2001 Nissan Maxima Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE LOWER RADIATOR TIE BAR WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHEN DRIVING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION. THE SIMILAR FAILURE OCCURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000.
DRIVING TO WORK ON THE FREEWAY AND THE CAR BUCKED AND RANDOMLY ACCELERATED AND IDLED HIGH. LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE IAC VALVE HAD ANTIFREEZE THAT LEAKED THROUGH A GASKET CAUSING IT TO SHORT OUT. SHORTLY AFTER ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE VALVE SHORTING OUT ($200 PART) CAUSE THE ECM TO SHORT OUT. AFTER LABOR AND PARTS THIS TURNS A $200 REPAIR INTO OVER A $2000 REPAIR AND CAUSES FOR UNSAFE DRIVING DUE TO THE ERRATIC IDLE AND SURGING AT THE TIME WHEN THE VALVE SHORTS OUT. *TR
MY CAR SEEMED TO NOT BE GETTING ENOUGH GAS AND NUMEROUS LIGHTS INCLUDING CHECK ENGINE ARE ON. MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP COULD ONLY FIGURE OUT IT WAS ONE OF THE COILS BUT TOLD ME NISSAN WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL ME WHICH ONE SO I WOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE ALL OF THEM. AFTER BRINGING MY CAR TO NISSAN I AM NOW TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE ALL THE COILS SINCE THEY ARE DEFECTIVE. NISSAN SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPAIR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND THEN IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR CONTROL VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $550. THE CONTACT HAS NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE BECAUSE HE BELIEVES IT IS A SAFETY DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING (MPH UNKNOWN) THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TWICE, STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED, AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AT 90,000 AND AGAIN AT 121,000 MILES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 121,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AT 87,000 MILES. I HAVE NOTICED THAT OTHER MAXIMA OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. *TR
2001 NISSAN MAXIMA : IN DECEMBER 2004 SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I PULLED CODE P0420. VEHICLE WAS UNDER 80,000 EMISSIONS WARRANTY. DEALER "REPROGRAMMED THE ECM". FEB 2007 AT 81,800 MILES, BUT WITHIN THE 96 MONTH WARRANTY, SAME CODE APPEARS, HOWEVER NOW DEALER SAYS THAT O2 SENSOR AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER ARE BAD. DEALER SAYS O2 SENSOR DAMAGED CATALYTIC CONVERTER, YET NO CODE APPEARED FOR THE O2 SENSOR, AND VEHICLE WAS ONLY DRIVEN LESS THAN 2 DAYS WITH LIGHT ON. IN PROCESS OF DEALING WITH NISSAN NORTH AMERICA FOR REPLACEMENT. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS NEW OUT OF ALIGNMENT, AND ALIGNMENT WAS NEVER PERFECT. *NM
TIMING CHAIN, GUIDE OR TENSIONER WORN. RATTLE NOISE COMING FROM TIMING CHAIN COVER WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP OR AT LOW END OF RPMS WHEN REVVING MOTOR IN NEUTRAL. COULD PUNCTURE TIMING CHAIN COVER, CAUSING LOSS OF OIL OR CHAIN COULD FAIL. DEALERS STATES THAT REMOVAL OF ENGINE IS REQUIRED FOR SERVICE , AND BY THE TIME LABOR AND PARTS ARE TOTALED, IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. D DEALERS STATE THAT THIS WAS A PART THAT SHOULD NOT REQUIRE SERVICE. COST OF REPLACEMENT $4,000, HALF OR MORE OF THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE, DEPENDING ON WHAT PRICE REFERENCE WAS USED.*AK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA. AT 55 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS ORDERED FROM THE DEALER, BUT THE NEW SENSOR ALSO FAILED. THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS SHORT-CIRCUITED THE AAC WHICH CAUSED IT TO BLOW. ONCE THE AAC FAILED THE ELECTRIC SHOCK BLEW OUT THE EMC. IN ORDER TO PROPERLY REPAIR THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT MUST PAY ALMOST $3,000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE KEY WAS PUT IN THE IGNITION AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. HOWEVER, AS SOON AS THE PEDAL WAS RELEASED THE CAR SHUT OFF AGAIN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000. *AK
SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. NO PROBLEM WITH CAR OR THE EMISSION OR ENVIORMENTAL EQUIPMENT. SPENT $100 TWICE FOR NISSAN ANALYSIS. THEY WANT $1400 FOR LIGHT TO GO OFF. RIDICULOUS. CALLED NISSAN USA AFTER SEEING MANY MAXIMA 2001 CARS HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEM AND FRUSTRATION. RECOMMEND ANOTHER $100 ANALYSIS AND NO SUPPORT WHATSOEVER. NEVER BUYING NISSAN AGAIN.
