2010 Nissan Maxima STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BECAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD LOCK UP. ALSO, THE KEY INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT HAD TO TAKE OFF THE PANELING AND TAP THE STEERING COLUMN BOX TO GET THE STEERING COLUMN TO UNLOCK FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,247. *DT*JB
GOT IN CAR LEAVING FROM GYM THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED COULD NOT MOVE IT. CALLED DEALER WHO TOLD ME TO HOLD KEY FOB OVER CAR IGNITION DID NOT RESOLVE SITUATION. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED . I GOT ON LINE TO RESEARCH ABOUT THIS LOCKING MECHANISM AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MILLIONS OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO THIS VERY ISSUE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MILLIONS OF COMPLAINTS BEING FILED AGAINST NISSAN FOR THIS SITUATION. APPARENTLY THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS INTERNAL STEERING WHEEL LOCK MECHANISM HOWEVER NISSAN HAS PASSED THE COST OF THE FAULTY COMPONENT ONTO THE UNEXPECTED CONSUMER. THIS COST ME $1000.00 . SHAME ON YOU NISSAN. THANK GOD I WAS NOT IN MOTION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A KEY WITH A LOCK WARNING SYMBOL ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
UNEXPECTEDLY, AFTER DRIVING ONE KID TO SCHOOL THIS MORNING, VEHICLE (STATIONARY) WOULD NOT START TO DRIVE MY OTHER KID TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) UNIT THAT LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF TO HELP PREVENT THEFT PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM RECOGNIZING MY KEY (FOB), NO REGULAR KEY IS ISSUED, JUST BUTTON START. IN MY VEHICLE THE ESCL MAY MALFUNCTION AFTER THE VEHICLE IS LOCKED AND COULD PREVENT THE ENGINE FROM STARTING. STILL WAITING TO HEAR THE DREADFUL CALL FROM THE DEALER (HAVE TO BE TOWED AND I AM NOT EVEN DONE MAKING PAYMENTS FOR MY 2010 MAXIMA) TO SEE WHAT THE DAMAGE WILL BE OR IF COVERED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. NOT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK, MEANS IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. IF YOU ARE STRANDED WITH A NON RELIABLE CAR, IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, IT CAN BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOUNTAINS OR THE MIDDLE OF A DESERT, NO WAY TO START A CAR IF NO MECHANIC KEY IS ISSUED AND THE ONLY OPTION, THE FOB, IS NOT RECOGNIZED BY YOUR OWN CAR.
MY 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA EXPERIENCED THE STEERING LOCK FAILURE AND COULD NOT START THE CAR. THIS, AS I HAVE BEEN READING, IS COMMON AND IT'S GOING TO COST OVER $700.00 TO FIX. THIS IS BS NISSAN!
STEERING WHEEL LOCK SYSTEM WORKS WITH FAB TURNING ON VEHICLE DISENGAGED AND THE WIRING WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE CULPRIT AND WITHOUT THE REPAIR OF $950 THE CAR WILL NOT TURN ON. THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING JUST FINE 1 HOUR PRIOR TO LOCKING ME OUT AND CAUSING MANY OF HOURS WITH AAA DIAGNOSTICS, THEN TOWING TO 2 SEPARATE LOCATIONS AND I ASKED THE DEALER IF THIS IS A ROUTINE ISSUE IT SEEMS EXTREME AND A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH RESULTING IF IT HAPPENED WHEN ON THE ROAD AND NOT IN MY GARAGE TO QUOTE THEIR RESPONSE WAS NO IT WOULDN'T OF DONE IT WHILE DRIVING BUT IT COULD OF DESERTED YOU IN A LOCATION OTHER THAN YOUR HOME CAUSING YOU EVEN FURTHER INCONVENIENCE. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD, I MAINTAIN IT BY OPERATORS MANUAL, I CANNOT EXPLAIN HOW UPSETTING IT IS TO HAVE A VEHICLE WITH THE "AUTO THEFT" SELLING POINT BE A FAULTY MANUFACTURING OF THE ABILITY FOR OWNERS TO START THEIR VEHICLE. THE RANDOM STOP WORKING IS VERY CONCERNING BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL CANNOT MOVE. ITS DEFINITELY A VEHICLE THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THIS SITUATION.
