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.

Key Data Findings
  • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 142 reports
  • Safety Recall Campaigns: 8 campaigns
  • Top Reported Defect Area: Other / Uncategorized (15 / 11%)
  • Safety Incident Signals: 10 crash / 4 fire / 7 injury reports
  • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
  • EPA Efficiency: 25 MPG (1 variant)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
Fuel Economy
25MPG
1 EPA certified variant (3.5l 6-cyl powertrain configurations)
Reported Complaints
142
142 submitted owner reports
Safety Recalls
8
8 official NHTSA recalls
NCAP Safety Rating
5 / 5 Stars Overall

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) →
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.