Window & Wiper complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 5% | 3,000 miles |
| 2019 | 2 | 11% | — |
| 2018 | 2 | 6% | 30,000 miles |
| 2017 | 4 | 4% | 8,000 miles |
| 2016 | 6 | 4% | 50,000 miles |
| 2014 | 4 | 4% | 88,000 miles |
| 2013 | 1 | 2% | 62,000 miles |
| 2012 | 4 | 4% | 76,000 miles |
| 2011 | 7 | 7% | 50,000 miles |
| 2010 | 8 | 3% | 60,000 miles |
| 2009 | 11 | 3% | 78,000 miles |
| 2007 | 2 | 2% | 206,000 miles |
| 2006 | 2 | 0% | 33,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 0% | 71,000 miles |
| 2004 | 30 | 2% | 20,000 miles |
| 2003 | 4 | 2% | 20,000 miles |
| 2002 | 9 | 4% | 25,000 miles |
| 2001 | 3 | 2% | 88,000 miles |
| 2000 | 4 | 1% | 59,000 miles |
| 1999 | 1 | 1% | 43,000 miles |
| 1998 | 5 | 4% | — |
| 1997 | 2 | 2% | 80,000 miles |
| 1996 | 3 | 3% | — |
| 1995 | 9 | 6% | 90,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I bought the vehicle in question new and it has less than 10,000 miles. The low beam headlights have a definite line where there is no light above the line and very dim light directly in front of the vehicle( photos attached). I took the car to the dealer and was informed that this is "normal" for the Maxima and that there is no adjustment that can be made. I then sent photos to Nissan Customer Service (Case # 48013453 ) and was informed again that this is normal for that model. When driven on an unlit road, one has to run bright lights at all times to be able to safely see. I have included photos of the light pattern. The sequence is backing out of the garage and then on a dark street. Please note photo 2 where I am standing barely to the right and I am not visible above my belt line. In my opinion, If this is typical of all 2017 Nissan Maxima's; there is a safety issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the rear panoramic moon roof exploded without impact. Startled by the failure, the contact pulled the vehicle off to the shoulder of the highway to inspect the damage. The vehicle was taken to valley Nissan of longmont (1005 ken pratt blvd, longmont, co 80501) where he was informed that there was no evidence that an impact had caused the moon roof to explode. There was no additional assistance provided. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. There was no additional assistance provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 42,800.
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving 20-25 MPH, the sunroof assembly completely separated from the vehicle, struck the front of the roof, struck the passenger's side of the vehicle, and flew underneath the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was taken to Gerber Collision and Glass, where it was determined that the sunroof and the bracket had separated from the vehicle. The mechanic provided an estimate for the sunroof repair and collateral damages repair. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,491.
- Front windshield; internal bubbles/separation of glass at top edge of front windshield as it meets the seal. - The glass appears to be separating internally, compromising the safety aspect and will start to spread downward over time. - The factory front windshield was already replaced once a few years back by Nissan dealership for this exact same problem (can provide exact dates/information later); and the same exact problem is happening again. Nissan dealership knows about it, but has not officially inspected/documented for their records, but I can get this completed. - No warning/symptoms other than visual inspection/noticing the issue occuring when cleaning car. …
While driving on a straight, flat, and smooth stretch of highway in nassau county, ny, I heard a sudden loud explosion. I first assumed it was a tire failure, but the car continued straight and true without any vibration, shaking, or erratic movement of any kind. I pulled over onto the shoulder and upon inspection, I saw that the front portion of the panoramic sunroof had a large hole directly in the center and was shattered, with bits of glass from the explosion resting on the still closed sunshade. The incident occurred on a parkway where no commercial traffic is allowed, and it was just after 7:30 am on Saturday, October 6th, 2018 so traffic volume was extremely light, almost nonexistent in either direction. There were no other vehicles traveling ahead of me, next to me, or behind me within any close proximity. I was traveling eastbound at or below the posted speed limit of 55 MPH.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH there was an abnormal crashing noise detected and the panoramic sunroof exploded without warning or impact. The contact called charlie clark Nissan harlingen located at (3500 w expy 83, harlingen, tx 78552 [phone]) but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 88,700.
We own a 2012 Nissan Maxima (VIN [redacted]). While driving on the 215 freeway near henderson, nv our middle portion of our panoramic sunroof exploded/shattered for no reason. Have been trying to get it repaired but no parts availability in vegas, the replacement part arrived cracked in phoenix and we are now on our way home to oklahoma. The area was taped down in vegas and we have been in contact with Nissan consumer affairs to see if this will be covered by them due to class action suit listed on internet. They suggested we take to our local dealership in oklahoma.
I was driving down the highway and my girlfriend and I heard a loud explosion. I knew right away that nothing had hit the car because there was no one else on the freeway. I took it to the dealership and they told me something must have hit it. I called my insurance company to set up a time to get my vehicle repaired, however, upon further investigation I noticed that there were many reports of the "exploding sunroofs." some of the debris fell through the crack and got into our eyes. Some of the shards landed on my girlfriend and pricked her up, but no real damage.
Related recalls (2)
Visibility › Glass, side/rear
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Altima, Maxima and Leaf vehicles. The rear window glass may not remain properly secured to the vehicle.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the back window glass, free of charge. The recall began November 4, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Visibility › Sun/moon roof assembly
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with skyview roofs, the glass for the roof May not have been quenched properly after the forming process, resulting in temper imbalance.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the glass in the skyview roof. The recall began on September 7, 2004. Owners should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA investigations
Glass roof shattering
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation on April 12, 2004, based on five reports indicating that the skyview glass-paneled roof, which is standard equipment in model year (my) 2004 Nissan maxima vehicles, would suddenly shatter while the vehicle is in use.five injuries have been reported to odi, resulting in cuts to the head, hands, arms, or face.Nissan discovered that their supplier for…
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Maxima years have window & wiper problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2004 (30), 2009 (11), 1995 (9), 2002 (9) and 2010 (8) model years. Window & Wiper complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 2004.
Is there a recall for Nissan Maxima window & wiper problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 20V-570 (glass, side/rear, Sep 22, 2020); 04V-326 (sun/moon roof assembly, Jul 7, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Nissan Maxima window & wiper problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles; 50% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the sun/moon roof assembly (50 mentions), followed by the power window devices and controls (12).
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.