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Light NHTSA footprint — 22 owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign. Either a clean record or thin data; we'll show what's there.
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The 2020 Nissan Maxima has 22 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of October 2026). The most-reported system is body at 4 complaints, typically surfacing around 3,000 miles (~$1,500 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Maxima | 106 | 4 |
| 2018 Maxima | 36 | 2 |
| 2019 Maxima | 18 | 1 |
| 2020 Maxima (this page) | 22 | 1 |
| 2021 Maxima | 3 | 0 |
| 2022 Maxima | 5 | 0 |
| 2023 Maxima | 1 | 0 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2020 Nissan Maxima 4 DR FWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: brakes is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 15,648 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 8.4/10 model. The priciest documented failure is body (~$1,500) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
Windshield cracks randomly with no point of impact. Frays outward. Seems to be stress fracture from the frame. Happened multiple times with 2020 nissans
Was at a four way stop. Other driver pulled out in front of me and I tried to not hit their vehicle but couldn’t avoid it. I was going around 15 miles per hour. The air bag discharged so hard it broke my windshield and injured my head, neck and lower back.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated the collision sensor system on the vehicle was malfunctioning, causing the vehicle to brake on its own while reversing in parallel parking. The contact stated the vehicle would always make buzzing sounds while parking.…
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while her husband was attempting to park and turn off the vehicle, the gear shifter failed to shift into park, the STOP button failed to respond, and the vehicle suddenly accelerated, crashed into a tree in the…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Rear window glass that separates from the vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 8.4 out of 10 based on 22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 Nissan Maxima is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
On the NHTSA data, the 2020 Nissan Maxima does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 8.4/10 — above the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the body first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 4 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 3,000 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,500 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 8.4 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 22 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is body. Typical failure occurs around 3,000 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is body, with 4 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 3,000 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,500 at an independent shop.
The body is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,500 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 3,000 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 22 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,500, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.