no report yet
Suspension
Risk. IF THE STRUT INSULATOR IS CRACKED, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT ROD TO COME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING POSITION, WHICH COULD AFFECT VEHICLE STABILITY AND…
2009 Nissan MaximaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 339 owner complaints about the 2009 Nissan Maxima, most often about the steering. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 8, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 Nissan Maxima has problems
339 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
168Steering2 crash/fire/injury
79Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
43Air bags4 crash/fire/injury
36Suspension
18Engine
15Seats
11Power train
8Structure
7Visibility/wiper
3714 other systems3 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 168 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 79 | 1 |
| Air bags | 43 | 4 |
| Suspension | 36 | 0 |
| Engine | 18 | 0 |
| Seats | 15 | 0 |
| Power train | 11 | 0 |
| Structure | 8 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 7 | 0 |
| 14 other systems | 37 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2009 Nissan Maxima recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Nissan.
Mileage at failure
When do steering problems start?
64kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 142 steering complaints. 80% were reported before 100,000 miles.
13under 30k miles113under 100k miles29100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Steering
37 owners mentioned a cost$900median
Middle half: $800 – $1,070
Electrical system
17 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $866 – $1,200
Air bags
12 owners mentioned a cost$1,950median
Middle half: $1,494 – $2,100
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2009 vs. every other Maxima year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Maxima median. How we score
'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2009 Nissan Maxima safety ratings
2009 Nissan Maxima 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Maxima owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2009 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that after the windshield was replaced by Safelite Auto Glass, the employee at Safelite attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start, and the steering wheel had seized. The vehicle was…
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Maxima. The contact received notification of an undisclosed recall. The contact stated that while the vehicle was off, the push-to-start button was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to start. The immobilizer warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a…
The steering wheel lock malfunctioned. The part is available for inspection. The car was parked on the street. It endangered others because it would not start and had to be towed. This issue was confirmed and reproduced by the dealer with diagnostics. There were no symptoms prior to this issue and…
Own a 2009 Maxima?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.