2009 Nissan Maxima Steering
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
ESCL DISABLED MY PUSH BUTTON START. NOW I AM UNABLE TO START LET ALONE DRIVE MY VEHICLE. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER (ADDITIONAL COST TO MYSELF) AND THE DEALER IS GOING TO CHARGE CLOSE TO $1200.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THIS WAS A RECALL BUT EXPIRED IN 2015. WHY WON'T NISSAN BE RESPONSIBLE AND PAY FOR THIS INSTEAD OF THE CONSUMER? THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE VEHICLE SEEING HOW IT IS SUCH A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AGAINST NISSAN VEHICLE OWNERS
MY STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. I WAS UNABLE TO START MY CAR AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. IT COST ME ALMOST $1300 TO FIX. I SEE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL??
TURNED CAR OFF TO GO INTO POST OFFICE. RETURNED AND IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. WENT HAD NEW BATTERY PUT IN KEY PAD. STILL NOTHING. CALLED NISSAN FOR SUGGESTIONS. NONE GIVEN. HAD TO HAVE TOWED TO NISSAN. AFTER THEY CHECKED WAS TOLD STEERING LOCK UNIT HAD INTERNAL FAILURE. NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AFTER OWNING SEVERAL CARS. A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND ONE THAT SHOULDN'T BE OCCURRING ON A 2009 MODEL CAR. I 'M VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CAR SINCE I HAD HEARD SO MANY GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT. I GAVE UP ON CADILLAC'S TO GET A NISSAN. SURE BELIEVE I MADE A BIG MISTAKE. THERE ARE OTHER LITTLE QUIRKS THAT HAVE BOTHERED ME. I'M ON MY THIRD CAR BATTERY. BOUGHT THE LAST ONE IN APRIL 2014.THE KEY PAD LOCKS HAVE TO BE CHANGED EVERY YEAR. THE ORIGINAL PAINT JOB IS VERY SHALLOW. THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS STEERING LOCK UNIT.
WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR LAST YEAR,THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD GO UP. IT MADE A GRINDING NOISE. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED IT UNDER WARRANTY FOR NO CHARGE. IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING IN AUGUST OF 2016. CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY NOW. THERE ARE SO MANY FOLKS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL CAR. NISSAN SHOULD RECALL THESE CARS AND FIX THE PROBLEM FOR FREE. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT MOVE UP. IT IS STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION AND MAKES A GRINDING NOISE.
PARK CAR. GOT BACK IN STEERING WHEEL LOCK, LEFT CAR OVER TO FRIEND HOUSE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE "INDICATOR KEY NOT BEING RECOGNIZED" MESSAGE APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.
STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTIONS STRANDING THE DRIVER IN POSSIBLY DANGEROUS LOCATIONS OR HOURS. HAD TO TOW TO DEALER AND PAY $1094 FOR REPAIRS
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, SHIFT WONT WORK, BRAKES WONT ENGAGE...NEVER NOTIFIED REGARDING NISSAN ALERT WHICH IS POSTED ON THEIR SITE...HOW DOI GET MY CAR FIXED...CARWONT START AND CANT GET TOWED OUT OF GARAGE
MY CAR STARTED WITH NO PROBLEM EARLY MORNING TO GO TO WORK, BUT WHEN I GOT OFF IT WOULD NOT START. I SAW A KEY LIGHT ON, SO I ASSUMED THAT IT WAS MY INTELLIGENT KEY BATTERY. SO I GOT A NEW BATTERY. I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN AND IT STILL WOULD NOT START. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE NEXT MORNING THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC. THEY TOLD ME MY STEERING LOCK UNIT IS BAD AND IT WOULD BE 1,020.00 TO REPLACE IT. I ASKED HOW DOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING AND THEY COULD NOT ANSWER. I WAS TOLD IT JUST HAPPENS.THIS UNIT REALLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.
I TRIED TO START MY CAR AND THERE WAS A YELLOW KEY INDICATOR ON THE DASH. NEXT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED. I AM CURRENTLY UNABLE TO START MY CAR.
STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION
KEY INDICATOR LOCK LIGHT CAME ON. CAR WOULD NOT START COMPLETELY DISABLED. DID RESEARCH TO SEE IF OTHERS HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM ON YOUTUBE AND THIS SITE TO FIND THAT MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE HAD SAME ISSUE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP $1,100 ESTIMATE!!!
MY 18 OLD SONS CAR JUST HIT 87000 MILES AND THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM HAS FAILED. NOT ONLY IS THIS A $900 REPAIR BUT IT IS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM WITH NISSAN VEHICLES. MY SON WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT AT 12AM. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES WHILE HIS CAR IS OFF. HE IS UNABLE TO START IT. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED 3 TIMES WITH THE DEALER SAYING IT WAS A BATTERY PROBLEM. HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED. NISSAN ADMITS THERE IS A STEERING LOCK PROBLEM AND THAT THE RECALL PERIOD ENDED IN JAN 3016. MY SON IS 18 AND JUST BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A REPUTABLE MAJOR CAR DEALERSHIP IN TOWN. ANYTIME A DRIVER IS AT RISK IN A PARKING GARAGE OR LOT OR FREEWAY WITH A CAR THAT HAD THIS NOTABLE PROBLEM IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN.
