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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%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
28
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
95
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
0
10 crashes · 4 injuries

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS24 · 25%
POWER TRAIN21 · 22%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING19 · 20%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER10 · 11%
ENGINE9 · 9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM8 · 8%

The years either side

2010
14%
36 of 275
2011
41%
33 of 106
2012
41%
32 of 107
2013
73%
27 of 62
2014
53%
28 of 95
2015
too few complaints
2016
39%
47 of 142
2017
23%
19 of 103
2018
9%
3 of 36
2019
too few complaints
2020
too few complaints
2021
too few complaints
2022
too few complaints
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other full-size sedans with no elevated signal in 2014

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

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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.