RoadVitals

2018 Nissan Maxima Brakes Problems

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

Data refreshed

Brakes 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 Feb 6, 2026
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.
22%
of 36 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 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 brake

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

BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Feb 6, 2026

In June 2019, while driving my 2018 Nissan Maxima, the vehicle suffered a sudden and violent mechanical failure. Without warning, the steering wheel jerked forcefully to the side, and the vehicle became uncomtrollabel leading to an approx 100-foot spin across a median. ​I have since verified this vehicle was subject to NHTSA Recall 19V-807 for an ABS Actuator leak that shorts the circuit board. This defect caused the crash, which resulted in a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with extremy worsening memory loss 4mm spinal shift (L5-S1). I have comparative MRI scans (2015 vs. post-crash) confirming the injury.

NHTSA ID
11716091
Incident
Jun 24, 2019
Brakes
Filed May 3, 2024
Fire reported

The contact's son owned a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while the driver was driving 5 MPH, he noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that the driver opened the hood, and noticed that there was fire under the hood. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. A fire department report was not filed. A police report was filed, but the police report information was not available. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V807000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The used car dealer the vehicle was purchased from was contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,533.

NHTSA ID
11586726
Incident
Apr 28, 2024
Mileage
51,533 mi
Brakes
Filed Dec 26, 2019

I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MAY WIFE AND LONG TRIPS. IT WAS RATED SATISFACTORY BY CONSUMERS REPORT. I RECEIVED A RECALL FROM NISSAN THAT THE CAR COULD LEAK BRAKE FLUID AND CATCH FIRE. THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FIX IT UNTIL SUMMER OF 2020. IN THE MEAN TIME IF THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON I SHOULD PULL IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALL NISSAN'S TOWING SERVICE THIS MAKES THE CAR UNSUITABLE FOR LONG TRIPS ESPECIALLY IF MY WIFE IS DRIVING. CALLING THE DEALER AND NISSAN AMERICA GOT NO RESPONSE BUT THAT IS THE WAY THINGS ARE. A WOMAN PULLING A CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT NIGHT IS NOT SAFE.NOT HAVING PARTS TO REPLACE A SAFETY DEFECT IS UNCONSCIONABLE

NHTSA ID
11291252
Incident
Dec 16, 2019
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Aug 21, 2019

SHOW ME WARNING OF OBSTRUCTION ON RADAR FOR EMERGENCY BRAKE

NHTSA ID
11245610
Incident
Aug 21, 2019
Brakes
Filed Aug 6, 2019

DASHBOARD MESSAGE APPEARS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING "UNAVAILABLE FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION". THE MESSAGE RELATES TO THE SYSTEM THAT AUTOMATICALLY APPLIES THE BRAKES IF IT SENSES A COLLISION DANGER.

NHTSA ID
11241918
Incident
Aug 5, 2019
Mileage
5,400 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 29, 2019

AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING FAILURE WHILE MOVING ON A DAILY BASIS AT 39,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID
11240459
Incident
Jul 29, 2019
Mileage
39,000 mi
Brakes
Filed May 23, 2019

WARNING: UNAVAILABLE FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION APPEARS ON TH DISPLAY ALONG WITH A LOUD BEEP.

NHTSA ID
11209488
Incident
Mar 1, 2019
Mileage
34,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 12, 2019

BRAKE SYSTEM SENSORS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WARRING LIGHT APPEARS ON DASH AND READS: FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION.

NHTSA ID
11195893
Incident
Feb 23, 2019
Mileage
26,100 mi

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 .