I PULLED INTO MY MOTHER'S DRIVEWAY STOPPED THE CAR TO RUN INTO THE HOUSE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. WENT BACK TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START. THE YELLOW KEY INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AS IF IT WASN'T RECOGNIZING MY I-KEY. WAS TOLD BY NISSAN DEALER THIS WAS STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION COMMON IN THE VEHICLES. WAS GIVEN A QUOTE OF $900 NOT INCLUDING TOWING. CONTACTED CONSUMER AFFAIRS UPON SEEING THAT THIS WAS A COMMON ISSUE TO INSURE I WASN'T COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY ETC. NO WAS THE ANSWER TO THAT. I FIND IT DISTURBING THAT NISSAN IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND IS OK WITH LEAVING CONSUMERS STRANDED IN POSSIBLY UNDESIRABLE OR UNSAFE SITUATIONS. I AM A 2ND TIME NISSAN OWNER BUT AFTER HOW THIS IS BEING HANDLED THIS WILL BE MY LAST NISSAN VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO NISSAN FOR DIAGNOSTIC BECAUSE A CASE COULD BE OPENED BY CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO POSSIBLE ASSIST WITH THE PAYMENT BUT THEY ONLY ASSIST MORE RELIABLE CUSTOMERS, WHICH THEY DIDN'T FEEL I WAS SINCE I HADN'T BEEN GOING TO NISSAN FOR MY SERVICES. I PURCHASED THIS CAR SECOND HAND AND WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I WENT MORE COST EFFICIENT ROUTES FOR SERVICING AS THE ONE TIME I TRIED TO CONTACT THEM FOR ASSISTANCE IN THE PAST STAFF WAS RUDE. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE I AM LEFT INT HIS POSITION FOR A KNOW ISSUE WITH NO ASSISTANCE FROM THE COMPANY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHEN THE CONTACT ARRIVED HOME AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT LOCK INTO POSITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.
I DROVE MY CAR .5 OF A MILE TO THE STORE GOT DOWN AND CAME BACK TO START MY CAR. MY GAS PEDAL WAS HARD AND MY PUSH START BUTTON READ LOCK. I SAW A RED BLINKING KEY SIGN. I INSERTED MY KEY FOB IN THE SLOT HOPING THAT FIXED IT AND NOTHING. I WIGGLED THE WHEEL AND PRESSED THE START BUTTON AND NOTHING. I TRIED EVERYTHING IN THE BOOK FOR 3 HOURS IN THE PARKING LOT OF HEB UNTIL I GOT IT TOWED TO MY APARTMENT UNTIL I FIGURED OUT WHAT TO DO. I GOT ONLINE AND SAW SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. I CALLED NISSAN DEALERSHIP SATURDAY AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THEY SAID THEY NEEDED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE SO I SCHEDULED. I ASKED IF THEY WOULD COVER THE REPAIRS SINCE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON TO MANY VEHICLES, MAYBE A RECALL? THEY SAID NO, UNLESS I HAVE WARRANTY- I DON'T. TURNS OUT I NEED A NEW STEERING CONTROL. $1,500 LATER MY CAR IS BEING WORKED ON NOW. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR THE SERVICE ADVISORS. NOT A HAPPY NISSAN OWNER RIGHT NOW.
SHUT THE CAR OFF WENT IN THE STORE FOR A SHORT TIME CAME BACK OUT TRIED TO START THE CAR AND NOTHING HAPPENED STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND WOULD NOT MOVE . HAD IT TOWED TO ONE GARAGE THEY COULDN'T FIX IT SO HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A NISSAN DEALER THEY TOLD THEY HAD FIXED FOUR IN THE PAST COUPLE DAYS AT HARBOR NISSAN SEEMS TO BE A BIG PROBLEM THAT NISSAN SHOULD TAKE CARE !!!! COULD HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE NISSAN OWNER'S NEED HELP WITH ISSUE !!! BECAUSE THEY AREN'T HELPING !!
