There are 10 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2012 Nissan Maximain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately and started shuddering. The oil warning light, ABS, coolant temperature, and the ESP warning light were illuminated. Additionally, the driver's side window failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
I PICKED MY CAR UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP AFTER GETTING A STATE INSPECTION, OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION. THEY SAID THEY TOPPED OFF ALL THE FLUIDS. AS I BACKED OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE AND PULLED FORWARD I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TIGHT. I TRIED ADJUSTING IT A FEW TIMES, BUT AS I APPROACHED THE LIGHT AND TRIED TO TURN RIGHT I HAD TO GO OUT WIDE BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TIGHT. I WAS AFRAID AT THE NEXT TWO LIGHTS. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TIGHT, AND AFTER STRUGGLING I MANAGED TO TURN AND GET THE CAR TO MY HUSBAND TO LOOK AT. HE TEST DRIVE IT AND SAID IT WAS NO POWER STEERING. WE TOLD THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE IT IS NOTHING THEY DID, THE POWER STEERING PUMP JUST WENT OUT. I THANK GOD I WAS NOT DRIVING FAST OR ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN IT WENT OUT, BECAUSE I READ ABOUT SOME CRASHING. IT STILL WAS A SCARY EXPERIENCE. MY CAR ONLY HAS 79,882 MILES ON IT. WHY WOULD THE POWER STEERING GO OUT AT THIS MILEAGE. NOW THE DEALERSHIP WANTS $1,000. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURE IT A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED AND PAID FOR BY THEM.
THE CAR STREERING WHEEL WONT MOVE AND THE CAR WONT START.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH AND MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, THE POWER STEERING FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED; HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA, I WAS SLOWING TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY STALLED DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO PUSH THE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. AFTER STOPPING, I RESTARTED THE CAR, AND WAS WITHOUT POWER STEERING AFTER THAT. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, OTHERS REPORTING THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS CRASHES OR WORSE. MY CAR IS OUTSIDE OF NISSAN'S FACTORY WARRANTY, BUT GIVEN THE CAR IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD WITH 43K MILES, IT SEEMS IT IS STILL FAR TO NEW TO BE HAVING A PROBLEM SUCH AS THIS. BASED ON THE COMMENTS ONLINE, IT WOULD BE IN NISSAN'S AND THE PUBLIC'S BEST INTEREST FOR NISSAN TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING MECHANISMS. *TR
ON 2/6/2014, WHEN EXITING HIGHWAY, I LOSS POWER STEERING. DROPPED CAR OFF AT DEALER ON 2/7/14 AND WAS TOLD THAT POWER STEERING PUMP HAS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT FAILED. CONTACTED DEALER FOR AN UPDATE ON 2/12/14 AND WAS TOLD PART WAS ON BACKORDER WITH NO ETA AVAILABLE. AS OF 2/16/2014, NOT SURE WHEN MY CAR WILL BE FIXED. *TR
AS I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY GOING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ONTO AN OVERPASS, THE STEERING BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN ALMOST CAUSING ME TO GO STRAIGHT AHEAD HITTING THE WALL OF THE OVERPASS. AS I CAME TO THE NEXT STOPLIGHT A FEW FEET AHEAD TO PULL OVER INTO THE GAS STATION I COULD BARELY TURN THE CORNER. FIGHTING WITH THE STEERING I MANAGE TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THEY SENT A TOW TRUCK TO PICK UP THE CAR ON 1/30/2014 AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAILED POWER STEERING PUMP. IT IS NOW 2/18/2014 AND NOT ONLY DID I NOT GET MY CAR BACK FROM REPAIR, THEIR IS NOT EVEN AN ETA ON WHEN THE PART THAT IS NEEDED IS GOING TO BE IN STOCK. DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED ME THAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS GOING TO TAKE APPROX A MONTH TO GET THE PART IN STOCK. I FIND THIS VERY UNACCEPTABLE. *TR
TOTAL AND ABRUPT FAILURE AND LOSS OF STEERING WHILE DRIVING. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON RT41 NEAR CHICAGO IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT 65MPH AND TRIED TO CHANGE THE LANE TO GET INTO LEFT LANE FROM MIDDLE LANE, RIGHT THEN WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING SLIGHT LEFT TO CHANGE LANE, IT FELT LIKE THE STEERING OF MY CAR GOT LOCKED. MY CAR WAS INCHES AWAY FROM COLLIDING INTO CONCRETE BARRICADE, I HAD TO WRESTLE WITH THE STEERING TO AVOID THAT CRASH AND PULLED THE CAR ON THE SHOULDER. I MIGHT HAVE GOT KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS. THIS IS REALLY A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. MY CAR IS AT DEALERSHIP SINCE THEN AND TODAY IS 2/1/14, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PUMP IS ON BACK ORDER UNTIL FIRST WEEK OF MARCH, SO MY CAR WILL SIT AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS. *TR
TODAY I FOUND MY NISSAN MAXIMA 2009 MAKING A REPETITIVE GRINDING SOUND. UPON INVESTIGATION I DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS THE MOTOR FOR THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. IT IS CURRENTLY STUCK IN THE HIGHEST POSITION AND IT IS EXTREMELY CLUMSY TO DRIVE AND BLOCKS VISION TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN RESEARCHING THE REPAIR I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY COMMON EVENT AND FEEL A RECALL IS IN ORDER. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE FREQUENT NATURE OF THIS REPAIR. *TR
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 25, 2026