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How Many Miles Can A Nissan Maxima Last? (+Reliability Scores)

How Many Miles Can A Nissan Maxima Last? (+Reliability Scores)

How many miles can a Nissan Maxima last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand Maxima, that’s a very reasonable question to ask. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog, we’ll look at this question in great detail but first, let’s start with a quick answer:

On average, a Nissan Maxima lasts between 230.000 – 260.000 miles. A Maxima needs to go to the garage for unscheduled repairs about 0.32 times per year, with a 15% chance of a severe problem. Furthermore, Maxima owners spend an average of $540 per year on repair costs.

Having said that, we’re certainly not done. Below, we’ll explain in more detail how many miles a Nissan Maxima can last. After that, we’ll also show you how much a Maxima costs annually and which production years are the most and least expensive. Furthermore, we also discuss the common problems that the car can have. Read on!

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Also read: Types Of Gas A Nissan Maxima Takes (Explained)

How Many Miles Can A Nissan Maxima Last?

Knowing how many miles your potential next buy will last is essential. We have done extensive research, gone through the database of autotrader.com, and analyzed the results we retrieved.

Our research showed that out of 3.932 Maximas for sale on autotrader.com, 5.21% had crossed the 150k mile mark. This is a higher-than-average number, given that, after analyzing more than 100+ models on this blog, we expect a percentage between 3 – 5%. The Maxima ends up slightly above this range which is a good initial signal that the Maxima is capable of higher mileage.

Amount Of MilesPercentage Of Cars
Cars With 150.000+5.21%
Cars With 100.000 – 149.00012.84%
Cars With 45.000 – 99.99939.92%
Cars With 0 – 44.99942.03%

It turns out that the Maxima performs well on our first reliability test, but we have many more to ensure that this vehicle is reliable or not. For example, it’s also essential to compare the Maxima to its competitors and other Nissans to better understand how many miles this car can last. Let’s continue.

the highest mileage Maxima for sale on autotrader.com
At the time of writing, this is the highest mileage Maxima for sale on autotrader.com.

Also read: The Exact Bolt Pattern Of A Nissan Maxima

How Reliable Is A Nissan Maxima Compared To Its Competitors?

We also have to compare the Maxima to its rivals to understand how this vehicle performs. In the table below, we’ve recorded the expected and highest mileage of several sedans available on the North-American market. Keep in mind, for almost all these vehicles, we’ve written a separate article, so we’re confident about the results of this table.

What we see in the table below is that the Maxima performs at the top of its category. However, it’s beaten by the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry. However, this is not to say that the Maxima isn’t a reliable vehicle. Ending up in the top three compared to ten other sedans is a respectable achievement.

ModelSample SizeExpected MileageHighest Mileage
Nissan Maxima3.932245.000288.000
Buick LaCrosse1.895210.000258.000
Chevrolet Impala5.500240.000323.000
Ford Taurus2.803190.000350.000
Toyota Camry23.358270.000380.000
Chrysler 3004.152200.000333.000
Chevy Malibu12.374240.000380.000
Kia Optima9.043200.000350.000
Honda Accord31.361250.000360.000
Mazda 64.170215.000260.000

So in this test, the Nissan Maxima has passed with flying colors, but not so fast; we have other tests we need to perform to determine whether it’s reliable.

How Reliable Is A Nissan Maxima Compared To Other Nissans?

It’s valuable to know how well a vehicle performs in its own circle, which would give us a clear picture of how reliable Nissans are in general.

The data suggest that Nissans are doing okay in terms of reliability. Still, the Nissan Maxima is doing the best and is the most reliable Nissan of all – even more reliable than the Murano and Altima. After Maxima, we have the Nissan Titan. However, overall we feel it’s safe to conclude that Nissan does seem to be a reliable brand in terms of how many miles their vehicles can travel.

ModelSample SizeExpected MileageHighest Mileage
Nissan Murano7.188195.000240.000
Nissan Maxima3.932245.000288.000
Nissan 350Z201205.000255.000
Nissan Titan5.125240.000300.000
Nissan Sentra10.446225.000230.000
Nissan Altima17.769240.000280.000
Nissan Rogue22.204185.000280.000

Also, read: Is The Nissan Maxima A Sports Car?

How Much Does Maintenance Cost Per Year?

When you have set your mind on a Maxima, it’s essential to know the annual maintenance cost on top of the buying cost; it will help you get the budget right and give you another angle on how reliable it is. Below, we’ve compiled data from repairpal.com and caredge.com to provide an overview of what to expect in annual maintenance costs per model year.

Model YearAnnual Maintenance Cost
2010$540
2011$614
2012$558
2013$558
2014$609
2015$430
2016$428
2017$382
2018$390
2019$360
2020$279
2021$228
2022$196

On average, expect to pay around $483 annually to keep your Maxima on the road. This is a very good number, given that the average for midsize cars is $562 per year. These numbers suggest the Maxima isn’t a problematic car or, at the very least, that fixing it isn’t that expensive.

Owners’ Reviews Of The Maximas Reliability

Besides knowing all the data, it’s, of course, also essential to see how owners experience the Maxima. For this, we went to Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and Truecar.com. All three platforms have gathered hundreds of reviews from actual car owners. We summarized our findings in the image below.

