Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Nissan Maxima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
On 30 November 2006 I started the car which then quit running and started smoking from under the hood. I could see the alternator was burning so I pulled the battery cable to stop the fire. Damage affected the alternator, electrical connector and some wiring. I discovered there was a recall for defective alternators on this vehicle. My alternator failure appears to be the same as the failures covered by the NHTSA campaign id 02V171000 dated June 24, 2002. I contacted Nissan on December 1, 2006 who stated my VIN was within the range of vehicles for this recall and they would contact the dealer after further research. I contacted the dealer who stated it appeared the vehicle should be covered by the recall but could not proceed until authorization from Nissan. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH, smoke started to emit from the engine compartment. The vehicle was merged over to the side of the road where the contact noticed the presence of fire coming from the alternator. The contact was able to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer was contacted and indicated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 02V171000 (electrical system). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Dt: there is a recall for the alternator, however, Nissan stated this vehicle was not included in the recall due to VIN. The consumer started the vehicle and could hear a sound and viewed smoke coming from under the hood. The consumer opened the hood and saw fire in middle of the alternator. This happened on August 15, 2005. The vehicle was repaired. The consumer kept the bad alternator. Recall campaign# 02V171000. The consumer requested reimbursement for the replacement of the alternator. There was also a vibration in the steering wheel while driving on the highway.
1998 Nissan Maxima , VIN # [redacted] . I check the recall VIN # on this vehicle and it was not in the range of #'s. But my alternator started on fire in my driveway when I started it up that night. It did everything the recall stated it would. I am calling the dealer tomorrow to see if its covered. Updated 07/26/2012
Dt: the contact stated while pulling out of the driveway the alternator caught on fire, and the fire was immediately extinguished. The vehicle has not been taken to dealership yet for inspection. The alternator was replaced prior to this incident under NHTSA recall 02V171000 .the manufacturer has agreed to fix the vehicle under the recall. The repairs have not made.
Dt*: the contact stated the alternator caught on fire. There is an NHTSA recall, # 02V171000 regarding the electrical system: alternator/generator/regulator. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the VIN.
Diagnose from Nissan elmwood for $39.22 states: " a ck fog lamp burnt by ignition wiring whoever installed alarm system in vehicle tapped into harness near ignition and left wires bare and after time these wires touch and burnt. Bring vehicle back to whoever installed alarm system into vehicle for repairs!!!". I brought my car to Nissan route 22 were I had alarm installed. They want to charge me for diagnoses and perhaps repairs then. I bought new car from Nissan dealer, did all repairs and maintenance with Nissan. Demage wasn't caused by me. Driving with danger of another short and perhaps fire. Did diagnose with independent mechanic shop who states: "Nissan ignition side is not secure, it is completely open and my wires are already melted which he doesn't warranty my safty." I woul like to fax copies of those statments. I had called Nissan hot line. …
When we bought our Nissan at 96648 miles, there was remarkably little rust underneath. The alternator went out on 10-12-12 and we had the car towed to a repair shop. They refused to repair it after finding that the core support for the motor is rusted and rotted out. Further research indicates that this issue has occurred in this model of car for many years. If we had known that this car was so unsafe we would never have purchased it in the first place. Toyota had a similar problem with their pickup trucks and they were buying back the trucks for large sums of money. Why isn't Nissan doing / being forced to do the same? We expected another 50,000 miles out of this car and now it is worthless. There are so many complaints about this issue, there has to be a huge safety concern. A major structural component should be the last thing to corrode.
On Thursday, March 16, 2006 at approximately 10:15 am I went out to my driveway and started my 1998 Nissan Maxima. Upon starting there was a terrible grinding noise. I turned the car off and restated it at which time the car began smoking. I drove the car directly to my independent service station (approximately 1/4 mile ) for them to check the vehicle. Upon opening the hood, we observed fire, which was extinguished. Further observation confirmed that the alternator had caught fire and the service station made the repairs. The old parts are available for inspection. As there is a recall on some 1998 Nissan Maxima's for this problem I can't understand why this matter is being taken so lightly. The next time this occurs, the results could be tragic.
My car is a Nissan Maxima 1998, it has 120K miles on it. This is my only mean of transportation; recently the car just won't start. I have to keep trying several times until it starts. I recently replaced the 'starter' but the problem still happens. I have been reading different internet forums there is a lot of people complaining about this kind of problems, the dealers charge about $1,000.00 to replace the ignition coils. This since to be the source of the problem, I do not have this money. I think because on behave of all people having to deal with this problem, there should be a recall on this cars.
Related recalls
Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator
On certain passenger vehicles, one of the diodes used in the alternator May have been damaged when built. This can eventually result in failure of the diode and an electrical short which could melt the plastic housing.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the alternator. Owner notification began July 29, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable…
Electrical complaints in other Maxima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1998 Nissan Maxima?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the electrical system of the 1998 Nissan Maxima, 21% of the model year's 113 complaints. The component named most often is alternator/generator/regulator (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Nissan Maxima electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 02V-171 (alternator/generator/regulator, Jun 24, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1998 Nissan Maxima electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 135,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 9 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.