There are 4 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2003 Nissan Maximain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS CRANKING THE CAR, I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY AND BATTERY TERMINALS. THIS APPEARED TO QUICK FIX IT BUT SOON AFTER THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SOON AFTER FOLLOWED TCS CONTROL AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND THE DIAGNOSIS INVOLVED A PROBLEM WITH THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSORS AND CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSORS. I PURCHASED A BOOK ABOUT THE CAR AND READ THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL HAD A RECALL. AFTER DOUBLE CHECKING ONLINE ABOUT THE RECALL I NOTICED IT APPEARED TO BE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. CONVINCED, I WENT TO MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM CHECK HOWEVER IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT RECALLED. I WANT TO HAVE MY VIN NUMBER PLACED ON THE NHTSA RECALL LIST SO THAT I MAY HAVE MY VEHICLE REPAIRED. IF THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE PLEASE ADVISE FURTHER. THANK YOU.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THREE PARKED VEHICLES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AFTER PRECEDING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK CAM POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE. I PUSHED HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO KEEP FROM BEING LAUNCHED INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME AS THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I PUT THE GEAR SHIFT IN NEUTRAL AND TAPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL TO SEE IF THAT WOULD AFFECT THE REVVED UP ENGINE. I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS THE SOURCE OF SOLVING THE PROBLEM BUT IN A COUPLE OF SECONDS THE ENGINE DID RETURN TO REGULAR IDLE SPEED. I DIDN'T THINK TO LOOK AT THE TACHOMETER TO CHECK THE RPM BUT CAN TELL YOU FROM THE NOISE INSIDE THE CAR IT WAS HIGH. ALL OF THIS TOOK PLACE IN A PERIOD OF ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS. *JB
WHEN BRAKES THE WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. MR THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHERE THE ENGINE REVVED @1500 RPM, THEN HAD GONE BACK TO IDLE. SCC *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026