Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the brakes, electrical, and automatic emergency braking. The 10 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2018One recall on this model year told owners to park outside until the repair was done.
Do not buy until you have dealer paperwork or a recall lookup showing it was completed for this VIN.
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/10 checked
2018 Nissan Maxima: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/3
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2018's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2018 checks
Worth adding to your 2018 checks
Worth adding to your 2018 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2018 Nissan Maxima. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | FWD | 25 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2018 Nissan Maxima, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Fire under the hood is the gravest report here. Smoke appears at low speed with no warning light, and the car ends up totaled. Owners connect the fire risk to leaking brake fluid, and one describes waiting months for repair parts after being told to pull over and call for a tow if the ABS light comes on. Most other filings involve the radar-based emergency braking. A "front radar obstruction" message appears at random and automatic braking stops working, with one failure reported at 39,000 miles.
An "Unavailable Front Radar Obstruction" message pops up at random while driving, even on clear roads. It shuts off adaptive cruise control and the emergency braking it supports. Some owners see it whenever a car cuts in or a sign sits directly ahead, and some see it right after purchase. Owners whose warranty has expired face repair costs out of pocket. A separate problem has the instrument panel turning dim or blank at intermittent times. Dealers struggle to reproduce it, and one diagnosis points to the Around View Monitor unit.
False emergency braking is the core complaint. The car brakes hard with nothing in front of it, sometimes while using intelligent cruise control and sometimes when pulling away from a stop. A "front radar obstruction" message often comes with it and shuts off cruise, forward collision warning, and lane keep assist. Reports range from very low mileage to about 94,000 miles, with two near 40,000. Recalibration does not always fix it. Dealers often say they cannot act unless the fault happens during a test drive, and a distance sensor replacement can cost over $1000.
A front radar obstruction warning comes on often while the car is moving. It can stay on for a couple of minutes or for more than 15 minutes. While it is active, cruise control cancels and the car slows down unexpectedly, which can surprise drivers in traffic. Owners also report that the collision avoidance system keeps disengaging. Both reports describe the same radar fault seen under other categories rather than a separate stability control failure.
The panoramic sunroof shatters while driving at highway speed, in one case at 70 mph on a hot, humid day. Nissan's warranty excludes glass unless a known defect is found, so owners end up filing insurance claims. The other report describes all of the 360-degree cameras failing, which takes away a key parking and visibility aid. The owner bought the car used and found that its VIN does not show up in recall searches for the camera problem.
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2018 has the most owner complaints of the 6 Maxima years we cover, about 3.8 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2018 is the third model year of the Maxima's eighth generation (2016–2023).
Nissan updated the Maxima for 2020, so a 2018 does not have those changes.
What changed for 2020 (not on a 2018)
Recall repairs are free at any Nissan dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
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. In addition, this recall expands the previous population. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
Risk: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: If the ABS warning light remains illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle.
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. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility.".
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
Cars shoppers compare with the Nissan Maxima, with their own 2018 checklists.
2018 owner complaints, side by side