I HAVE 2010 MAXIMA AND IT HAS BEEN WORKING GREAT. THIS MORNING, I STARTED THE CAR TO WARM IT UP FOR MY DAUGHTER AND TURN IT OFF FOR ABOUT 10MIN. WHEN SHE WAS READY TO LEAVE, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. CAR HAS POWER AND DOOR LOCKS WORK FINE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING BUT NOTHING HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUSH BUTTON TO START THE CAR. LOOKS LIKE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM THAT IS RELATED TO STEERING BEING LOCKED AND THERE IS NO WAY TO UNLOCK IT. 2009 MAXIMAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND NISSAN DID A RECALL TO FIX IT BUT NOTHING ON 2010... WHY ??? THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND NEEDS ATTENTION ASAP. *TR
MY CAR WOULD NOT START WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS TO THE CAR BUT COULD NOT START THE CAR. CAR WAS TOWED TO NISSAN SERVICE STATION WAS TOLD THE STEERING LOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR INTERNAL FAILURE AND IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. $899.67 DOLLARS LATER AND AS I'M LEAVING THE SERVICE STATION I'M TOLD MY WARRANTY WAS UP BY A FEW DAYS AND ALSO NISSAN HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR 2009 MODELS BUT NOT 2010 MODELS THIS IS A COPY TAKEN FROM NISSANASSIST.COM RELEASED IN 2013 (Q1.WHAT IS THE REASON FOR WARRANTY EXTENSION? A. TO ENSURE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. MODEL YEAR 2009 ALTIMA AND MAXIMA VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) UNIT THAT LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF TO HELP PREVENT THEFT. NISSAN HAS DETERMINED THAT ON A SMALL NUMBER OF VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING IRREGULARITY THAT HAS SINCE BEEN CORRECTED, THE ESCL MAY MALFUNCTION AFTER THE STEERING COLUMN IS LOCKED AND COULD PREVENT THE ENGINE FROM STARTING.WHAT WILL BE THE CORRECTIVE ACTION? A. NISSAN WILL EXTEND ITS NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE AFFECTED PART NUMBERS FROM ITS ORIGINAL DURATION OF 36 MONTHS/ 36,000 MILES TO 72 MONTHS/UNLIMITED MILES ) I INVESTIGATED ON LINE AND THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS BY OWNERS WITH 2010 MODELS THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM NISSAN ADMITS TO A MANUFACTURE PROBLEM HOW CAN THEY NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING IT FREE OF CHARGE FOR ALL 2010 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
I WENT TO TURN ON THE CAR AND IT WOULDN'T COME ON BUT HAD A YELLOW KEY LIGHT ON THE DASH. KEY FOB WOULD WORK TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE CAR, BUT THE BRAKE WOULDN'T DEPRESS ,AND COULD NOT SHIFT. LOOKED FOR POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS ISSUES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING LOCK. WARRANTY ONLY COVERS 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. *TR
GOT INTO MY VEHICLE TO LEAVE FOR WORK, BRAKE WAS HARD TO PUSH, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN POSITION THAT IT WAS IN, PUSH BUTTON START WOULD NOT WORK. TRIED BOTH KEYFOBS WITH NO CHANGE IN STATUS. LIGHT ON THE DASH THAT I HADN'T SEEN BEFORE (A KEY WITH A RECTANGULAR BOX AROUND IT) CHANGED BATTERIES IN BOTH FOBS WITH STILL NO CHANGE. WAS LATE FOR WORK AND HAD TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED OUT OF MY OWN GARAGE. AFTER RESEARCHING FOUND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK WOULD NOT DISENGAGE, WHICH IN TURN TRIGGERED THE ANTI-THEFT SECURITY SYSTEM AND MY CAR WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE MY OWN KEYFOBS. THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO START THE VEHICLE, NO GENERAL OVERRIDE SWITCH OR BUTTON OF ANY KIND. I HAD A VEHICLE THAT I COULD NOT USE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE ENGINE, THE KEY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO START WHEN THE AUTOMATIC PUSH BUTTON WAS PRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