STEERING LOCK ACTUATOR FAILURE. THE CAR WOULD NOT START. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND THE PART REPLACED FOR $1,330.00
ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) WARRANTY EXTENSION. I AM A RECENTLY DIVORCED SINGLE MOTHER TRYING TO SURVIVE IN THIS TOUGH ECONOMY. I PARK MY VEHICLE AT WORK, AND I WORK NEAR AN AIRFIELD, AT FORT LAUDERDALE AIRPORT. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHILE ON LUNCH BREAK, I PUSH TO START MY VEHICLE AND NOTHING HAPPENS. I WAS STRANDED. MANY OF MY MALE COLLEAGUES ATTEMPTED TO HELP ME, THINKING IT WAS THE BATTERY, OR A POSSIBLE FUSE, BUT NOTHING THEY DID COULD START MY VEHICLE. ONE SUGGESTED I CONTACTED NISSAN SERVICE TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS GOING ON...AND BEFORE I COULD FINISH MY SENTENCE OF WHAT LIGHTS WERE ON MY DASHBOARD, THE SERVICE EMPLOYEE KNEW IT WAS THE STEERING LOCK COLUMN. I ENDED UP GETTING MY VEHICLE TOWED (ABOUT $70) TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND HAD TO LEAVE MY VEHICLE OVERNIGHT. I HAD TO RENT A VEHICLE FOR TWO DAYS AND HAD TO PAY LATE FEES BECAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO PICK UP MY TODDLER FROM DAYCARE BEFORE THEY CLOSED. THE FOLLOWING DAY, AND WITHIN 40 MINUTES THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP OPENING, THEY CALLED TO LET ME KNOW MY CAR WAS NOW FIXED AND IT WOULD COST ME $1200!!! I'M SURE IT TOOK LESS THAN THE 40 MINUTES TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE AND I WAS PAYING OVER $400 FOR LABOR. I NEVER HEARD OF THIS MECHANICAL FAILURE CONCERNING MY VEHICLE BUT AFTER RESEARCHING, I AM NOW SEEING THE PLETHORA OF COMPLAINTS AND I AM SUPER DISAPPOINTED WITH NISSAN OVER THE FACT THAT THIS WAS NOT CONSIDERED A RECALL. I SHUDDER AT THE THOUGHT OF BEING STRANDED WITH MY SON IN AN INCONVENIENT OR DANGEROUS LOCATION. THEN TO FIND OUT THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO RECOUP MY EXPENSE. I HAD TO OPEN A TRADE LINE TO COVER THE EXPENSE BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND THE CASH I HAVE AT THIS TIME. THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT FAIR, NOT TO ME OR ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE SOMEONE LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE AND PUSH THE RECALL TO INDEFINITE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SECURITY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED NUMEROUS TIMES DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING UNABLE TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
UPON SUCCESSFULLY UNLOCKING THE CAR, THE PUSH IGNITION FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE KEYFOB WAS ABLE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE CAR, EVEN SET OFF THE PANIC ALARM BUT PRESSING THE IGNITION BUTTON WOULD NOT MOVE THE CAR OUT OF "LOCK" POSITION. THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT 1.5 HRS BEFORE HAVING BEEN DRIVEN SEVERAL MILES. UPON DIAGNOSIS BY A LICENSED MECHANIC, THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK MODULE WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED. ON FURTHER ONLINE RESEARCH, IT WAS LEARNED THAT THIS PART IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO FAILURE AND IT IS COMMON TO FIND MANY 2009 NISSAN OWNERS OF SEVERAL MODELS (ALTIMA, MAXIMA, 370Z) TO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY.
WHILE TRAVELING WEST ON THE PA TURNPIKE, MY STEERING WHEEL JUST DROPPED TO THE LOWEST POSITION!! SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME. I ENDED UP GETTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE STEERING POSITION UP AT LITTLE TO STAY AND LOCK. DROVE THE CAR BACK TO MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO TELL ME THAT THE MOTOR FOR THE STEERING WHEEL TILT AND/OR TELESCOPIC NEEDS REPLACED!! WHAT A FREAKING NIGHTMARE...$800 PLUS DOLLARS FOR REPAIRS PLUS TAX!! WHAT A CROCK OF BULL!! I SEE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF NISSAN OWNERS!! WHY ISNT THE GOVERNMENT DOING ANYTHING!! NOT UNTIL SOMEBODY HAS A FATALITY ACCIDENT!!
I WAS STRANDED AT WORK DUE TO MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKING DEVICE WOULD NOT UNLOCK. NOTHING WE TRIED WORKED. HAD MY CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH OTHER OWNERS. NO RECALL ON THIS SAFETY ISSUE AT THIS TIME. NISSAN GAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY INSTEAD BUT DID NOT MAKE ALL OWNERS AWARE. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS ISSUE. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE DEVICE AND I HAVE A BILL FOR $906.00 THAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT EXPIRED JUNE 2015.
TAKATA RECALL THIS WHOLE STEERING LOCK SITUATION IS AN ABSOLUTE OUTRAGE. APPARENTLY NISSAN DOES NOT FEEL THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING OR REPLACING THIS DEFECT. I KNOW THEY'VE LOST MY BUSINESS. I FEEL AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS COMPLAINED OR HAD THIS PROBLEM. IT IS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX AND AFTER READING THERE ARE TONS OF CASES IDENTICAL TO MINE. I HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR UNATTENDED AT OUR LOCAL JCPENNEY'S FOR TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOCKED UP.
UNABLE TO START CAR DUE TO STREERING IS LOCKED. NO POWER TO TURN ON ANY ACCESSORIES.
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Quick Summary
The 2009 Nissan Maxima has 103 Steering complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.