Nissan Maxima 2000–2003 problems by year and mileage
5th generation (A33)
NHTSA data through 24 September 2026943 complaints, 623 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2000 Nissan Maxima
Close- Median failure report
- 60,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 360
- Recalls naming this year
- 0
Most reported on the 2000
- Electrical system171 reports · median 53,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system72 reports · median 58,000 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit26 reports
The 2001 Nissan Maxima
Close- Median failure report
- 72,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 172
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
Most reported on the 2001
- Airbag system29 reports
- Engine and its cooling system28 reports
- Electrical system27 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2001: Air bags — frontal; Air bags; Suspension — front. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2002 Nissan Maxima
Close- Median failure report
- 64,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 205
- Recalls naming this year
- 6
Most reported on the 2002
- Engine and its cooling system30 reports
- Airbag system29 reports
- Throttle and speed control23 reports
6 recall campaigns name the 2002: Air bags — frontal; Air bags; Engine and engine cooling. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2003 Nissan Maxima
Close- Median failure report
- 87,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 206
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
Most reported on the 2003
- Engine and its cooling system54 reports · median 86,000 mi
- Engine43 reports · median 122,000 mi
- Airbag system35 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2003: Air bags — frontal; Air bags; Engine and engine cooling. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2003 reports latest and the 2000 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2000 has had 3 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2000–2003 Nissan Maxima reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 68,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 150,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 623
- Recalls
- 6
Most reported
- Electrical system25.1% of complaints · median 57,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system19.5% of complaints · median 70,000 mi
- Airbag system12.3% of complaints · median 118,000 mi
Owners filed 943 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000–2003 Nissan Maxima; the electrical system leads with 25.1% of them, and half of the 623 that record an odometer reading came by 68,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 39,000 and 110,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2000–2003 Nissan Maxima last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2000–2003 Nissan Maxima, half of the 623 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 68,000 miles and 90% by 150,000 miles.
66 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 16 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Maxima reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Nissan Maxima 2000–2003 · 623 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 60 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 16 complaints (2.6%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 17,458
- 25%
- 39,000
- Median
- 68,000
- 75%
- 110,000
- 90%
- 150,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 28 | 4.5% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 41 | 6.6% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 54 | 8.7% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 38 | 6.1% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 60 | 9.6% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 56 | 9.0% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 43 | 6.9% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 39 | 6.3% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 38 | 6.1% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 45 | 7.2% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 23 | 3.7% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 20 | 3.2% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 27 | 4.3% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 25 | 4.0% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 20 | 3.2% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 15 | 2.4% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 12 | 1.9% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 12 | 1.9% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 6 | 1.0% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 5 | 0.8% |
| 200,000+ | 16 | 2.6% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
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.
Common Maxima problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Nissan Maxima 2000–2003
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Exterior lighting59 reports17,0006,500–90,000Exterior lighting: 59 reports, median 17,000 miles, middle half 6,500 to 90,000 miles.
- Hydraulic brake circuit69 reports27,00016,000–43,000Hydraulic brake circuit: 69 reports, median 27,000 miles, middle half 16,000 to 43,000 miles.
- Electrical system237 reports57,00043,000–86,000Electrical system: 237 reports, median 57,000 miles, middle half 43,000 to 86,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system184 reports70,00037,000–100,000Engine and its cooling system: 184 reports, median 70,000 miles, middle half 37,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Suspension57 reports72,00033,000–115,000Suspension: 57 reports, median 72,000 miles, middle half 33,000 to 115,000 miles.
- Airbag system116 reports118,00058,000–153,000Airbag system: 116 reports, median 118,000 miles, middle half 58,000 to 153,000 miles.
- Engine78 reports124,00098,000–150,000Engine: 78 reports, median 124,000 miles, middle half 98,000 to 150,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 237 | 25.1% | 57,000 | 43,000–86,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 184 | 19.5% | 70,000 | 37,000–100,000 |
| Airbag system | 116 | 12.3% | 118,000 | 58,000–153,000 |
| Engine | 78 | 8.3% | 124,000 | 98,000–150,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 69 | 7.3% | 27,000 | 16,000–43,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 59 | 6.3% | 17,000 | 6,500–90,000 |
| Suspension | 57 | 6.0% | 72,000 | 33,000–115,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 54 | 5.7% | 74,000 | 40,000–96,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 51 | 5.4% | 75,000 | 42,000–110,000 |
| Body structure | 48 | 5.1% | 99,000 | 39,000–139,000 |
System by system, in words
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 68,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The electrical system accounts for 25.1% of complaints (237 reports, 181 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 57,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 43,000 and 86,000 miles.
A single system taking 25.1% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 19.5% of complaints (184 reports, 137 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 37,000 and 100,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 12.3% of complaints (116 reports, 64 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 118,000 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 58,000 and 153,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 8.3% of complaints (78 reports, 68 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 124,000 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 98,000 and 150,000 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 7.3% of complaints (69 reports, 37 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 27,000 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 16,000 and 43,000 miles.
