Most common 2018 Nissan Maxima problems
Share of the 36 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 →
2018 Nissan Maxima recalls (2)
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.
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2018 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 2018 Nissan Maxima owners say
Brakes
The contact's son owned a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while the driver was driving 5 MPH, he noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that the driver opened the hood, and noticed that there was fire under the hood. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. A fire department report was not filed. A police report was filed, but the police report information was not available. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V807000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The used car dealer the vehicle was purchased from was contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
In June 2019, while driving my 2018 Nissan Maxima, the vehicle suffered a sudden and violent mechanical failure. Without warning, the steering wheel jerked forcefully to the side, and the vehicle became uncomtrollabel leading to an approx 100-foot spin across a median. I have since verified this vehicle was subject to NHTSA Recall 19V-807 for an ABS Actuator leak that shorts the circuit board. This defect caused the crash, which resulted in a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with extremy worsening memory loss 4mm spinal shift (L5-S1). I have comparative MRI scans (2015 vs. post-crash) confirming the injury.
Driver assistance
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the "Front Radar Obstruction Unavailable" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle independently slowed down without depression the brake pedal. As a result of the failure, several electrical features including the Forward Collision and Lane Keep Assist safety features failed to operate as needed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
Inappropriate function of the AEB system. Filed a prior complaint with you a couple of months ago about the cruise control sensor and the AEB. Cruise was fixed, but AEB keeps going off while using cruise inappropriately. Did not get fixed. Spent a lot of time working with Nissan consumer affairs and Vision Nissan in Webster NY and problem not found. There are numerous complaints on line about the same problem, but Nissan consumer affairs (NCA) keeps telling me there are no other complaints about this issue. The NCA told me that unless the service department has the AEB go off while they are trying it out, they won't do anything. If I want the second opinion they are recommending, it has to be out of pocket cost for me. I have had it happen and drove to the dealer without turning the vehicle off, and they didn't pull any codes, so won't address it. …
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the instrument panel was intermittently dim upon starting the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving the instrument panel eventually brightened before returning to a dim setting. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions however, the technicians were unable to duplicate the failure. The failure persisted, and the contact stated that the instrument panel had gone blank before returning to a dim setting later. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the contact was informed that the Around View Monitor (AVM) unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,434.
When is in motion on any type of street and also at a stop, when getting close to a vehicle or if someone cuts in front of me, or if there is a street sign directly in front of the car, this message appears very briefly "unavailable front radar obstruction" which also shows the icon of two front end of cars colliding. This happened immediately after puchasing my 2018 Maxima. The dealership has not said a word about being aware of this problem when it is a known problem with certain Nissan vehicles. The cost to bring it into the dealership and for any repairs at this point would be out of my pocket since the car is no longer under warranty. This faulty radar compromises the emergency braking system in the car.
2018 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 2018 Nissan Maxima a good car?
Based on 36 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Maxima rates better than average: 67% 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 2018 Nissan Maxima?
The brakes — 8 complaints, 22% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the driver assistance (6) and electrical system (5).
How many recalls does the 2018 Nissan Maxima have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2018 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 2018 Nissan Maxima problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 39,000 miles; 77% 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.