Most common 2001 Nissan Maxima problems
Share of the 172 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Maxima complaints by model year
Best Maxima years: 2022, 2019, 2020. Years to avoid: 2009, 2010, 2004, 2005, 2006. Compare all years →
2001 Nissan Maxima recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles.
Remedy: 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.
Air bags
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 bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy: 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.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower arm
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the transverse links on the left and right sides with new ones. Owner notification began July 29, 2002.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2001 Nissan Maxima:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2001 Nissan Maxima owners say
Engine & cooling all 35 →
The lower radiator support beam rusted out causing the engine support to brake free from the beam. Now the entire lower support beam needs to be replaced at an extremely high cost of labor and parts. This is a common problem according to all the car websites and the youtube videos showing how to change out the beam. I do not see any recalls for this. For as many people who seem to have had this problem it should have been recalled. People were having this problem 5 yrs ago according to the videos and reports. According to the body shop this is a major problem and they have seen a lot of this type of corrosion issues with this Nissan model and year. According to what I have been told a very serious accident can occur while driving this vehicle if the beam breaks while in motion at high speed. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the cam shaft and crank shaft part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. No further details were available. The VIN was not included NHTSA campaign number: 03V455000 (engine and engine cooling system). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.
Air bags all 29 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Nissan Maxima. While operating the vehicle, the air bag sensor indicator illuminated and flashed off and on. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not notified. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 120,000. The consumer requested information on the complaint. Consumer stated the airbag light has come on and flashes. Cannot get a sticker for the car until it gets fixed. Updated 8/6/18
Tl*- the contact stated that while driving the 2001 Nissan Maxima with 100000 failure mileage)at 30 MPH the contact's vehicle rear ended another vehicle which crossed over a lane and hit the contact's vehicle head on on the drivers side. The driver side airbag did not deploy. The drive sustained minor injuries. The vehicle sustained a large amount of damage. Also,the airbag was pushed so far up into the dashboard that it should have deployed.
Electrical system all 27 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Nissan Maxima se. The contact was driving 65 MPH when the vehicle lost power as the engine started to smoke. The vehicle coasted to a complete stop but was restarted later and then taken to the dealer. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring issue and the dealer had previously made repairs to the idle air control valve and the wiring for the idle control valve, to no avail. The vehicle was not further repaired and the failure persisted. The current and failure mileage was 73,000.
I have a complaint about a 2001 Nissan Maxima that had an electrical short in its wiring harness that completely destroyed the ECM (electronic control module) and throttle body injection system causing the car to stall under 1700 rpms this caused the car to stall at highway speeds when rpms dropped below the stated threshold I have looked at the nhtsas service bulletins and complaint bulletins and these wiring harness shorts seem to be a consistent problem with nissans vehicles especially the Maxima model and also fire related shorts. I spoke with nissans complaint division and they just said due to miles its out of warranty and not their problem. …
2001 Nissan Maxima engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 19 / 25 / 22 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Nissan Maxima a good car?
Based on 172 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 Maxima rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Maxima at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Nissan Maxima?
The engine & cooling — 35 complaints, 20% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the air bags (29) and electrical system (27).
How many recalls does the 2001 Nissan Maxima have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2001 Nissan Maxima, the most recent from January 9, 2020 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Maxima?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2022, 2019 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2009, 2010, 2004, 2005 and 2006. See the full Nissan Maxima years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Nissan Maxima problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 72,000 miles; 26% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.