YearToAvoid

2010 Nissan Maxima Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 30 Engine complaints for the 2010 Nissan Maxima, 11% of all complaints filed for that year, with a median failure mileage of 55,000. No related recalls are on file for this engine issue.

Engine complaints
30
11% of 275
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
55,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Engine stalls suddenly while driving at low speeds, sometimes with warning lights and loss of power steering and brakes.
  • Vehicle hesitates or fails to accelerate, then makes unusual motorcycle-like noises before slowing to a stop.
  • Some owners report unintended acceleration when approaching a stop or shifting into reverse, with the vehicle moving without pedal input.
  • After stalling, the engine sometimes will not restart until the vehicle sits for several minutes.
  • Dealers in several cases could not diagnose the stalling or acceleration issue during inspection.

When 2010 Nissan Maxima engine complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 8, 2010, latest Sep 19, 2022.

2010 Nissan Maxima engine complaints: complaints filed per month3Mar 2010Aug 2011Oct 2013Mar 2014Feb 2015Sep 2015Oct 2018Dec 2021
30 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2010 to Sep 2022; peak Feb 2015 (3).

Engine recalls for the 2010 Nissan Maxima

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Maxima model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201030 (11%)
  2. 201118 (17%)
  3. 201214 (13%)
  4. 20134 (6%)
  5. 201410 (10%)
  6. 20151 (100%)
  7. 201634 (24%)
  8. 201710 (10%)
  9. 20184 (11%)
  10. 20194 (22%)
  11. 20202 (9%)
  12. 20211 (33%)
  13. 20221 (20%)
  14. 20230 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems in the 2010 Nissan Maxima?
NHTSA lists 30 Engine complaints for the 2010 Maxima, making up 11% of all 275 complaints filed for that year.
Is there a recall for the 2010 Nissan Maxima engine?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this engine issue.
At what mileage do 2010 Maxima engine problems usually happen?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 55,000 miles.
Did the 2010 Maxima engine issue cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data tied to this engine issue includes 1 crash and 1 injury, with no fires reported.
How does 2010 compare to other Maxima years for engine complaints?
The 2010 model year's 30 engine complaints are the highest raw count in the dataset, though 2016 had a higher share at 24% of that year's complaints.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.