There are 4 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2008 Nissan Maximain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE BURST AND LOST ALL POWER STEERING FLUID CAUSING POWER STEERING TO FAIL. WAS ABLE TO BRING CAR TO A STOP AND HAD IT TOWED TO NISSAN DEALER WHERE HOSE WAS REPLACED. I HAVE HEARD OF SEVERAL OTHER NISSAN VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM BUT NO RECALL AS OF YET! *TR
I GOT INTO MY CAR AND TRIED TO START IT AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN. THIS HAS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR OCTOBER 2007. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS A BUILT IN SAFETY FACTOR AND JUST TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT WOULD WORK. WELL I TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES AND IT WOULD NOT BUDGE. I THEN TRIED TO GET OUT OF MY CAR AND COULDN'T. I ALSO COULD NOT OPEN THE WINDOWS BECAUSE THEY ARE POWER WINDOWS AND WITHOUT THE CAR RUNNING YOU CANNOT OPERATE THEM.( YOU CAN CHECK THE RECORDS JULY 4TH WAS AN EXTREMELY HOT DAY, IN THE 80'S AT THAT TIME) I FINALLY I CLIMBED OVER THE GEAR SHIFT AND CENTER CONSOLE TO GET TO THE PASSENGER DOOR WHICH I WAS ABLE TO OPEN. ( I AM 75 YEARS OLD SO YOU CAN IMAGINE IT WAS NOT EASY, NOR WOULD IT BE FOR ANYONE. WHEN MY SON CAME HOME FROM WORK HE TRIED AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BUT SAID IT TOOK EVERYTHING TO TURN IT, AND THEN HE WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD NOT A SAFETY FACTOR. I WILL NEVER BUY A NISSAN AGAIN. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE CANNOT MAKE A U-TURN. THE TURNS ARE TOO SHORT FOR THE STEERING WHEEL AND NOT SHARP ENOUGH FOR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED IN THAT MANNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WILL CALL THE MANUFACTURER AND FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,400. UPDATED 05/26/09 *BF UPDATED 05/28/09.*JB
RATTLING NOISE COMES FROM STEERING COLUMN, DEFECTIVE RACK AND PINION GEAR ASSY. HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR
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