I WENT TO START MY 2010 MAXIMA AND IT WOULDN'T START. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY, SO I CHANGED IT. NO DIFFERENCE. THEN I SAW THAT THE KEY INDICATOR WAS LIT ON MY DASHBOARD. SO I CHECKED MY KEY FOB, IT WAS FINE. THEN I BEGAN TO GOOGLE THE ISSUE AND SAW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2009 ALTIMA/MAXIMA'S ON THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL). I READ THAT OWNERS OF MAXIMA'S WOULD REMOVE THE BOTTOM DASHBOARD AND JIGGLE OR TAP THE ESCL AND THE CAR WOULD EVENTUALLY START. I TRIED THIS REMEDY, AND IT WORKED...TEMPORARILY. THE LIGHT WENT OFF BUT THE VERY NEXT DAY IT CAME BACK ON. I WAS HESITANT TO START MY CAR AFTER THE INCIDENT. THE CAR STARTED BUT THE LIGHT STAYED ON. I ASSUMED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE, BUT SINCE THE CAR STARTED I WENT ON ABOUT MY DAILY ROUTINE. THEN IT HAPPENED, I WAS AWAY FROM MY HOME, ON A DATE, IN THE SNOW, AND IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN. THERE I WAS TRYING TO START MY CAR WITHOUT TOOLS IN THE SNOW!! THERE ARE COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. MANY HAVE GONE UNRESOLVED, AND THERE ARE MANY UNSATISFIED NISSAN OWNERS OUT THERE. I LOVE MY MAXIMA, BUT I AM VERY UNSATISFIED WITH NISSAN AND HOW THEY HAVE HANDLED THIS ISSUE. ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY ADMITTED FAULT WITH THE 2009 MODEL, YET NEW MODELS STILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I CONTACTED NISSANASSIST.COM AND FILED A COMPLAINT AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WE'RE SORRY BUT THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST ME. *JS
THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) FAILED ON MY 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. NISSAN WANTS OVER $900 OUT OF POCKET TO REPLACE THE PART ALTHOUGH THIS IS A DOCUMENTED PROBLEM IN MANY DIFFERENT MODELS AND YEARS OF NISSAN VEHICLES THAT USE THE SAME PART. THERE IS NO RECALL OR REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM IN PLACE AS THIS TIME. THERE IS FOR THE 2009 ALTIMA AND MAXIMA BUT NOT THE 2010 MODELS EVEN THOUGH THEY USE THE SAME PART. MY CAR FUNCTIONS COMPLETELY FINE BUT WITHOUT THIS PART BEING REPLACED I CANNOT START MY CAR. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS IMMEDIATELY. *TR
THE ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK MECHANISM FAILED. NISSAN KNOWS THIS IS A FAULTY PART ISSUE. THEY ISSUED A RECALL FOR 2009 MAXIMAS. THEY CHANGED THE PART OUT IN LATE 2010 MODELS. HOWEVER, THOSE OF US WITH EARLY 2010 MODELS ARE OUT OF LUCK. WE DO NOT FALL INSIDE RECALL AND WE DID NOT GET THE NEW PART SO ALL OF US WITH FAILURE HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE VEHICLES TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP AND PAY $1,000 ($700.00 PARTS & $300.00 LABOR) FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE LITERALLY WILL NOT EVEN START. YOU CANNOT EVEN GET IT INTO NEUTRAL SO NOT SURE HOW IT CAN BE TOWED. I AM SECOND OWNER AND HAVE LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON CAR. I LOVE THE CAR AND WAS THINKING ABOUT GETTING A SECOND ONE FOR WIFE TO DRIVE. WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER NISSAN NOR RECOMMEND THAT ANYONE ELSE DO SO IF THIS IS HOW THEY TREAT THE CONSUMER! I WANT THIS FAULTY PART FIXED FREE OF CHARGE! *TR
I DROVE TO A FRIENDS WAS OUT OF THE VEHICLE ABOUT ONE HOUR.THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED STILL. I RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE AND IT WOULDN'T START. I CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND GOT A TOW TO NISSAN DEALER. I WAS TOLD I HAD TO PAY $115.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THEN THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY STEERING LOCK UNIT AND IT WOULD COST ME $1109.09.
