300 on 22 February 2023. Air bag warning did not resolve with new seat, so spent ~$400 to install sensor (next step in the algorithm), still did not resolve warning. So, dealership tested a seat from one of their personal vehicles which did resolve the air bag warning. They determined the new seat that I had purchased was not functional. Since February, dealership has kept the 'new' seat and has been attempting to get it replaced under warranty as it is a new part that malfunctioned. I have had two case numbers with Nissan consumer affairs, made many calls, sent multiple emails detailing this with no response since January when they gave me the 3 in-stock locations. When I call to check on case #, reps say someone tried to call but couldn't leave message. They were able to reach me in January and I have no record of any calls nor issues receiving other calls/voicemail. I will not risk the safety of my family with a potential air bag malfunction in an accident, so have been unable to have a passenger in the front seat for over 6 months. Dealership is communicative and helpful and keeps trying to get the part but they continue to be told that it's not known when the part will be available. I understand supply chain issues and have been patient, but this is a severe safety concern. It's not reasonable for a consumer to be left with an inherently unsafe airbag activation system for over 6 months.
Over the last couple months I've noticed my vehicle delay acceleration after coming to a stop. I've also noticed jerking while driving at a constant speed. First I thought it was bad gas but the problem has persisted for several fill ups now. I thought maybe the transmission fluid needed to be replaced so I paid a couple hundred bucks to have it serviced. The problem continued. I took it to a local car shop to get it scanned. There were no codes present at the time. A few weeks later and after nearly being struck by three different vehicles in one day, I decided to try a different car repair shop. At the tune of another $91.00 for the diagnosis, this time it threw 5 codes all for transmission. The mechanic proceeded to tell me about all of the problems people have been having with Nissan's and their CVT Transmissions. It's $5k to fix the issue and I'm outside of the extended warranty timeframe. I read about the recent lawsuits against Nissan for this issue. Would be nice if they extended that warranty a little further.
Passenger air bag light warning came on. Diagnostics confirmed the passenger front seat cushion Assy with OCS unit required replacement. The cost is $2108.10 and the part is on back order. This vehicle was purchased new and the passenger side seldom has a passenger. I believe this is a manufacturer responsibility as evidenced by the many recalls documented. The new seat order is placed through Premier Nissan of Metaire, LA. Please consider placing this claim into recall. Thank you for your assistance.
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, Napleton St. Louis Nissan (10964 Page Ave., St. Louis, MO 63132) where the mechanic replaced the crankshaft and camshaft; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and diagnosed with and intelligent power distributor module (IPDM) failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,500. The VIN was not available.
Low beam headlights are dangerously low. No matter the quality of bulbs or the clarity of the lights the low beam headlights offer extremely limited visibility. Requires high beams when driving at night. I have had numerous mechanics look at the issue and it stems from a failure of the projector in the headlamp.
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. The contact stated he was able to pull over and was only able to restart the vehicle by shifting the gear shifter into neutral(N). The contact stated that the vehicle was operating while in neutral(N), however, while driving the vehicle failed to exceed 5 MPH despite depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the engine was revving abnormally. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure occurred on various occasions while driving at various speeds. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure and was informed that there were no known recalls related to the failure. The contact was informed to schedule an appointment for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer not made aware of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 31,000.
Transmission valve body goes bad.
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights failed to adequately illuminate the roadway. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer performed an unknown TSB; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
CVT transmission suddenly gets stuck on a lower "gear", often going from Drive to 2nd, while driving freeway speeds, causing the engine to rev to very high rpm's and the car to quickly loose power and slow down. The power loss is so dramatic it is difficult to change lanes within traffic in order to pull off the freeway to safety. Often the vehicle speed drops by 30 mph or more. I have taken the car into Nissan on numerous times and they tell me I need a new $7000 transmission even though my car only had 60k miles on her when the issue first started. They know they have an issue with this transmission and they have recalled and replaced transmissions for other vehicles withbthe CVT, Altima and Marano, but not the Maxima. They say because it's a beefier transmission, but it is the same faulty component in all the transmissions despite the size of the transmission. Through my research, this isba widespread problem for Maxima owners within the years of this transmission issue.. It is interesting to note that Nissan decreased the powertrain warranty from 100k mi down to 60k mi for the model years that have this CVT issue, and bumped it back to 100k after the issue was resolved for newer model year cars
Purchased in 2015 & driven less than 50,000 miles when a popping noise started during braking or traveling over bumps. Mechanic diagnosed & replaced the right lower control arm. Part should not have failed under low mileage conditions.
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH at night, the headlights failed to adequately illuminate the roadway causing a visibility hazard to the driver. The contact stated that the headlight failure was more evident while driving on unlit back roads. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
I’ve been getting pulled over by the state trooper because of my headlights they’re stating they aren’t bright enough. The bulb was changed and still same problem. My Nissan was slow to accelerate while driving, then looses power, turns off.
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while the vehicle was being inspected by an independent mechanic, she was informed the vehicle was pulling to the left and the transmission fluid needed to be replaced. The contact was informed to contact the Toyota dealer where she bought the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle back to the Toyota dealer, to have the maintenance work completed and had an alignment performed on the vehicle. The Toyota dealer referred her to the Nissan dealer for the transmission service. The contact took the vehicle to Lokey Nissan (27758 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater, FL 33761: (727) 789-8100) and was informed that the front suspension and control arm needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 02V146000 (Suspension) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,646. Vehicle has not been repaired. Consumer reviewed the forms and all seem correct except for the las part where it said Applicable Incident Information. Consumer did not report a crash or a fire.
Driving the car stop and a light. Light turns green and the car inches through the intersection. Pedal is to the floor and nothing happens. Eventually power starts to build up and I can go,but once I get to a light it repeats itself and not power after brake is released.
I was about to get on a highway, so before I got on the highway I heard a loud blast overhead, like a loud boom sound. It was very scary that I most lost control. All that I felt was glass all over me and in the car. The panoramic roof just shattered by itself. It felt like a pressure blew the top off. A very scary experience that I don’t know what would have happened if I was on high speed on the highway, I might have lost control. I managed to close the sunroof cover and slowly made it to the next exit.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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