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2017 Nissan Maxima problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
23%
19 of 83 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2017 Nissan Maxima. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 23% of relevant complaints.

Better than 83% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 20 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 18%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2017 Nissan Maxima have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 19 of 83 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Nissan Maxima concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (23%). For comparison, the 2016 scores 39% and the 2018 scores 9%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
19
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
103
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
7 crashes · 7 injuries

Complaints by component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER25 · 24%
AIR BAGS18 · 17%
STRUCTURE17 · 17%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11 · 11%
POWER TRAIN11 · 11%
SERVICE BRAKES10 · 10%

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
54%
29 of 96
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.

How the 2017 compares with other Nissan Maxima years

Of the 8 Nissan Maxima years with enough complaints to score, the 2017 is the 3rd-best on engine and transmission share (23%). The worst is the 2013 (73%), the best the 2018 (9%). By volume, the 2017 drew 103 complaints (19 drivetrain), against 142 for the 2016 and 36 for the 2018.

Nissan Maxima years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2017 Nissan Maxima

  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,ENGINE01/24/2021CRASH1 INJURED
A VEHICLE PULLED OUT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND WAS STRUCK MY VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED FRONT-END DAMAGE THAT TOTALLED MY CAR OUT. MY AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.

One of 19 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2017 Nissan Maxima engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2017 Nissan Maxima, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip19V807000 · Nov 2019
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…
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip18V601000 · Sep 2018
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)…
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip16V636000 · Sep 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to August 19, 2016 and equipped with Intelligent Cruise Control,…
air bags: sensor: occupant classification16V244000 · Apr 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60,…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2017 Nissan Maxima? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2017 Nissan Maxima

Does the 2017 Nissan Maxima have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 19 of 83 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Nissan Maxima concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (23%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2017 Nissan Maxima?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2017 Nissan Maxima is air bags: 18 of 103 complaints (17%) name it, followed by structure (17) and electrical system (11). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 23% of the relevant total.

Is the 2017 Nissan Maxima reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 23% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 83% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 8 Nissan Maxima years we score, it ranks 3rd-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2017 Nissan Maxima?

No. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2017 Nissan Maxima, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Nissan Maxima years are better?

Among the Nissan Maxima years we track, the 2018 (9%) and the 2010 (14%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2017 (23%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/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.