Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 103 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Nissan Maxima, and it carries 4 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 13 | 13% |
| Structure | 9 | 9% |
| Air bags | 9 | 9% |
| Power train | 8 | 8% |
| Service brakes | 6 | 6% |
| Suspension | 4 | 4% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 4 | 4% |
| Structure | 3 | 3% |
| Engine | 2 | 2% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I was approaching an exit on 7/23/2026, and all of a sudden my engine light begans flashing very fast! Once I get to the red light at the exit, the engine light stops flashing and the car begins to shake profusely......
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Car was parked outside husbands work since 7 at 12:15 pm he was advised by a co worker that my car was on fire ! When I ran outside my his workers where trying to put out the fire with the fire extinguishers from the wo
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The vehicle experienced a no‑start condition and was towed to a dealership. The dealership performed major engine and timing repairs without authorization and kept the vehicle for nearly four months. After the repairs, t
NHTSA complaint: Power train
My vehicle repeatedly loses acceleration/motive power while driving. When I press the accelerator, the pedal may go down but the vehicle does not respond normally and begins to decelerate unexpectedly. This can happen ev
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Car turning off while driving and can't turn the wheel to get out of the road. We had the car battery, fob battery and alternator replaced and still the same issue. We heard this has happened to another owner of the sa
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
My son was driving my car to work and this is his account of the incident On 1/17/2026 on I95 n, the steering wheel abruptly stopped controlling the wheels. It was as if it completely disconnected and he lost control a
NHTSA complaint: Steering
I had my car being repaired for a car accident I had on [XXX]. A piece of tire on the highway [XXX] went underneath the middle frame of my car. I picked up the car from the repair shop here in Columbus, Ohio on Satur
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Roof started to show lines that turn into cracks exposing the internal metal frame.
NHTSA complaint: Structure
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2017 Nissan Maxima. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Nissan Murano, 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2017-2018 Nissan Pathfinder, and 2017 Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
Risk: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number on the ABS actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan cus
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to August 19, 2016 and equipped with Intelligent Cruise Control, 2015-2017 Murano vehicles manufactured August 22, 2014, to August 19, 2016 and equipped with Intellige
Risk: A brake fluid leak onto the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ABS Actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 12, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano
Risk: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Alti
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair, under recall number 18V-60
Risk: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS actuator, free of charge. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available, currently expected to be during summer 20
| Reliability raw | 70 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 73 | good |
| Maintenance | 77 | good |
| Depreciation | 76 | good |
| Performance | 57 | average |
| Efficiency | 43 | below average |
| Safety | 100 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 103 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and unknown or other is the most reported area with 13 of them (13%). There are 4 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 70/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 73/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2017 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 72/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.