Most common 2017 Nissan Maxima problems
Share of the 106 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 →
2017 Nissan Maxima recalls (4)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair, under recall number 18V-601.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS actuator, free of charge. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available, currently expected to be during summer 2020.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Nissan Murano, 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2017-2018 Nissan Pathfinder, and 2017 Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number on the ABS actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2018.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to August 19, 2016 and equipped with Intelligent Cruise Control, 2015-2017 Murano vehicles manufactured August 22, 2014, to August 19, 2016 and equipped with Intelligent Cruise Control, and…
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ABS Actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 12, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City…
Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano,…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2017 Nissan Maxima:
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
On July 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened EA19002 to investigate instances of alleged rear lower control arm failures in 2013-2018 Nissan Altima and 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima vehicles. At the time the investigation was opened ODI had 91 consumer complaints alleging rear lower control arm failures in the subject vehicles.ODI was concerned about these complaints because many of them alleged an…
What 2017 Nissan Maxima owners say
Air bags
First, my passenger airbag light came on and will not go off. then my emergency breaking system activated while I was driving on the interstate and I was almost hit by a semi from behind I didn't manage to get the vehicle off the road I took it to Nissan . They did a diagnostics and couldn't find anything wrong with the car the emergency braking system has activated several times since then and now my whole dash system seems to freeze up completely and will not let me use anything in the car. I have to put it in park the car off and restart for it to work. Nissan has my vehicle now . …
I have been taken my vehicle back and forth for the airbag lights coming on and staying on. They have changed the driver side seatbelt in which they installed in wrong and I had to take it back. Every time they say they fixed the problem, within a few weeks the airbag lights come back on. They have told my husband to check the wiring under the passenger seat, and when I took it back due to the airbag lights still staying on. They say they fixed the problem. This last time I took it back, now they are saying I need to replace the whole driver side seat. Saying something in the seat cushion is faulty, which is why the airbag light stays on.
Body & structure
I was driving on the highway and the passenger side front pillar trim panel just flew off. This is the second time this has happened to my vehicle, the first time was my rear pillar which I paid to replace myself because I was told at the dealership this is just a cosmetic issue. I disagree, to me this is very hazardous and could potentially hurt someone, and now my car sounds like air is coming through the windshield. I don't feel safe driving this car now and this kind of thing happening. I would feel awful if this caused an accident or if someone got hurt and I feel that Nissan should take responsibility and correct this defect as I have researched that many people have experienced the same scenario with these parts of the vehicle. …
Nissan has a large issue with the quarter panel moldings. They are a design flaw and come off very easily in car washes or even brushing snow off your car. They will become loose or completely off. If they become loose and you are on the highway like I was and it went flying off the car at highway speed. That clearly is a safety concern that Nissan has been avoiding. However, they are now re-drilling a hole and attaching a new version of the molding. At the owners cost!!! It wasn't an issue but now you are changing the way you attach the new ones? Very odd and they state it's not a safety concern. I beg to differ if you are the car on the highway behind someone's that is loose and comes flying at you. I have read numerous blogs of owners complaining of the same issue. …
Transmission & drivetrain
While driving on I-75 in Atlanta about a month ago, my 2017 Nissan Maxima suddenly stopped accelerating. The engine was revving, but the car wouldn't respond when I pressed the gas. It was unexpected and dangerous in fast-moving highway traffic. The same issue happened again on July 22, 2024, while I was driving on I-85. Both times, the car lost acceleration without warning in the moment. Before these incidents, I noticed occasional hesitation from a stop and delayed acceleration, but nothing as extreme as losing power at highway speeds. I took the car to a Nissan dealership, and they pulled a P17F1 code related to the CVT transmission. Nissan has acknowledged this issue by extending the warranty for transmission repairs in other models, but they told me my vehicle is not covered. This failure creates a serious safety risk and should not be ignored.
The vehicle experienced a no start condition and was towed to a dealership. The dealership performed major engine and timing repairs without authorization and kept the vehicle for nearly four months. After the repairs, the vehicle still cranks but will not start, requires jump starts, and now has new electrical issues and a nonfunctional A/C system.The safety risk is that the vehicle can fail to start unexpectedly, stall, or lose electrical power, which could leave occupants stranded in unsafe conditions. The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealership, but they were unable to diagnose or repair it. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership and a warranty company.There were no warning lights before the failure. The symptoms began immediately before the vehicle was towed and have continued after the dealership's repairs.
2017 Nissan Maxima engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | CVT | FWD | 21 / 30 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Nissan Maxima a good car?
Based on 106 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Maxima rates average: 17% fewer complaints than 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 2017 Nissan Maxima?
The air bags — 18 complaints, 17% of all complaints for this model year, most often about sensor › occupant classification. Next are the body & structure (17) and transmission & drivetrain (11).
How many recalls does the 2017 Nissan Maxima have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2017 Nissan Maxima, the most recent from November 8, 2019 (antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip). 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 2017 Nissan Maxima problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 28,000 miles; 84% 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.