2011 Nissan Maxima
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
- Fuel economy
- 22 mpgcombined; city 19, highway 26; every version of this model year
- Five years of fuel
- $18,290U.S. average; Ohio $17,240 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
- NHTSA overall safety rating
- Not ratedlowest across the versions NHTSA tested
- Recall campaigns
- 0none on file
- Owner complaints
- 106filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Problems owners report
Owners have filed 106 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Maxima. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
| Part | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 23 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Power train | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown or other | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 12 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Engine | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Structure | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
9 more parts
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Traction control system | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
Every Maxima year side by side
Recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2011 Maxima. NHTSA's recall lookup checks a specific VIN.
Service bulletins and investigations
Carmakers sent NHTSA 115 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2011 Maxima, the latest on Apr 13, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (26), electrical system (25), wheels (13), power train (9), service brakes (9).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2011 Maxima.
Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5
Specs
EPA class: midsize cars. Each version EPA tested:
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Fuel | City / hwy / comb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maxima Front-Wheel Drive | 3.5 L, 6 cyl | Automatic (AV-S6) | Premium Gasoline | 19 / 26 / 22 |
Sources and dates
- U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
- NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data