My main issue that has caused major concern is while I was driving down the road.The steering all of a sudden jerked and I was almost in an accident. I immediately took it down to my mechanic and he stated that the control arm of the vehicle was bad. I did replace all four tires and got an alignment prior to this happening. Now,this was the most serious incident. I purchased this vehicle in 2022. I have had nothing but problems with it. The first two months I had it. I had to replace the mass airflow sensor not only once but twice. Then a couple months later the serpentine belt went out, replaced that, then of course it goes out again 6th months later. Replaced again!. In addition to that I have had several electrical issues, I think I replaced more tail lights, fog lights, and headlights on this vehicle than all my previous vehicles put together and I have owned many. The engine makes a funny sound every time I accelerate, I have yet to diagnose that one. The fuel door spring busted which results in my check engine light always on, the visor broke and won't stay up, had to replace that. I have been through 4 sets of tires since I purchased it. I only live a mile from work, I don't put a lot of miles on the vehicle. I have a disabled wife and I need reliable transportation. I have spent thousands of dollars to fix this car and the problems keep coming. I've almost spent more money on it than the car payment and insurance for 3 years. There is definitely something wrong with this vehicle and I think Nissan corporation should be held liable.
Nissan Maxima ball joint problems
48 of the 6,504 owner complaints about the Nissan Maxima describe ball joint or control arm failure, most of them for the 2001 model year.
- owner complaints
- 48
- worst model year
- 2001
- typical repair cost reported
- $3,000
- typical mileage
- 93,500
By model year
Often reported together
Knocking 9Jerking 4Harsh shifting 4Pulling 3Check engine light 3Transmission failure 2Power steering loss 2Hesitation 2
What owners say
2012 Nissan Maxima with 94,000 miles began hesitating upon accelerating and jerking on [XXX]. Vehicle diagnosed at Don Franklin Nissan in Glasgow, KY with bad transmission. Transmission replaced. Then on [XXX], while driving vehicle, a loud noise from front passenger tire, traction light come on, pulled to side and found wheel side ways and upon investigation, Ball Joint had come part damaging axle and wheel. Found no bolt for ball joint in place. Towed back to Don Franklin Nissan in Glasgow, KY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Failure of rear control arms
Nissan dealership said the front control arms are cracking and recommended having them replaced.
Failure of multiple systems upon impact with a pothole causing the vehicle to light up brake warning light, traction control system warning light, and spin out with no steering capability, resulting in a total loss of the car, including the rear passenger tire and wheel to sheer off, snapped the tie rod, ripped off the rear bumper, and bent the vehicle rims. I suffered a closed head injury and whiplash, as well as soft tissue damage to right shoulder and knee. Airbags did deploy.
I was driving at 25 MPH when I heard and felt a clunk. The car drove strangely and each small bump in the road was noisy. I pulled over and did not see anything obvious. I put on my flashers and drove the car to my mechanic. He discovered a broken rear wheel control arm. He said I was lucky this happened at a low speed rate. Nissan has refused and coverage. I was told by my mechanic that this is not a part that should fail on a 2016 car and could have resulted is a serious accident at a higher rate of speed.
Purchased in 2015 & driven less than 50,000 miles when a popping noise started during braking or traveling over bumps. Mechanic diagnosed & replaced the right lower control arm. Part should not have failed under low mileage conditions.
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while the vehicle was being inspected by an independent mechanic, she was informed the vehicle was pulling to the left and the transmission fluid needed to be replaced. The contact was informed to contact the Toyota dealer where she bought the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle back to the Toyota dealer, to have the maintenance work completed and had an alignment performed on the vehicle. The Toyota dealer referred her to the Nissan dealer for the transmission service. The contact took the vehicle to Lokey Nissan (27758 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater, FL 33761: (727) 789-8100) and was informed that the front suspension and control arm needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 02V146000 (Suspension) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,646. Vehicle has not been repaired. Consumer reviewed the forms and all seem correct except for the las part where it said Applicable Incident Information. Consumer did not report a crash or a fire.
I own a 2009 Maxima. I took the vehicle into a repair shop to diagnose a problem that i was experiencing with the suspension. The vehicle made a thumping noise on rough or bumpy road surfaces and felt as though the front end was going to break apart whenever I hit even a small pot-hole. I was told that the complete strut assembly as well as the lower control arms had to be replaced. I was also advised that my vehicle was unsafe to drive. The cost and labor to replace these parts is approx. $1,400. I can't afford to repair the vehicle at this time as I am unemployed due to Covid-19. I'm no mechanic but I will have to attempt to repair the vehicle myself.
Front subframe completely rotted out lower control arm become unattached, had to repair subframe and all components, absolutely a safety risk, many recall on these vehicles but I don't understand why they don't have one for this vehicle
Related recalls
Suspension
- What is wrong
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 altima and maxima passenger cars. The upper front strut insulators may have been manufactured out of specification resulting in a potential for the strut insulator to crack.
- Risk
- If the strut insulator is cracked, there is a potential for the strut rod to come out of its mounting position, which could affect vehicle stability and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners and dealers will replace both left and right side front strut insulators free of charge. The safety recall began october 2009. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-nissan1 (1‑800‑647‑7261).
Recall number 09V358000 · Recall details
Suspension: rear
- What is wrong
- On certain vehicles, the rear subframe may have been manufactured incorrectly, which could result in a crack in a bracket which holds part of the rear suspension.
- Risk
- If the bracket is cracked, the stability of the vehicle may be affected under severe driving conditions. This could lead to a loss of control of the vehicle which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the rear subframe to determine if it was manufactured incorrectly and replace it, if necessary. The recall began on february 27, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 06V046000 · Recall details
Suspension: front: control arm: lower arm
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the pin at the end of the front suspension transverse link (lower control arm) could break where it is mounted to the frame.
- Risk
- This can cause a knocking sound and abnormal steering. This could result in difficulty controlling the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the transverse links on the left and right sides with new ones. 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 02V146000 · Recall details
Questions about the Nissan Maxima ball joint
Which Nissan Maxima years have ball joint or control arm failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2001 (12 complaints), 2002 (7 complaints) and 2004 (4 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix ball joint or control arm failure on the Nissan Maxima?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $3,000 (median of 5 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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