2018 Nissan Maxima Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2018 Nissan Maxima has a complaint index of 28 and ranks 14th out of 19 model years, but is rated Caution because of an unrepaired Do Not Drive/Park Outside recall rather than complaint volume. Brakes are the top problem area, with 10 complaints and a median failure mileage of 34,000.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 28/100
- #14 of 19 Maxima years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 36
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- 1 Park Outside
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 1
- Top issue
- Brakes
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 25
- 21 city / 30 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
Top 2018 Nissan Maxima problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Brakes10 (28%)
- Other8 (22%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras6 (17%)
- Electrical System5 (14%)
- Engine4 (11%)
- Structure & Body3 (8%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (8%)
- Visibility & Wipers2 (6%)
- Airbags1 (3%)
- Lane Departure1 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Front radar sensors report 'unavailable due to obstruction,' disabling automatic emergency braking and triggering warning lights and beeps.
- Automatic emergency braking has failed to activate during normal driving, and in other cases the system has braked suddenly and unexpectedly while accelerating from a stop.
- Airbags failed to deploy in a crash at 35 mph, resulting in the driver hitting the steering wheel.
- Smoke and fire have been reported coming from under the hood while driving at low speed.
- A sunroof reportedly shattered without warning while driving on a highway.
- A rear seatbelt latch was reported installed backwards, causing the belt to twist when buckled.
2018 Nissan Maxima recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 19V807000Nov 8, 2019Brakes391,479 vehiclesPark Outside
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair, under recall number 18V-601. In addition, this recall expands the previous population. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
Risk: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS actuator, free of charge. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available, currently expected to be during summer 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: If the ABS warning light remains illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle.
- NHTSA 19V654000Sep 12, 2019Collision Avoidance & Cameras1,228,830 vehicles
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
2018 Nissan Maxima fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21 MPG
- Highway
- 30 MPG
- Combined
- 25 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,200
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2018 compared with other Maxima years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Nissan Maxima reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2018 Maxima a complaint index of 28, ranking 14th out of 19 model years. Its verdict is Caution, driven mainly by an unrepaired Park Outside recall rather than a high number of complaints.
- What are the most common problems with the 2018 Nissan Maxima?
- Brakes are the top problem area with 10 complaints (28% share), followed by Collision Avoidance & Cameras issues with 6 complaints (17%) and Electrical System issues with 5 complaints (14%).
- Does the 2018 Nissan Maxima have a recall?
- Yes, two recalls: campaign 19V807000 covers an ABS actuator replacement for unrepaired brake recalls and carries a Park Outside designation, and campaign 19V654000 covers a back-up camera software update.
- How does the 2018 Maxima compare to other Maxima years?
- The 2018 model's complaint index of 28 is far lower than the worst years, 2005 (100) and 2006 (89), both rated Avoid. Still, 2018 is capped at Caution due to its unrepaired recall status, while years like 2019 and 2022 earn a Best verdict.
- At what mileage do 2018 Maxima brake problems typically appear?
- NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage of 34,000 miles at brake-related failure for the 2018 Maxima.