What are the most common problems with the 2016 Nissan Maxima?

Power train complaints lead with 33, followed by electrical system complaints with 31. See the problems section above for how owners describe them.

Does the 2016 Nissan Maxima have recalls?

Yes. The by-year fact lists 8 recalls. They are shown in the Recalls section of this page.

How many complaints does the 2016 Nissan Maxima have?

NHTSA has 142 owner complaints on file, with no deaths reported.

Is the 2016 Nissan Maxima reliable?

Owners filed 142 complaints, led by power train and electrical system reports. Complaints are not adjusted for sales, so use the by-year section for context.

What is the gas mileage of the 2016 Nissan Maxima?

See the fuel economy section of this page for the EPA figures.

2016 Nissan Maxima Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 142 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Nissan Maxima^[1]. The 2016 model year also has 8 recalls listed below^[2].

142owner complaints^[1]

8recalls^[2]

25MPG combined (EPA)^[3]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[4]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners name, biggest first.

Power Train. 33 complaints^[5]. Owners describe the car hesitating, jerking or slipping when pulling away, and a few say it lost drive on the highway.
Electrical System. 31 complaints^[6]. In the stories we read, owners describe warning lights flickering on, headlights fogging up with moisture, and sudden power loss. One owner reports an electrical fire.
Unknown Or Other. 27 complaints^[7]. These reports do not fit a clear component group.
Brakes. 21 complaints^[8]. Owners describe squealing that the dealer could not cure. Some also report a pedal that did not stop the car in time.
Engine. 20 complaints^[9]. Owners describe the engine cutting out while driving, stalling on hills and at low speed, and idling roughly.
Air Bags. 14 complaints^[10].
Speed Control. 14 complaints^[11].
Steering. 9 complaints^[12].

These are unverified reports sent to NHTSA, and one complaint can name several parts.

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2016 Maxima is necessarily included.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip (19V807), November 2019. About 391,479 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip (18V601), September 2018. About 215,124 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification (16V911), December 2016. About 757 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip (16V636), September 2016. About 120,329 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[16]
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification (16V244), April 2016. About 3,296,947 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[17]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip (16V193), April 2016. About 12,616 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[18]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper (15V733), November 2015. About 119 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[19]
Fuel System, Gasoline (15V486), August 2015. About 46,846 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, a crash.^[20]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Maxima, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (AV-S7), Premium, Front-Wheel Drive^[3]	22 / 30 / 25	$3,300

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD^[4]	5	5	5	5	9.5%
4 DR FWD^[21]	5	5	5	5	9.5%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2016 Nissan Maxima with 3.5L 6-cylinder^[22]	300 hp

How 2016 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Maxima model year. The 2016 is highlighted^[2].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1995	152	0
1996	96	0
1997	102	1
1998	113	1
1999	165	0
2000	360	0
2001	172	3
2002	205	6
2003	206	3
2004	1,426	2
2005	948	2
2006	576	2
2007	129	1
2008	79	0
2009	339	1
2010	275	1
2011	106	0
2012	107	0
2013	62	0
2014	96	0
2016	142	8
2017	106	4
2018	36	2
2019	18	1
2020	22	1
2021	3	0
2022	5	0
2023	1	0

NHTSA's counts for the Maxima show 142 complaints and 8 recalls for 2016^[2]. Among the 28 model years listed, 16 have fewer complaints than 2016 and 11 have more^[2]. The fewest complaints are for 2023 (1) and the most are for 2004 (1,426)^[2]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2016 Maxima?

The 2016 Nissan Maxima has 142 complaints on file^[1]. Power train and electrical reports lead the list^[5]^[6]. Brake complaints name 4 crashes^[8]. Air bag complaints carry 10 injuries^[10]. No deaths are reported, and the recalls section and by-year comparison are worth a look before you buy^[1].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2016 Nissan Maxima?: Power train complaints lead with 33^[5], followed by electrical system complaints with 31^[6]. See the problems section above for how owners describe them.
Does the 2016 Nissan Maxima have recalls?: Yes. The by-year fact lists 8 recalls^[2]. They are shown in the Recalls section of this page.
How many complaints does the 2016 Nissan Maxima have?: NHTSA has 142 owner complaints on file, with no deaths reported^[1].
Is the 2016 Nissan Maxima reliable?: Owners filed 142 complaints^[1], led by power train^[5] and electrical system^[6] reports. Complaints are not adjusted for sales, so use the by-year section for context.
What is the gas mileage of the 2016 Nissan Maxima?: See the fuel economy section of this page for the EPA figures.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Nissan Maxima

1996 96 complaints, 0 recalls
1998 113 complaints, 1 recall
1999 165 complaints, 0 recalls
2000 360 complaints, 0 recalls
2001 172 complaints, 3 recalls
2002 205 complaints, 6 recalls
2003 206 complaints, 3 recalls
2011 106 complaints, 0 recalls
2012 107 complaints, 0 recalls
2013 62 complaints, 0 recalls
2014 96 complaints, 0 recalls
2016 this page
2017 106 complaints, 4 recalls
2018 36 complaints, 2 recalls

Compare all model years of the Nissan Maxima

Other Nissan models from 2016

2016 Nissan Frontier 43 complaints, 1 recall
2016 Nissan Murano 108 complaints, 6 recalls
2016 Nissan Pathfinder 107 complaints, 2 recalls
2016 Nissan Quest 13 complaints, 0 recalls
2016 Nissan Rogue 542 complaints, 7 recalls
2016 Nissan Sentra 270 complaints, 6 recalls

All Nissan models

Similar cars from 2016: midsize cars

2016 Honda Accord 611 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 Hyundai Elantra 300 complaints, 2 recalls
2016 Lincoln MKZ 71 complaints, 6 recalls
2016 Mazda 6 77 complaints, 1 recall
2016 Subaru Legacy/Outback 790 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 Toyota Corolla 215 complaints, 1 recall

All midsize cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 142 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Nissan Maxima (10 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 12 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Nissan Maxima model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Maxima, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (AV-S7), Premium, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 30 highway / 25 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 5 stars; rollover risk 9.5%. NHTSA vehicle records
33 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 62,500). NHTSA vehicle records
31 complaints name the electrical system component group (3 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 55,900). NHTSA vehicle records
27 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 38,000). NHTSA vehicle records
21 complaints name the brakes component group (4 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 16,000). NHTSA vehicle records
20 complaints name the engine component group (2 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 49,500). NHTSA vehicle records
14 complaints name the air bags component group (5 crashes, 0 fires, 10 injuries, median mileage at failure 23,862). NHTSA vehicle records
14 complaints name the speed control component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 57,800). NHTSA vehicle records
9 complaints name the steering component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 19V807, filed November 8, 2019: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock / Traction Control / Electronic Limited Slip. NHTSA recall database
Recall 18V601, filed September 7, 2018: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock / Traction Control / Electronic Limited Slip. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V911, filed December 19, 2016: Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V636, filed September 2, 2016: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock / Traction Control / Electronic Limited Slip. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V244, filed April 26, 2016: Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V193, filed April 7, 2016: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock / Traction Control / Electronic Limited Slip. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V733, filed November 5, 2015: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V486, filed August 4, 2015: Fuel System, Gasoline. NHTSA recall database
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 5 stars; rollover risk 9.5%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2016 Nissan Maxima with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 300 hp. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2016 Nissan Maxima: problems, recalls and fuel economy