Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Nissan Maxima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owned a 2000 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while the driver was driving at 55 MPH, consciousness was lost and as a result, the driver crashed into the rear end of a tractor trailer. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained back and whiplash injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, another vehicle came into the contact's path which resulted in a crash. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained unknown injuries that did not require medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. A police report was filed. The approximate failure mileage was 153,000.
Memorial day weekend. Motorcycles everywhere. Traffic. Im in the far lane on the beltway and my exits coming up. Motorcycles everywhere. Heavy traffic too but its moving. I cant cut off the motorcycles. So I wait to pass them. Im merging, looking to the side, looking behind me. I wasn't paying to much attention to what was coming up in front of me. I mean, what else is there but cars in front of me. That's all I need to watch out for right? So I thought. I made it all the way to the right lane, merging into exit lane. "oh no!" there's a curb. A triangle curb right in front of me. I swerve to my left. Rear right tire hits the curb and takes lift off. And so does the car, right into the center of the beltway. I have it, I can feel me gaining control. Then I feel the front tires loose it. And there's the wall. Smack. Face first. Spin around one good time. …
We were driving in a parking lot and had about 5 feet to go before the car was parked. I depressed the brake pedal and the car slowed down further. Suddenly the car engine revved and the car took off. I pressed hard on the brake pedal, not the gas pedal, but the car wouldn't stop. I turned the wheel to avoid hitting the building in front of me, but hit the adjacent restaurant instead. The car crashed into the restaurant wall and sent a large refrigerator crashing to the other side of the room. Fortunately, no restaurant personnel were in the path of the refrigerator at the time. Significant damage was done to the restaurant and to the car. My husband who had already taken off his seat belt, as we were nearly stopped, hit the windshield with his head. He is in the hospital. I badly bruised my hand and chest. The air bags did not deploy at all. Our car is a 2000 Nissan Maxima. …
While traveling consumer was involved in a head on collision, whereby, another driver crossed the median at 60 MPH. Consumer and passengers were injured because there was no air bag deployment. The driver received multiple injuries to include his head, neck, and ribs. The front passenger sustained a broken finger, and her knees struck the dash. Also, both rear passengers sustained injures. All were transferred via ambulance to a hospital.
I was driving normally on freeway with heavy traffic. The weather was clear, and the road was flat and had no obstacle. Then the airbags on driver side and passenger side deployed even though I did not hit anyone or anyone hit me. I did have one collision one year earlier in which the airbag did not deploy.
I was involved in a 50mph collision with damage to the front and drivers side. Frontal airbags and side airbags failed to deploy resulting in chest injuries, upper torso injuries, and neck injuries. Seatbelts also failed to lock. Have not heard back about why the failure occurred.
While driving on the highway my 2000 Maxima suddenly spun out of control for no apparent reason. The vehicle spun around several times and down into a twenty foot ditch, colliding with several trees. The air bag never deployed.
I have a Maxima 2000, stopped at a red light with 6 cars infront. Another vehicle hit me from the rear at about 40 MPH sending my car to another van infront.that send that van to another car infront. The airbag never deployed. The Nissan company said that the airbag will not deployed if hit from rear first!!. Well, my front side was still hit hard enought to the two car infront of me, the airbag should deploy to protect me from frontal impact.
Consumer states that the vehicle was involved in a frontal collision on the driver side and neither air bags deployed. Dealer notified. The seat belt failed to lock up properly during the impact. Consumer was thrust forward hitting the chest area against the steering wheel causing injury.
Airbag complaints in other Maxima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2000 Nissan Maxima?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the air bags of the 2000 Nissan Maxima, 6% of the model year's 360 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Nissan Maxima airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2000 Nissan Maxima. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2000 Nissan Maxima airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 126,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 20 crashes, 0 fires and 25 injuries to air bags 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.