Nissan maxima owner ratings on kelley blue book, edmunds and truecar

We found that owners are incredibly happy with their Maxima on all three platforms. Remember that the scores given here are based on the reviews of owners that own an eighth-generation Maxima (2016 – present).

It scores well over 4 out of 5 stars on all of them. This indicates that the Maxima doesn’t seem to have many problems and that it meets the needs of consumers on all other fronts. What’s interesting to note is that many owners describe the car as an ‘undercover luxury vehicle ‘just a step below BMW and Mercedes’. Here’s what one owner has to say about his Maxima.

The Maxima’s interior is on par with a luxury car. Sleek design details like the dash and interior lighting are what you would find on a BMW. Charging ports in the backseat are “a game changer” according to my teenage son. The car handles well just as expected from a Maxima. Very happy with this car, and I consider car shopping a brutal task.

Source

Nissan Maxima Common Problems

If you are in the market looking for your next possible ride, Maxima, in this case, then you must know the common problems you might encounter. When you know these common problems, you can better diagnose them while you are there to inspect the vehicle for purchase.

NOTE: Before buying a used car, I always like to make sure the vehicle isn´t having any problems that you should be aware of. The easiest way to do this is by buying an OBD2 scanner. These scanners can easily be plugged into any car you’re interested in, and they’ll give you a rundown of potential problems.

Eighth-Generation (2016 – Present)

The eighth generation of the Nissan Maxima has been a relatively pain-free car. The only two model years you should watch out for are the 2016 and 2017. The 2016 model year did have some problems, which continued a little in the 2017 model year. However, all model years from 2018 onwards have incredibly few problems.

The 2016 – 2017 model year had several problems. One of the biggest ones was the quality of the brakes. Recalls were issued for a damaged o-ring on the ABS brake actuator, front caliper brake mount bolts that were loose, and brake fluid leaking from the ABS pump. Transmission failure was also common with these vehicles, with most of them failing before the 75,000 miles mark.

Seventh-Generation (2009 – 2014)

Again, this generation was relatively pain-free, although the 2009 – 2010 model years were widely complained about. The main problem with these model years was the power steering lock. This power steering lock would malfunction, which meant owners couldn’t turn the steering wheel, couldn’t unlock it, and therefore couldn’t turn the vehicle off or on. Replacing these power steering locks was expensive ($800 or more).

Furthermore, the 2009 – 2010 model years had problems with suspension struts that would corrode incredibly quickly. This resulted in a loud noise coming from the suspension when driving over rough roads, as well as the potential for the complete failure of the suspension while driving. Replacing these struts quickly costs $1.000 or more, so owners weren’t happy.

Model years manufactured from 2011 onwards had much fewer problems, and the above-mentioned problems were fixed. Therefore, we would consider the 2011 – 2014 models reliable vehicles.

Is a Nissan Maxima A Smart Buy?

Finally, we have to conclude whether the Nissan Maxima is a smart buy or not.

When we look at the potential mileage of the Nissan Maxima, we see that it can reliably reach 245.000 miles or more. The Camry and the Accord perform slightly better than their competitors, but the Maxima doesn’t perform poorly.

Furthermore, Nissan Maxima have low annual maintenance costs of $483. On top of that, owners are pleased with their vehicles and even go as far as describing them as a step below luxury cars.

Finally, we saw that Maximas have relatively few problems as long as you stay away from the 2009 – 2010 and 2016 – 2017 model years. All other model years have almost no recalls and very few complaints on the website of the NHTSA.

To conclude, we would say the Nissan Maxima is a highly reliable vehicle, and if you avoid the problematic model years, there’s no reason not to get one.

Nissan Maxima Maintenance Schedule

It’s essential to know about the maintenance schedule so you won’t miss out on any crucial repairs and maintenance that could affect the normal working of your Nissan Maxima.

Before/On Every 7,500 Miles

  • Change the engine oil
  • Change the oil filter

Typically most manufacturers recommend changing the oil at 10k miles, but you should change that engine oil before that to maximize the performance and help keep your engine healthy.

Before/On Every 15,000 Miles

  • Inspects the brake rotors
  • Inspect the brake pads
  • Check for any leaks

Before/On Every 20,000 Miles

  • Check the fuel hoses
  • Replace the air cleaner filter
  • Check the brake hoses for any leaks
  • Inspect the coolant hoses for any leaks
  • Check the exhaust system
  • Inspect the suspension components for any damage
  • Check for any clogs or leaks in the PCV system and the EGR valve

Before/On Every 40,000 Miles

  • Check the transmission fluid level. Check out this article we wrote about the transmission of a Nissan Maxima, common problems, and how to maintain it.
  • Check the drive belt condition.
  • Inspect the rear brakes and the rear wheel
  • Inspect the ball joints for any damage
  • Check for any oil leaks
  • Check the electronics for any short circuits

Before/On Every 60,000 Miles

  • Inspect the spark plugs and replace them if necessary
  • Inspect the ignition coils and replace them if necessary
  • Inspect the fuel injectors and replace them if necessary
  • Inspect the fuel line for any leak
  • Check the fuel pump
  • Have a complete engine diagnosis to check for any misfiring cylinder
  • Inspect the wiring harness of the ignition system

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