2014 Nissan Maxima: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
53%
28 of 53 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
53% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2014 Nissan Maxima are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 69% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 42 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 29%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SY10/16/2024CRASH1 INJURED
While pulling into a parking space, I heard my engine racing. Immediately, I felt the car lurch forward. To avoid misapplying my foot to the gas pedal, I withdrew both my feet to the floor, next to the seat. The car continued forward at a fast rate. The car stopped going forward after it struck s building. However, the…
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE08/13/2025
Date(s) of Incident: Multiple incidents from [June 3, 2025] to [July 1, 2025] Summary of Complaint I am filing this complaint against Best Price Transmissions for negligence, non-compliance with automotive repair safety codes, and unprofessional conduct that has resulted in substantial financial loss, vehicle damag…
POWER TRAIN04/01/2024
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and displayed symptoms relating to transmission failure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the CVT. The vehicle was not repaired…
Three of 28 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Before you buy a 2014 Nissan Maxima
Ask the seller whether the transmission has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many transmission faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the transmission.
Ask for service records. A transmission already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.