TL* - WHILE DRIVING HIS 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA AT A SPEED OF 30 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED COMPLETELY LOSING POWER. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, AS WELL AS, LOSING THE ABILITY TO BRAKE. THE CONTACT COULD NOT RESTART THE VEHICLE SO HE HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE IDOL AIR CONTROL VALVES CAUSED THE COMPUTER TO SHORT CIRCUIT, AND THAT THIS SEEMED TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2001IDLE AIR CONTROL (IAC VALVE) F AND THE ENGINE COMPUTER UNIT (ECU) FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT 3 MONTHS AGO HE HAD DEALERSHIP LOOK AT VEHICLE BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START PROPERLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BURNED OUT ECU CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSES A LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY AND LOCKED UP OF THE BRAKES. *AK
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH EMISSION SYSTEM AND CATALYST CONVERTER, LIGHT SERVICE ENGINE WENT ON,AND I REPLACED OXYGEN SENSORS WHILE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY 2 TIMES. AND NOW I NEED TO SPENT $700 TO FIX WILL NEVER BUY NISSAN CARS AGAIN. *NM
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS HAS BROKEN CAUSING ENGINE TO MISFIRE. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. WANT $700 TO FIX AND FROM RESEARCH IT APPEARS IT OFTEN BREAKS AGAIN. *NM
SOON AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRE ON MY NISSAN MAXIMA SE 2001. MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED. I CALL THE COMPANY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IT AS I UNDERSTAND THE CONVERTER IS NOT A PART THAT IS LIKELY TO FAIL. I HAVE ALWAYS PURCHASED A 91 OCTANE GASOLINE OR HIGHER AND KEPT A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. I ALSO HAVE TO REPLACE MY EXHAUST SYSTEM BECAUSE OF CORROSION JUST RECENTLY AND AS IF THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH, DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THE OTHER DAY, MY CAR STARTED SHAKING AND VIBRATING. I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHAT HAS CAUSED THE VIBRATION BUT WOULD LIKE TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION. *NM
I HAVE AN '01 MAXIMA SE. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, BROUGHT IT TO A DEALER WHO SAID IT WAS AN EMISSION PROBLEM & IT WOULD COST $900 TO FIX !!!! AND I NEED IT DONE BEFORE I CAN GET MY CAR INSPECTED, WHICH IS THIS MONTH. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. WHEN I BOUGHT IT IT KEPT STEERING TO THE RIGHT, THEY USED MY "ONE FREE" NISSAN ALIGNMENT AND IT WAS STILL NOT RIGHT! IT WAS MY TIRES BECAUSE I HAD TO GET NEW TIRES @ 30K MILES (I HAD BRIDGESTONE POTENZAS, THEY DON'T LAST VERY LONG I FOUND OUT) SO I ENDED UP BUYING COOPER TIRES FOR $200/TIRE. THE PULLING TO THE RIGHT WAS CURED AFTER THAT. I HAVE ALSO HAD A COMPUTER PROBLEM, AN ABS LIGHT PROBLEM, AND HAVE ALREADY HAD MY ROTORS & BRAKES REPLACED AT 30K. I ONLY HAVE 40K ON IT NOW. SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T WANT TO START EITHER. (IT WILL PUTTER AND DIE) ALL IN ALL I WILL NEVER BUY A NISSAN AGAIN. I HOPE SOMEONE WILL READ THIS & TAKE IT FROM ME, DO NOT GET A MAXIMA, ESPECIALLY AN '01.