I OWN A 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA ON NOVEMBER 21, 2014 AFTER LEAVING WORK. I NOTICE A YELLOW INDICATOR LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD. INITIALLY I THOUGHT MY KEY FOB HAD A WEAK BATTERY, SO I CALLED MY BROTHER TO PICK UP MY EXTRA VALET KEY. HOWEVER THAT DID NOT WORK, I WAS EVENTUALLY TOWED TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHERE MY CAR WAS DIAGNOSE FOR A FAILURE IN THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL), AS A RESULT OF CONSISTENTLY TRYING TO START THE CAR MY BATTERY FAILED TOO. CONSEQUENTLY, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE ESCL PART AND A NEW BATTERY, I WAS OUT OF POCKET $1286.00 DUE TO THE WARRANTY DO NOT COVER THE ESCL PART IN 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA?S. I CONTACTED NISSAN NORTH AMERICA CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND WAS DENIED A REIMBURSEMENT DUE TO BEING OUT OF THE WARRANTY PROTECTION 36 MONTHS/36,000 MILES. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I SEE THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH SEVERAL CONSUMERS. I WILL BE DOING MY DUE DILIGENCE TO ENSURE THAT THIS MATTER IS MORE THAN JUST IDENTIFY BY NISSAN BUT THAT A REIMBURSEMENT PLUS EXTENDED WARRANTY IS AWARDED TO ALL 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA?S OWNERS THAT CAN PROVIDE PROOF OF THIS MATTER. *TR
2010 NISSAN MAXIMA (ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK) ISSUE. AFTER STARTING MY CAR AND DRIVING 5 MINUTES TO THE GAS STATION, I TURNED OFF MY CAR AND WENT INSIDE THE GAS STATION. WHEN I CAME OUT TO START THE CAR, I SAW LITTLE INDICATOR ON THE DASH THAT LOOKS LIKE A KEY. I ALSO SEE AN INDICATION, INSTRUCTING ME TO REMOVE MY KEY FOM FROM THE DOCK. ALL AND ALL MY CAR WILL NOT START, AND AFTER RESEARCH I SEEING THAT LOADS OF OTHER ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE.I'M EXPECTING NISSAN TO NOT COVER THIS. MY CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. I STRONGLY AGREE THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL, SINCE IT'S THE EXACT SAME ISSUE THE 2009 MODELS ARE HAVING. *TR
WENT TO GROCERY STORE WITH 2 KIDS (3YRS/2YRS OLD) CAME OUT AND CAR WOULDN'T START. YELLOW KEY LIGHT & RED KEY LIGHT WAS LITE ON DASH. THE CAR WOULD OPEN AND CLOSE WITH KEY FOB BUT CAR STILL WOULDN'T START NEITHER DID IT RECOGNIZE THE KEY FOB WHEN PLACED INTO SLOT. HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP TO LATER FIND OUT A STEERING LOCK MODULE HAD GONE BAD. READ REVIEWS ONLINE ABOUT DIFFERENT YEAR MODELS RECALLED FOR SAME PART #487009N00B BUT NO RECALL ISSUED FOR 2010 MAXIMAS YET SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. REPAIR SHOP AND I CAN NOT GET PART LISTED ABOVE BECAUSE ITS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER WAS TOLD I HAVE TO PAY UPFRONT FOR PART $500 IN ORDER TO BE PLACED ON A WAITING LIST AND PART IS ORDERED THEN WOULD HAVE TO WAIT ANYWHERE FROM 40 TO 60 DAYS AND STILL NOT GUARANTEED. CALLED NISSAN ABOUT ISSUE AND THEY CAN NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE PART IS ORDERED. CALLED AROUND MYSELF TO FIND PART AND VERY DIFFICULT. IF THIS PART WAS AN ISSUE & RECALLED PREVIOUSLY WHY DID THEY CONTINUE TO USE IT? AND NO ALTERNATE PART HAS BEEN MADE TO REPLACE