Nissan Maxima 2000–2003
5th generation (A33)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20261,219 complaints, 804 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 39,131 and 116,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 23 complaints (2.9%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 17,000
- 25%
- 39,131
- Median
- 69,000
- 75%
- 116,000
- 90%
- 158,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 33 | 4.1% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 58 | 7.2% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 65 | 8.1% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 47 | 5.8% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 70 | 8.7% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 73 | 9.1% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 59 | 7.3% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 46 | 5.7% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 46 | 5.7% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 59 | 7.3% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 30 | 3.7% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 25 | 3.1% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 36 | 4.5% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 29 | 3.6% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 25 | 3.1% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 25 | 3.1% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 20 | 2.5% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 16 | 2.0% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 13 | 1.6% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 6 | 0.7% |
| 200,000+ | 23 | 2.9% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,219 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000–2003 Nissan Maxima, and 804 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 39,131 and 116,000 miles. The median is 69,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the electrical system (20.3% of complaints, typically around 56,000 miles), the engine and its cooling system (15.5% of complaints, typically around 70,000 miles), the airbag system (9.9% of complaints, typically around 106,000 miles).
2 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Electrical system56,000median 56,275 miles, middle half 43,000 to 86,000
- Engine and its cooling system70,000median 70,000 miles, middle half 38,000 to 100,000
- Airbag system106,000median 106,000 miles, middle half 58,000 to 150,000
- Engine124,000median 123,966 miles, middle half 98,000 to 150,000
- Hydraulic brake circuit27,000median 26,950 miles, middle half 16,000 to 43,000
- Exterior lighting17,000median 17,000 miles, middle half 6,500 to 90,000
- Suspension75,000median 75,000 miles, middle half 33,000 to 115,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 247 | 20.3% | 56,000 | 43,000–86,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 189 | 15.5% | 70,000 | 38,000–100,000 |
| Airbag system | 121 | 9.9% | 106,000 | 58,000–150,000 |
| Engine | 78 | 6.4% | 124,000 | 98,000–150,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 73 | 6.0% | 27,000 | 16,000–43,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 63 | 5.2% | 17,000 | 6,500–90,000 |
| Suspension | 60 | 4.9% | 75,000 | 33,000–115,000 |
| Body structure | 55 | 4.5% | 99,000 | 57,000–139,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 54 | 4.4% | 74,000 | 40,000–96,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 51 | 4.2% | 75,000 | 42,000–110,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 69,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The electrical system accounts for 20.3% of complaints (247 reports, 188 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 56,275 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 43,000 and 85,750 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 15.5% of complaints (189 reports, 142 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 38,000 and 100,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 9.9% of complaints (121 reports, 68 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 106,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 57,800 and 150,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 6.4% of complaints (78 reports, 68 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 123,966 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 98,000 and 150,000 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 6.0% of complaints (73 reports, 39 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 26,950 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,683 and 43,000 miles.
The exterior lighting accounts for 5.2% of complaints (63 reports, 25 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 17,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,400 and 90,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2000 model year drew the most — 467 complaints — while 2001 drew the fewest at 225. The median year sits at 263.
The first year of the generation, 2000, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 2 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 1,219 complaints filed against this generation, 105 reported a crash; 14 reported a fire; 89 reported an injury; 10 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 8.6% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 39,131 and 116,000 miles, with a median of 69,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the electrical system and the engine and its cooling system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 56,275, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Emissions / Exhaust 2000–2001
Pre-catalytic converter failure with substrate ingestion into the engine, a widely reported cause of high oil consumption and cylinder wear on the VQ30DE-K.
Engine Mounts
Collapsed hydraulic front engine mount causing heavy idle vibration and driveline shudder.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 467 | 302 |
| 2001 | 225 | 153 |
| 2002 | 278 | 174 |
| 2003 | 249 | 175 |
Recalls (2)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 20V008000 | 2020-02-12 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 15V287000 | 2015-06-15 | Air Bags |
What owners reported
Had problems with engine ping 1 year after purchase. Was told by dealership to use better grade of gas and some pinging is normal. Pinging persisted and right after warranty expired, pinging got so bad the car was undriveable. All 6 coils and knock sensors needed to be replaced. Cost me $1500. Nissan won't cover any…
2000 · 10,000 miles · Electrical system
Bought the Maxima new and at 12000 miles had to have the rotors turned. The dealer and Nissan said it was my driving habits. I promptly told them that this is the first car i had this done to (other than a used 74 vega i had in high school). Now the car is at 22,000 miles (and is only a little over 3 years old) and…
2000 · 12,000 miles · Service brakes, air
"Service engine" light came on.Dealer(maroone Nissan) stated ignition coils needed replacing.Car had 14,000 miles on it,but was 4 months over warranty.Dealer offered no charge for coils,but $200 for labor.I declined since car was running fine.The initial incident was may,2003. Since that time light has gone off and on…
2000 · 14,000 miles · Electrical system
I own a 2000 Maxima, which i bought new. The service engine light first appeared at around 15000. I brought it in to get my car service for the 15k service at the dealership. They said everything was fine. The light was off after that. However it reappeared three weeks later. At 30k, i brought it in for service again.…
2000 · 15,000 miles · Engine and its cooling system
Built from 804 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page