Recalls
8campaigns
5 brake · 2 air bag · 1 fuel system
Source: NHTSA
Complaints
142filed
Owner reports, 2012–2021 shown
Source: NHTSA ODI
Crash tests
5★overall
★★★★★ Frontal 5★ · Side 5★ · Rollover 5★
Source: NHTSA NCAP
Fuel economy
25mpg combined
$2,612/yr at this week's prices
Source: EPA · EIA
Specs
3.5 L 6-cyl· AV-S7 CVT
EPA-listed configuration
Source: NHTSA vPIC
Recalls (8)
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2016 Nissan Maxima. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Listed for 2016 Nissan Maxima. Not checked against your VIN.
Park outside: fire risk. NHTSA advises parking outside and away from buildings until the recall repair is done.
Brake Fluid Can Leak Into ABS Pump and Ignite
Service brakes, hydraulic · antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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-601. In addition, this recall expands the previous population. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
- Consequence
- A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- 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 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: If the ABS warning light remains illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle.
63% repairedof 391,479 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 19V807000
Listed for 2016 Nissan Maxima. Not checked against your VIN.
Park outside: fire risk. NHTSA advises parking outside and away from buildings until the recall repair is done.
Brake Fluid may Leak into ABS Pump and Ignite
Service brakes, hydraulic · antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- 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 customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: When brake fluid has leaked onto the circuit board, the ABS warning lamp will remain illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up. If this occurs, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle.
80.9% repairedof 215,124 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 18V601000
Listed for 2016 Nissan Maxima. Not checked against your VIN.
Air Bag May Not Deploy Due to Software Issue
Air bags · sensor · occupant classification
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014, to August 12, 2016, and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured June 4, 2015, to August 19, 2015. An incorrect Occupant Classification System (OCS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have been installed in the front passenger seat. The incorrect ECU and seat combination may misclassify the front passenger seat occupant.
- Consequence
- If the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECU and update the OCS software free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
49.8% repairedof 757 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V911000
Listed for 2016 Nissan Maxima. Not checked against your VIN.
Brake Fluid may Leak into ABS Pump and Ignite
Service brakes, hydraulic · antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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 Intelligent Cruise Control, and 2015-2016 Murano Hybrid vehicles manufactured August 22, 2014, to July 19, 2016. The affected vehicles have Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) actuator pumps that may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal electrical circuit board.
- Consequence
- A brake fluid leak onto the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- 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 1-800-647-7261. Note: When brake fluid has leaked onto the circuit board, the ABS warning lamp will remain illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up. If this occurs, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle.
90% repairedof 120,329 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V636000
Listed for 2016 Nissan Maxima. Not checked against your VIN.
Passenger Air Bag may not Deploy due to OCS Error
Air bags · sensor · occupant classification
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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 Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
- Consequence
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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 Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
77.1% repairedof 3,296,947 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V244000
Listed for 2016 Nissan Maxima. Not checked against your VIN.
ABS Brake Actuator may have a Damaged O-Ring
Service brakes, hydraulic · antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 Murano vehicles manufactured December 17, 2015, to February 11, 2016, and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured November 25, 2015, to February 12, 2016 and equipped with an antilock braking system (ABS) and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC). The ABS actuator may have a damaged O-ring that may result in a lack of brake fluid pressure.
- Consequence
- Insufficient brake fluid pressure may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ABS actuator, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 16, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
78% repairedof 12,616 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V193000
Listed for 2016 Nissan Maxima. Not checked against your VIN.
Front Brake Caliper Mounting Bolts may be Loose
Service brakes, hydraulic · foundation components · disc · caliper
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2015 Altima and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured October 6, 2015, to October 7, 2015. The affected vehicles have front brake calipers whose mounting bolts may not be properly tightened.
- Consequence
- If the bolts were not properly tightened, the caliper may detach and reduce braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will check the brake caliper mounting bolts, tightening them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 14, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
88.2% repairedof 119 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 15V733000
Listed for 2016 Nissan Maxima. Not checked against your VIN.
Fuel Sending Unit may Leak Fuel
Fuel system, gasoline
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified the agency on July 31, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2016 Nissan Maxima vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to August 18, 2015. On October 14, 2015, Nissan expanded the recall to cover an additional 41,388 vehicles, including certain model year 2013-2015 Altima 3.5 vehicles equipped with a V6 engine manufactured March 30, 2012, to August 18, 2015 as well as the vehicles covered by the July 31, 2015 notification. In the affected vehicles, due to an improperly installed o-ring that may not have been seated correctly at the time of assembly, fuel may leak during a crash from the area where the fuel sending unit attaches to the fuel tank.
- Consequence
- If fuel leaks from between the fuel sending unit and the tank, it may increase the risk of a fire in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer ring between the fuel tank and the fuel sending unit. The recall began on September 28, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
84.5% repairedof 46,846 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 15V486000
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (142)
142 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The power train is mentioned most often.
10involved a crash
4involved a fire
12injuries reported
0deaths reported
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 142 |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 33 | 23.2% |
| Electrical system | 31 | 21.8% |
| Unknown or other | 27 | 19% |
| Service brakes | 21 | 14.8% |
| Engine | 18 | 12.7% |
| Air bags | 14 | 9.9% |
| Vehicle speed control | 14 | 9.9% |
| Steering | 9 | 6.3% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 5.6% |
| Structure | 8 | 5.6% |
How 2016 compares with other Maxima years
Best and worst Maxima years →2012107
201362
201496
20151
2016142
2017103
201836
201918
202022
20213
| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 107 | 0 |
| 2013 | 62 | 0 |
| 2014 | 96 | 0 |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | 142 | 8 |
| 2017 | 103 | 4 |
| 2018 | 36 | 2 |
| 2019 | 18 | 1 |
| 2020 | 22 | 1 |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 |
This year (2016)Other yearsStill collecting reports
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Overall★★★★★
Frontal crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 4★★★★★★
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★☆
RolloverRollover risk 9.5%★★★★★
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2016 Nissan Maxima 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 25 mpg combined
25
mpg combined
22
city
30
highway
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,300
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 363 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
$2,612per year
$218per month
600gallons a year
Miles ÷ 25 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 L 6-cyl · AV-S7 CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 / 30 / 25 | $3,300 | 363 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2016 Maxima for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2016 Nissan Maxima FAQ
How many recalls does the 2016 Nissan Maxima have?
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns: 19V807000 (brake), 18V601000 (brake), 16V911000 (air bag), 16V636000 (brake), 16V244000 (air bag), 16V193000 (brake), 15V733000 (brake), 15V486000 (fuel system). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2016 Nissan Maxima problems?
Owners filed 142 complaints with NHTSA. Power train (33), Electrical system (31), Unknown or other (27) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2016 Nissan Maxima get?
EPA rates the 3.5 L 6-cyl · AV-S7 CVT version at 22 city, 30 highway and 25 combined mpg.
What safety rating did the 2016 Nissan Maxima get?
NHTSA rated the 2016 Nissan Maxima 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 5 stars rollover (9.5% rollover risk).
How does the 2016 Maxima compare with other years?
Among the 2012–2021 Nissan Maxima model years at least five years old, the 2015 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 2016 the most (142). The 2016 drew 142. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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