EXISTING PART. IM GETTING THE RAW END OF THE STICK HANDED TO ME. 1ST TO PAY OUT OF POCKET WITH NO GUARANTEE OF THE PART 2ND TO HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE CAR TOWED 3RD FOR THE PART BEING ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. I DONT EXPECT A CAR WITH 52,000 MILES TO GIVE ME ISSUES LIKE THIS & NOT BE COVERED BEING THAT'S ITS A KNOWN PROBLEM. IM VERY FRUSTRATED AT THIS POINT. I HAVE TO MAKE ALTERNATE ARRANGEMENTS TO GET TO WORK. THIS NEEDS TO LOOKED INTO ASAP! *TR
I WAS AT WORK, WENT TO GET INTO MY CAR AND COULDN'T START IT UP. I NOTICED THE "LOCK" WAS ON AND THE KEY LIGHT. I CALLED MY HUSBAND AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. MY HUSBAND CAME AND PICKED ME UP AND FORTUNATELY WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY JOB. WE WENT INTO GANLEY NISSAN IN MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, OH AND THEY TOLD ME TO TRY THE KEY PORT. I PLACED MY KEY INTO THE KEY PORT, STILL NOTHING. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE PEOPLE AT GANLEY AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL CHECK MY EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT THIS WAS ONLY COVERED ON ALTIMA'S LAST YEAR AND NOT MAXIMA'S. MY QUESTION IS WHY NOT! THIS IS FRAUD AS FAR I AM CONCERNED. HOW CAN THESE BIG INDUSTRIES GET AWAY WITH THIS NONSENSE, SELLING US PRODUCTS THAT DOES NOT LAST, AND THEN WE HAVE THE SERVICE INDUSTRY CAPITALIZING ON THIS. IT IS NOT FAIR, AND THIS IS A BIG BUMMER ON MY THANKSGIVING/CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY IF I HAVE TO COME OUT OF MY POCKET FOR SOMETHING THAT NISSAN SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF. THEY HAVE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS FOR MAXIMA AS WELL TO DO A RECALL, OR BE FAIR AND PAY FOR THESE REPIARS. THIS IS NOT RIGHT! I LOVED MY CAR UNTIL YESTERDAY! *TR
AFTER GETTING BACK INTO MY CAR AFTER DINNER, MY CAR WOULD NOT START. THE STEERING WHEEL MOVES, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS LOCKED. THE PUSH IGNITION SWITCH WOULD ONLY GO IN THE "LOCK" POSITION. THE "KEY" ICON WAS LIT UP ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH. PUTTING THE FOB KEY INTO THE SLOT (THE BACK UP WAY OF STARTING THE CAR) ALSO DID NOT WORK. FROM WHAT I READ ON LINE, MANY 2009-2010 NISSAN MODELS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, WHICH HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO A STEERING COLUMN LOCK MECHANISM THAT DOESN'T DISENGAGE. I IMAGINE THIS WILL COST ME ABOUT 700-1000$ TO FIX, NOT TO MENTION THE COST TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP. *TR
I DROVE MY 2010 NISSAN MAX TO CHURCH...THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING PERFECTLY AND WE HAD JUST RECENTLY HAD IT SERVICED. WHEN I GOT IN VEHICLE TO LEAVE CHURCH THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE KEY FOB WOULD LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOOR BUT NOTHING ELSE WOULD COME ON. THERE WAS A LIGHT ON THE DASH SHOWING A KEY BUT NOTHING ELSE WORKED. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY AND WAS INFORMED THE ELECTRICAL STEERING COLUMN LOCK SWITCH WAS NOT WORKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. REPAIR WOULD COST $1100. I WAS INFORMED NO RECALLS FOR 2010 BUT 2009 ALTIMA AND MAXIMA HAD SAME ISSUES AND RECALL WAS DONE FOR THAT YEAR ONLY. I AM SO UPSET AND DISAPPOINTED WITH NISSAN ESPECIALLY AFTER READING ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS AS WELL. WE HAVE ALWAYS OWNED NISSANS BUT I AM TOTALLY RECONSIDERING MY NEXT VEHICLE PURCHASE. *TR
