Worst 2002 Nissan Maxima Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
AIR BAGS
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2002 Nissan Maxima.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 21 | 7 | — | 104,365 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 20 | — | — | 9,422 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 20 | 5 | — | 62,140 mi | |
| ENGINE | 19 | 1 | — | 130,413 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 17 | — | — | 86,183 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 16 | 1 | — | 124,852 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 10 | 1 | — | 42,476 mi | |
| STEERING | 9 | 3 | — | 123,102 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 8 | — | — | 41,286 mi | |
| TIRES | 7 | 1 | — | 47,550 mi | |
| SEATS | 6 | 2 | — | 104,747 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 5 | 4 | — | 78,736 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN | 5 | — | — | 78,703 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 5 | 1 | — | 79,232 mi | |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 4 | — | — | 3,333 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 4 | — | — | 18,263 mi | |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 4 | 1 | — | 58,333 mi | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 | — | — | 140,000 mi | |
| WHEELS | 4 | 2 | — | 117,850 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | 3 | 3 | — | — | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 3 | — | — | 48,619 mi | |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 3 | — | — | 153,337 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 3 | — | — | 77,220 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 3 | 1 | — | 60,000 mi | |
| SEAT BELTS | 3 | 2 | — | 117,000 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 3 | 1 | — | 34,233 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD | 3 | — | — | — | |
| SUSPENSION | 3 | — | — | 74,733 mi | |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 3 | — | — | 90,000 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 2 | — | — | 33,019 mi |
Recalls for 2002 Nissan Maxima
2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,398,531 vehicles.
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 non-desiccated, frontal passenger air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
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 rupture.
Other Nissan Maxima Years
Wider context: See the full Nissan Maxima reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2002 Nissan Maxima
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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