2009 Nissan Maxima Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

165Steering complaints

48.7%Of all 339 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

STEERING165 · 48.7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM78 · 23%

AIR BAGS40 · 11.8%

SUSPENSION35 · 10.3%

Unspecified / other33 · 9.7%

Share of the 339 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2009 Nissan Maxima overview page.

What owners report

“I RETURNED TO MY PARKED CAR AFTER COMMUTING ON THE TRAIN HOME FROM WORK AND TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE. IT WAS A BITTER COLD…”NHTSA complaint 10563401 — filed 02/07/2014

“THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER OR START AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. A SMALL YELLOW KEY APPEARS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE…”NHTSA complaint 10563171 — filed 02/05/2014

“MY 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA WILL NOT START. THE YELLOW KEY LIGHT ON THE LEFT COMES ON BRIEFLY. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP…”NHTSA complaint 10562117 — filed 01/29/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Nissan Maxima have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2009 Nissan Maxima: 165 of 339 complaints on file (48.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2009 Nissan Maxima have in total?

339 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 7 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 6 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.