The contact owns a 1998 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while attempting to lift the vehicle onto a jack, the rocker panels started to cave in due to severe corrosion and rusting. The cause of the corrosion was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.
The worst 1998 Nissan Maxima problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags24
- Electrical24
- Brakes10
- Body8
- Engine7
- Suspension6
- Tires6
- Transmission6
- Visibility6
- Acceleration5
- Fuel system5
- Steering4
- Seat belts2
- Lights1
- Locks1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1998 Nissan Maxima
Fire or smoke 8Airbag light 7No deployment 6Grinding brakes 6Check engine light 5
Recalls 1
Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulator
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, one of the diodes used in the alternator may have been damaged when built. This can eventually result in failure of the diode and an electrical short which could melt the plastic housing.
- Risk
- If the combustible gas emitted by the melting plastic does not disperse due to air flow through the engine compartment, it could ignite and in turn ignite the fan guide in the alternator.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the alternator. 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 infiniti at 1‑800‑662‑6200.
Recall number 02V171000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 1998 Nissan Maxima 74
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Diagnosis of vehicle pull (drift) and/or steering wheel off-center
- 12 volt battery testing for in-service vehicles service information
- Silicone-based lubricant or grease CAN damage electrical components service information
- Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
- Intelligent key replacement or swapping between vehicles
- Windshield cracking
- Removing foreign material from the window glass
- Wheel bearing collision damage
- Strut and shock absorber replacement guidelines
- Voluntary service campaign maxima power steering return hose leaks
1998 Nissan Maxima fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | FWD | 18-19 | 24-26 | 21 |
What 1998 Nissan Maxima owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I wish to receive reimbursement for out-of-pocket cost of repair and installation of new parts for the vehicles alternator having caught on fire. On or about november 24, 2014, my request was submitted to nissan of north per nissan manufacturers recall instructions. The recall issued in 2001 was still open on the vehicle by VIN number. All pertinent documentation was provided by fax and phone to the nissan safety complaint unit. As instructed by the investigating agent, the vehicle was taken to the local nissan dealership for inspection and reimbursement. It has been five weeks (since december 23, 2014) of delay and broken promises, and I have not yet received reimbursement. (the vehicle failed to start and began to smoke; after being towed to the garage, the alternator caught fire as an attempt was made to start the vehicle.) please provide reimbursement of repair costs.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH, smoke started to emit from the engine compartment. The vehicle was merged over to the side of the road where the contact noticed the presence of fire coming from the alternator. The contact was able to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer was contacted and indicated that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign id number: 02v171000 (electrical system). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
I just purchased a 1998 nissan maxima, went to change out the front bumper skin and fenders and as I took off the bumper skin the lower radiator support is rusted beyond belief and only one of the bolts on the cross member holding up the whole engine/trans and that one is rusted too. There is a big hole where the rust is and its affecting the performance and safety as well as handling of this car. I'm actually surprised the engine and transmission haven't fallen out the bottom of the car already. This is a pain to fix and expensive, I also have done lots of research on this and a whole lot of them have same issue. What can/are you going to do about this?
I would like to know why nothing has been done about nissan maxima's rusting and deteriorating radiator support (lower tie bar) that has been a problem from the mid 90's threw today's cars. There should be a recall on this issue and it should extend to all cars still being driven today. I have put a lot of money into my 98 not knowing of this defect. The year of the car has nothing to do with this problem, since it is continuing on brand new cars with as little as 50,000 miles on them. As a tax paying, car buyer. I believe if they are not willing to fix these issues. Then you need to force them to do the right thing.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 nissan maxima. The contact stated that he attempted to activate the air conditioner but it would not start. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic and they stated that the A/C control unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 185,000.
I failed state inspection because my engine core support is rotted. I am not the only person here who has complained about this happening in this model car.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 nissan maxima. The contact was traveling 45 MPH and traveled over a patch of ice. The vehicle then spun around and the contact lost control of the vehicle. The contact attempted to apply the brakes but the vehicle did not respond. The contact crashed head first into an unknown object and the air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained a fractured knee and was transported to the hospital. The vehicle was destroyed. The police were present on scene and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard and was not inspected for the air bag failure. In addition, the contact stated that the brakes were serviced two months prior to the crash. The manufacturer was contacted who advised that there were no recalls and offered no further assistance. The failure mileage was 150,000.
When we bought our nissan at 96648 miles, there was remarkably little rust underneath. The alternator went out on 10-12-12 and we had the car towed to a repair shop. They refused to repair it after finding that the core support for the motor is rusted and rotted out. Further research indicates that this issue has occurred in this model of car for many years. If we had known that this car was so unsafe we would never have purchased it in the first place. Toyota had a similar problem with their pickup trucks and they were buying back the trucks for large sums of money. Why isn't nissan doing / being forced to do the same? We expected another 50,000 miles out of this car and now it is worthless. There are so many complaints about this issue, there has to be a huge safety concern. A major structural component should be the last thing to corrode.
Engine core support rotted rusted and split in half. Engine and radiator could fall out and cause crash. This is a nys vehicle.
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Other model years
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Questions about the 1998 Nissan Maxima
Is the 1998 Nissan Maxima reliable?
Owners have filed 113 complaints about the 1998 Nissan Maxima, close to a typical Maxima model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Nissan Maxima?
Airbags, with 24 complaints, typically around 75,263 miles. Next is electrical (24).
How many recalls does the 1998 Nissan Maxima have?
1 recall, covering electrical system.
What year does the Nissan Maxima have bad airbags?
The Nissan Maxima model years with the most airbags complaints are 2009 (43 complaints), 2003 (35 complaints) and 2001 (29 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1998 Nissan Maxima get?
Official estimates for the 1998 Nissan Maxima range from 21 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.0L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 18-19 city and 24-26 highway.
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