There are 6 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2002 Nissan Maximain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I HAVE 2 NISSAN MAXIMA'S, BOTH 2002 MODELS. BOTH OF THESE CARS HAVE FAULTY HINGES ON THE DRIVERS DOOR CAUSING THE DOORS TO SAG AND NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. I DO NOT THINK IT IS JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH VEHICLES AND WONDER HOW MANY OTHER OF THESE CARS HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB
ON 6/30/04, TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO MY LOCAL DEALER FOR A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE STRUT WAS BROKEN OR BOTTOMING OUT. DEALER ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS A STRUT, AND AFTER PUTTING TWO STRUT ASSEMBLIES ON THE CAR, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. SINCE THEN, THIS DEALER AND ANOTHER DEALER HAVE REPLACED LOWER CONTROL ARM, RACK AND PINION, CRADLE, AND NUMEROUS BOLTS TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NISSAN DEALER TECHNICAL SERVICES AND A NISSAN ENGINEER HAVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. NISSAN ENGINEER HAS PINPOINTED THE NOISE TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE ARE SUPPORTS OR BRACES WITHIN THE FRAME THAT MAY HAVE BROKEN. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, SO ANY PROBLEM WITHIN THE FRAME ARE A RESULT OF DEFECT CAUSED DURING THE MANUFACTURING OF THE FRAME. *JB
PAINT CHIPS ON HOOD;COMPLAINED TO NISSAN; INSPECTORS CONCLUSION UNSATISFACTORY AND DISPUTED BY OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL!
I HAVE HAD MY NEW 2002 NISSAN MAXIMA SE FOR ABOUT 45 DAYS NOW AND IT HAS LESS THEN 16,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER SOME RAIN STORMS I HAD NOTICED THAT THE TRUNK WAS LEAKING A LOT AND THERE WAS A LOT OF WATER GATHERED IN THE SPARE TIRE COMPARTMENT AND THE MAT AND CARPET WERE STARTING TO SMELL. I TOOK IT INTO ACADEMY NISSAN AND THEY GAVE ME A BIG STORY WHY IT MIGHT NOT BE COVERED... IN THE END IT WAS COVERED BUT IT TOOK 4 DAYS TO GET MY CAR BACK AND ALL THEY DID WAS BEND THE TRUNK , NOW IT HITS THE BUMPER WHEN IT CLOSES AND IS NOT PARALLEL TO THE GROUND MAKING IT LOOK UNCENTERED. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THEIR WORKMANSHIP OR THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND I PLAN ON DEALING WITH HIGHER MANAGEMENT UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED. *NLM
THE HOOD AND FRONT BUMPER'S PAINT CHIPS TOO EASILY. HAVE COMPLAINED TO DEALERSHIP MANY MANY TIMES WHO STATES THAT IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE AND THEY CANNOIT ASSIST ME AND I SHOULD OF KNOWN BEFORE PURCHASING. CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMAR AFFAIRS AND NEVER HEARD BACK FROM THEM AT ALL! THIS WILL HURT MY RESALE VALUE AND LOOKS TERRIBLE, NEEDS TO BE RECONCILED
PAINT QUALITY IS HORRIBLE. CAR HAS THOUSANDS OF SMALL PAINT CHIPS CONCENTRATED ON THE FRONT BUMPER AND FRONT OF HOOD. THIS IS NOT NORMAL AS NISSAN INSISTS. THEIR PAINT JOBS ARE INFERIOR AND UNFAIR TO THE CONSUMER. *NM
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026