CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2009-2010 Maxima has an expensive problem where the steering lock prevents the car from starting, & costs upwards of $1,000 to fix!

For more information, see this page on the Nissan Maxima Electronic Steering Column Lock (ESCL) defect.

9.5

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,400
Average Mileage:
45,150 miles
Total Complaints:
4 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (4 reports)
2010 Nissan Maxima engine problems

engine problem

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2010 Nissan Maxima Owner Comments

problem #4

Mar 062016

Maxima

  • CVT transmission
  • 48,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Leased 2 2010 nissans in 2010. One maxima, one Rogue. I drive the maxima. Purchased both in 2013. Purchased extended warrantys for both.

Maxima has about 50K miles on it. Hear a loud ticking motor noise only when its cold and starting, goes away after a minute. My guy tells me it could be the timing chain covered under the extended warranty. Portfolio warranty adjuster looks. Tells my guy "tighten the tension rollers on the timing chain". My guy did. Take it home, next day car cannot be driven. Noise is back and constant and the car is revving in the red. Have it towed back to my guy. He is curious. Calls the adjuster again. Adjuster tells him it needs to go to nissan. I tow it to nissan in smithtown ny. Jessica at nissan informs me that she thinks it needs a new motor. Tells me the adjuster will come and advise, she cannot tell me what the fix is, only the adjuster. Jessica tells my guy she needs all of the maintenacne records BEFORE she call the adjuster. My guy says call the adjuster, my guy will fax over maintenance records. Jessica gets the records and immeidatley says they are fraudulent, then proceeds to call the adjuster and adivse. None of this is true. I get that oil changed regularly, I just am not able to come up with every single receipt. I am starting to get suspicous. Jessica offers to call me when the adjuster shows, and then she will call me when he leaves. Odd, i never got the call he was there. I got a call that he WAS there and said the car needs a new engine and for nissan to do it the cost is $5300.00. Adjuster saw sludge, Nissan sees sludge. I tell Jessica no thank you. I ask how did we go from a timing chain issue to a new motor? She played dumb.Then she tells me I owe nissan 140.00 for "taking the engine apart". Those were her exact words.

I pay. and have my car towed back to my guy. He takes it apart and notices that apparently nobody else took the engine apart! Not even the housings for anything were removed. The oil pan had the original silicone on it. And none of the bolts, crews or nuts look like they had been touched. How can you see sludge when the motor has not been taken apart at all? My guy is currently working on the car. I call Nissan after I saw with my own eyes, that this engine was never touched. I ask for Jessica, she is busy lying to another sucker. I ask for her to call me with an explanation of why nobody opened the engine. that was yesterday at 330pm. It is now the next day 1130am. No call.

Nissan is the worst. And their extended warranty sux right behind them. This all feels and look like a scam.

And Nissan of Smithtown NY is the place to go to be lied to. Never had a good experience there. I asked Jessica, who I have no idea what she does at Nissan other than lie, how is it that a 6 year old car that was drive 8 miles a day ( 4 miles from my office to my house.) needs a new engine? and, i Asked her, how does this same car even need a timing chain? I am still waiting for those answers.

- Bryan E., St James, NY, US

problem #3

Oct 072016

Maxima

  • CVT transmission
  • 48,000 miles

Brought it in for a loud ticking or knocking sound. No warning lights on the dash. First I was told it was the timing chain. That came from Portfolio extended warranty. Timing chain was adjusted.Got the car back after about 8 days. Started it the morning after the adjustment. Noise was louder and constant. Undrivable, car would rev up and down lurching, all the while the noise is present. Have it towed back. Portfolio comes again says its the motor take it to nissan. ( car has maybe 50k miles on it, oil is changed regulary, mostly driven 8 miles, 4 miles each way back and forth to work, for years.) I have it towed to nissan. Nissan says its the motor I need a new motor.Send us your oil change rec. She then calls my mechanic and asks for the same. My mech has a computer problem, they manually write up the info and submit it. No good, they are false. So They have to wait for the portfolio guy. I am told he will come Monday or Tuesday. I call Monday, Portfolio was a no show. I call Tuesday girl in Nissan service dept tells me she will call me when he is here, and then call me when he leaves. No call. I call, yup he was here, you need a new motor and Portfolio will not cover it because your records are insufficient. Ok. I pay Nissan 141 for the bad news tow it back to my guy. He says bs on the new motor its the timing chain.Says it looks as though nissan did not take motor apart to look.I call Nisaan and leave a message stating this. No call back. Call Portfolio, start telling them this story and the guy pulls up my claim. Yup he was there Monday, he tells me. I said no he was there Tuesday. Oh hold on. Comes back on, I ask him to explain the Timing chain to new motor. He asked about the chain. I said that was my first claim. Hmm he does not see that. Puts me on hold for 15 minutes I hang up. My guy Replaces the timing assembly. $2400. I pay him and pick up the car after about 30 days without it.Start it cold. No noise, awesome. Drive it. Drives great. Get to work. Park it.Go to lunch. Start it cold. Noise is back, not very loud but there, Let it cool for 20 minutes. Same thing. And still no lights on the dash telling there is a problem. Nothing. No smoke. No noise after starting it. Never ever will I buy a nissan again.

Update from Mar 21, 2017: Noise is still present. Comes and goes. Some days louder than others. Not every day, not every start.

- Bryan E., St James, NY, US

problem #2

Jan 022013

Maxima S 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 84,000 miles

I thought NISSAN was BUILT TO LAST, A LIE no prior problems, no warning lights no nothing. Maintenance was kept up on vehicle thought everything was perfect until........... Took it to the dealership they told me that it sounded like a lot of bolts and screws but wasn't sure it was gonna cost $650.00 to take the engine out and $8000.00 to repair it. And they said BUILT TO LAST WHERE THE HELL THEY DO THAT AT. PISSED THE F... OFF

- Leona S., Drew, MS, US

problem #1

Mar 032010

Maxima SV V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 600 miles

600 miles, brand new car. Engine failure - Dealer thinks cylinder mis-fire. They have no solution. Need to order a new contol module, that is on national backorder. No idea when part will be available.

- Mike W., Sammamish, WA, US

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