The 2002 Nissan Maxima has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 2,158,874 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 278 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
AIR BAGS20V0080002020-01-09307,962 affected
Defect
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with…
Consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 888-737-9511 or Infiniti customer service at 888-810-3715.
AIR BAGS15V2870002015-05-151,090,569 affected
Defect
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 and I35, 2003 FX35 and FX45, and 2001 I30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to…
Consequence
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: On December 18, 2015 Nissan informed NHTSA of an amendment of this recall to remove 2004-2005 Infiniti FX35 and…
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING03V4550002003-11-17630,000 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR MAY HAVE AN IMPROPER SOLDER JOINT DUE TO SOLDER DEFORMATION CAUSED BY HEAT STRESS ACCELERATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF FLUX RESIDUE DURING THE SOLDERING PROCESS.
Consequence
THIS COULD CAUSE THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON, CREATE A NO START CONDITION, CAUSE REDUCED ENGINE POWER, OR CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR(S), AND IN SOME CASES, THE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL SENSOR(S). VEHICLES INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN, 01V357, ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS NEW CAMPAIGN. THE REPLACEMENT SENSORS USED IN THAT CAMPAIGN ARE ALSO AFFECTED. OWNER…
SUSPENSION02V1460002002-05-3090,500 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE PIN AT THE END OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION TRANSVERSE LINK (LOWER CONTROL ARM) COULD BREAK WHERE IT IS MOUNTED TO THE FRAME.
Consequence
THIS CAN CAUSE A KNOCKING SOUND AND ABNORMAL STEERING. THIS COULD RESULT IN DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSVERSE LINKS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES WITH NEW ONES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 29, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR…
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM, THE STOPPER FOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL PREVENT EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF THE ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR. IF THE DRIVER APPLIES OVERLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PUSHING IT TO THE RIGHT, THE PEDAL…
Consequence
THIS WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP TO COME ON AND THE ENGINE SPEED TO BE SEVERELY LIMITED. IF THIS OCCURS UNEXPECTEDLY, IT COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW ACCELERATOR PEDAL STOPPER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 11, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 800-662-6200.
POWER TRAIN02V0100002002-01-11843 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, THE ODOMETER IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES REGISTERS DISTANCE IN KILOMETERS INSTEAD OF MILES AS IS SPECIFIED IN THE DESIGN. THE ODOMETER DOES NOT HAVE A LABEL THAT INDICATES "KILOMETERS" OR "KM" AS REQUIRED BY FMVSS NO. 101, "CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS."
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ODOMETER TO DETERMINE IF IT IS CORRECT AND, IF NOT, WILL REPLACE THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 12, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME…
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS
21
7crashes6injuries
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
20
5deaths
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
20
5crashes4injuries
ENGINE
19
1crashes3injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
17
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
16
1crashes
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
10
1crashes
STEERING
9
3crashes3injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
8
TIRES
7
1crashes
Total complaints278
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)”
“[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)”
“[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)”
“Driving vehicle on road and the accelerator pedal no longer working vehicle. Coasted to the side. Car had to be towed. Vehicle cranking without problem but will not accelerate pedal goes to floor. At consideration of purchase of vehicle, car fax and all details about vehicle were viewed for…”
“Driving vehicle on road and the accelerator pedal no longer working vehicle. Coasted to the side. Car had to be towed. Vehicle cranking without problem but will not accelerate pedal goes to floor. At consideration of purchase of vehicle, car fax and all details about vehicle were viewed for…”
“Driving vehicle on road and the accelerator pedal no longer working vehicle. Coasted to the side. Car had to be towed. Vehicle cranking without problem but will not accelerate pedal goes to floor. At consideration of purchase of vehicle, car fax and all details about vehicle were viewed for…”
“Unknown. Vehicle on roadway and it just stop accelerating in the middle of traffic. Research of vehicle before purchase refers to several issues that I would like to verify that those items are not a factor in my use of my vehicle. I have concern about lights, airbag, sensor, and I dont want to…”
“The vehicle failed front wheel bearing replacement. I took it to the mechanic because when I was driving there was a very loud noise and didn't feel well. The mechanic told me that I could have had an accident because the tire was about to come off the vehicle.”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA21002 Opened 2021-09-17 · open
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant…
InvestigationEA21002 Opened 2021-09-17 · open
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2002 Nissan Maxima as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.