THE CAR AFTER BEING DRIVEN TO WORK AND PARKED IN GARAGE STOPPED WORKING. AFTER LEAVING THE CAR FOR A FEW HOURS, WHILE AT WORK, I REALIZED THE CAR WOULDN'T START AND LIKE OTHERS THE CAR LOCK SIGN WAS ON. READING FURTHER ABOUT IT, IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH NISSAN'S ELECTRICAL STEERING CONTROL LOCK AND HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY OTHERS. AFTER TOWING THE CAR, THE MECHANIC MENTIONED THE SAME BUT NISSAN DOESN'T COVER THIS MODEL. IT COVERS 2009 MAXIMA AND ALTIMA, EVEN SOME OTHER MODELS BUT NOT THIS ONE. IT IS COSTING ME OVER 1200 DOLLARS FOR THE REPAIR, THAT INCLUDE 650 DOLLARS FOR THE PART, 400 DOLLARS FOR LABOR AS THIS IS EXTENSIVE, AND THEN TAXES AND CHANGE. NISSAN NEEDS TO REIMBURSE ITS CUSTOMERS FOR SUCH FAULTY PARTS. *TR
MY CAR WOULDN'T START, SO I CALLED AAA AND THEY TESTED THE BATTERY AND DETERMINED THE BATTERY WAS NOT THE ISSUE. NO SOUND, NO POWER AND THE KEY INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON, CLEARLY NOT RECOGNIZING MY KEY FOB. I GOT A RIDE HOME 30 MILES AWAY AND RETURNED WITH MY ALTERNATE KEY FOB THINKING IT COULD BE A KEY FOB BATTERY ISSUE. THE ALTERNATE KEY FOB ALSO DID NOT WORK. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK, NOT RELEASING, AND THE REPLACEMENT PART IS $895.00 AND NOT IN STOCK. MANY OF THE NISSAN FORUMS I LOOKED UP ON LINE ALSO EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM, TOO. HELLO IS ANYONE LISTENING OR TAKING NOTE? SHOULDN'T THIS MANY COMPLAINTS EQUATE TO A PARTS RECALL?? *TR
THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK BECAME FAULTY AND VEHICLE WILL NOT START. THE SAME PART NUMBER OF STEERING WHEEL LOCK WAS PUT INTO THE NISSAN MAXIMA, NISSAN GT-R, AND NISSAN 370Z. THE PART WAS RECALLED IN THE GT-R, HOWEVER IT HASN'T BEEN RECALLED IN THE MAXIMA OR 370Z. THE TOTAL WORK FOR THE REPAIR IS $1300. NISSAN SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS OF THE REPAIR DUE TO A FAULTY STEERING WHEEL LOCK. NISSAN RECENTLY CAME OUT WITH A REVISION TO THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK BECAUSE THE PART WAS FAULTY. *TR
AFTER LEAVING WORK TO DRIVE HOME, CAR WOULD NOT START, YELLOW KEY SYMBOL WAS ON DASHBOARD. KEY FOB STILL WORKED TO LOCK AND UNLOCK DOORS. CAR BATTERY WAS FINE, HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS STILL WORKED. CHECKED MANUAL AND IT INDICATED STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION. HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO NEAREST DEALERSHIP. AFTER WAITING 4 DAYS FOR THE PART TO COME IN, I HAD TO PAY OVER $800 TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN NISSAN NOT COVERING THIS PART BECAUSE OF THE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE REPORTED THE EXACT SAME ISSUE IN THE 2010 MAXIMA -- EVEN WHEN IT IS A KNOWN AND COVERED PART IN THE 2009 MODEL. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2010 Nissan Maxima has 43 STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.