YearToAvoid

2018 Nissan Maxima Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

28/100

#14 most-complained of 19 Maxima years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2018 Nissan Maxima has 36 owner complaints and 2 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 28 out of 100 — #14 highest of 19 Maxima model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is brakes (10 complaints, 28% of the total). Complaints report 1 crash, 1 fire, and 1 injury.

Complaints
36
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
1 / 1
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
25
21 city / 30 hwy

Top 2018 Nissan Maxima problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes10 (28%)
  2. Other8 (22%)
  3. Collision Avoidance & Cameras6 (17%)
  4. Electrical System5 (14%)
  5. Engine4 (11%)
  6. Structure & Body3 (8%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (8%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers2 (6%)
  9. Airbags1 (3%)
  10. Lane Departure1 (3%)
2018 Nissan Maxima complaints: complaints filed per month6Feb 2018Jul 2019Dec 2019Oct 2020Sep 2022May 2024Sep 2025
45 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2018 to Apr 2026; peak Aug 2019 (6).

2018 Nissan Maxima recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2016Avoid78142825
2017Caution67103425
2018Good2836225
2019Best2218124
2020Good3922124

All Nissan Maxima years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Nissan Maxima a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2018 Nissan Maxima ranks #14 of 19 among Maxima model years (Complaint Index 28/100, verdict: Good). It has 36 complaints and 2 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Nissan Maxima?
The most reported problem areas are brakes (10 complaints), collision avoidance & cameras (6 complaints), and electrical system (5 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 36,500 miles.
Does the 2018 Nissan Maxima have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Nissan Maxima, most recently reported 2019, covering brakes and collision avoidance & cameras.
What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Nissan Maxima?
EPA rates the 2018 Nissan Maxima at 25 MPG combined (21 city / 30 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,200. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.