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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2016 Nissan Maxima is associated with 142 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 8 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Other / Uncategorized, accounting for 15 reports (11% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 1 certified vehicle configuration spanning 3.5l 6-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 25 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 142 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 8 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Other / Uncategorized (15 / 11%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 10 crash / 4 fire / 7 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 25–25 MPG across 1 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2016 Nissan Maxima?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Maxima 3.5L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S7) 22 MPG 30 MPG 25 MPG — $3,050 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2016 Nissan Maxima?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
4 DR FWD Later Release 9.5%
4 DR FWD Early Release 9.5%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2016 Nissan Maxima models.
View complete 2016 Nissan Maxima crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2016 Nissan Maxima?

Summary of 142 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
142
Crash Reports
10
Fire Reports
4
Complaints w/ Injury
7
Total Injuries
12

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Powertrain 12 complaints
Air Bags 11 complaints (4 crashes)
Service Brakes 7 complaints (1 crash)
Electrical System 5 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 5 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2016 Nissan Maxima problems & component breakdown (61 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2016 Nissan Maxima?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #19V807000 Active Recall
Affected Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

Defect 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
NHTSA Campaign #18V601000 Active Recall
Affected Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

Defect 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
NHTSA Campaign #16V911000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Defect 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
View all 2016 Nissan Maxima recalls & campaign history (8 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2016 Nissan Maxima

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2016 Nissan Maxima

How many safety recalls does the 2016 Nissan Maxima have?

The 2016 Nissan Maxima is associated with 8 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2016 Nissan Maxima?

NHTSA records list 142 consumer defect complaints for the 2016 Nissan Maxima. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Other / Uncategorized, appearing in 15 filings (11% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2016 Nissan Maxima?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2016 Nissan Maxima earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2016 Nissan Maxima get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2016 Nissan Maxima range from 25 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.