The exterior lighting accounts for 6.3% of complaints (59 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 6,500 and 90,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2000–2003 Maxima
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.
Before you buy a 2000–2003 Maxima: the 3-minute check
Generated from 623 mileage-tagged complaints, 6 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 6 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check emissions / exhaust on 2000–2001 cars. 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.
- Check engine mounts. Collapsed hydraulic front engine mount causing heavy idle vibration and driveline shudder.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 39,000 and 110,000 miles, with a median of 68,000. 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 57,000, 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.
Maxima problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi44% below | At 90k mi64% below | At 120k mi78% below | At 150k mi89% below | At 200k mi97% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 43,000–86,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine and its cooling system | 37,000–100,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Airbag system | 58,000–153,000 | in window | in window | in window | in window | earlier |
| Engine | 98,000–150,000 | later | later | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 16,000–43,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Exterior lighting | 6,500–90,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Suspension | 33,000–115,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Nissan Maxima 2000–2003 · 623 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 44% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 64% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 78% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 89% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 97% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 97%: the remaining 2.6% of reports (16) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2000–2003 Nissan Maxima recalls (6)
NHTSA records 6 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), the engine and its cooling system (1), the suspension (1). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
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.
Jan 2020 · 2001–2003 · Air BagsAn inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in…
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and…
What can happen. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020. Owners may contact…
May 2015 · 2001–2003 · Air BagsIn the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could…
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 and I35, 2003 FX35 and FX45, and 2001 I30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air…
What can happen. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious…
The free fix. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.…
Nov 2003 · 2002–2003 · Engine and Engine CoolingThis could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause…
The defect. On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor may have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
What can happen. This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle…
The free fix. Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are…
May 2002 · 2001–2002 · SuspensionThis can cause a knocking sound and abnormal steering.
The defect. On certain passenger vehicles, the pin at the end of the front suspension transverse link (lower control arm) could break where it is mounted to the frame.
What can happen. This can cause a knocking sound and abnormal steering. This could result in difficulty controlling the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the transverse links on the left and right sides with new ones. Owner notification began july 29, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…
Feb 2002 · 2002 · Vehicle Speed ControlThis will cause the engine malfunction indicator lamp to come on and the engine speed to be severely limited.
The defect. On certain passenger vehicles equipped with an electronic throttle control system, the stopper for the accelerator pedal will prevent excessive movement of the accelerator position sensor. If the driver applies overly excessive force to the accelerator pedal…
What can happen. This will cause the engine malfunction indicator lamp to come on and the engine speed to be severely limited. If this occurs unexpectedly, it could lead to a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will install a new accelerator pedal stopper. Owner notification began march 11, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive…
Jan 2002 · 2002 · Power TrainOn certain passenger vehicles equipped with a traction control system, the odometer in the subject vehicles…
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a traction control system, the odometer in the subject vehicles registers distance in kilometers instead of miles as is specified in the design. The odometer does not have a label that indicates "kilometers" or "km" as required by fmvss no. 101, "Controls and displays."
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the odometer to determine if it is correct and, if not, will replace the speedometer/odometer assembly. Owner notification began december 12, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles…
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 943 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 73 (7.7%)
- Fires
- 12
- Injury reports
- 48
- Fatality reports
- 4
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Maxima problems by model year
The 2000 drew the most complaints of this generation, 360, most of them about the electrical system, and the 2001 the fewest, 172. A typical year drew about 206.
The first year of the generation, 2000, drew more complaints than a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 360 | 231 | 60,000 | Electrical system (171) | 0 |
| 2001 | 172 | 117 | 72,000 | Airbag system (29) | 3 |
| 2002 | 205 | 128 | 64,000 | Engine and its cooling system (30) | 6 |
| 2003 | 206 | 147 | 87,000 | Engine and its cooling system (54) | 3 |
What Maxima owners reported
The contact owns a 2003 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. Additionally, while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the residence. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The…
2003 · 225,000 miles · Engine
Tires. Goodyear viva 3 model, size 215/55r16 (and most other sizes). These tires go out of round at exceptionally low mileage. An common complaint at walmart (the only retailer that sells this model) is that the tires go out of round, produce unbelievable noise, and vibration in the steering column. I have experience…
2000 · 95,000 miles · Tyres
takata recall. The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Maxima. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v008000 (air bags). The vehicle was taken to the gilman Nissan fort bend located at 26001 southwest fwy, rosenberg, tx 77471, and after two days it was confirmed that parts were not yet available. The…
2002 · 123,000 miles · Airbag system
the contact owns a 2002 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The dealer was not informed of the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign…
2002 · 130,000 miles · Engine and its cooling system
Built from 623 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Maxima generations
- Maxima 1995–1999 187 reports with mileage, most about the electrical system
- Maxima 2004–2008 2,678 reports with mileage, most about the transmission and driveline
- Maxima 2009–2014 778 reports with mileage, most about the steering
- Maxima 2016–2023 155 reports with mileage, most about problems owners could not categorise