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND HESITATED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: BOTH REAR OXYGEN SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED, AND BOTH FRONT AND REAR ENGINE MOUNTS WERE WEAK, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK REPLACE TWO MOTOR MOUNTS AND TWO REAR OXYGEN SENSORS. *BF
I EXPERIENCED TROUBLE STARTING THE CAR FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT ALSO DURING THIS TIME THE CAR WAS "HESITATING" AT VARIOUS TIMES BOTH ON ACCELERATION AND CRUISING. ON FEB 3, 2005, AFTER RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE AFTER A QUICK STOP AT THE STORE, THE ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT "CATCH" AND START. AFTER TRYING TO START IT AT LEAST 6 TO 8 TIMES, THE ENGINE STARTED BUT THE CEL, SLP AND TC ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON AND STAYED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE NISSAN DEALER AND ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE: "SCANNED OBD2 SYSTEM FOR DTC TROUBLE CODES: HAS CODE P0430. FURTHER DIAGNOSIS DETERMINED THAT CAM SENSOR IS BAD. REPLACED CAM SENSOR, CLEARED CODES AND RECHECKED." MY QUESTION WHICH WAS NOT FULLY ANSWERED BY THE NISSAN DEALER IS WHAT PROMPTED THE MECHANIC TO DO FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS AFTER RECEIVING THE P0430 WHICH ACCORDING THE INFORMATION I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER IS NOT RELATED TO A PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE CAM SENSOR. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE NISSAN MECHANIC HAD A "DECISION TREE" TO FOLLOW WHEN DIAGNOSING. IN MAY AND JUNE OF 2004 THE CEL LIGHT CAME ON I HAD MY LOCAL MECHANIC LOOK AT THE CAR AND HE DETERMINED EACH TIME THAT AN OXYGEN SENSOR WAS BAD REPLACED THEM. I WILL PROVIDE A COPY OF THE BILL(S) RELATED TO ALL REPAIRS IF REQUESTED. I HAVE 2 QUESTIONS OF NISSAN, WERE THE ERROR CODES DISPLAYED IN MAY AND JUNE OF 2004 IN FACT GENERATED IN ERROR? WHAT INTERNAL INFORMATION DID THE NISSAN DEALER HAVE THAT PROMPTED HIM TO DO FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS TO COME UP WITH A CAM SENSOR FAILURE? *NM
BOTH OXYGEN SENSORS FAILED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AT FIRST. THEN THE LIGHT JUST STAYED ON. *JB *SC
REAR MUFFLER, AND GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, ROTTED AND LOOSE. *JB
REAR MUFFLER FLANGE WILL COMPLETELY RUST-THROUGH, CAUSING SEPARATION OF MUFFLER AND INTAKE PIPE. EXHAUST FUMES WILL LEAK AT THIS POINT WHICH IS NEAR REAR PASSENGAR SEATING. BOTH MUFFLER AND CORRESPONDING EXHAUST PIPES ARE SOLID AND RELATIVELY FREE OF RUST, HOWEVER FAILURE OF THIS FLANGE RESULTED IN BOTH PIPE AND MUFFLER REPLACEMENT. THIS SEEMS RATHER EXTREME FOR A FLANGE FAILURE. PROBLEM OCURRED WITHIN FOUR YEARS OF OWNERSHIP (CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW). A LETTER WAS SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER, THEY RESPONDED MY STATING CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE $300. *AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER HAD THE COMPUTER RESET AT 36000 MILES. VEHICLE HAD 70000 MILES ON IT, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED.*AK
SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON APPROXIMATELY 70% OF THE TIME. PURCHASED CAR IN NOV 2000. *LA
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2001 Nissan Maxima has 25 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.