The 1995 Nissan Maxima has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Front seat track latch and seat movement.” Nissan owner's manuals split service into Schedule 1 (severe) and Schedule 2 (normal). Most US drivers fall under Schedule 1. The biggest preventable failure on Nissan vehicles is CVT transmission damage from extended fluid intervals — owners of Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Pathfinder, and Murano with CVT should not skip it.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 1995 Nissan Maxima.
SEATS
15 NHTSA complaints · 1995-09 → 2000-07
“WHILE DRIVING, SUDDENLY DRIVER'S SEAT WILL MOVE BACKWARDS WITHOUT WARNING; TAKES DRIVER AWAY FROM GAS AND BRAKE PEDAL”
“MANUAL DRIVER'S SEAT FAILS TO LATCH AND WILL EITHER SLIDE FORWARD UNDER BRAKING OR BACKWARDS DURING ACCELERATION”
“MANUAL ADJUSTABLE SEATS WON'T FULLY ENGAGE AND LOCK, PERMITTS FORWARD AND BACKWARD MOVEMENT”
STRUCTURE
5 NHTSA complaints · 1999-01 → 2002-01
“HOOD SUPPORTS FAIL TO KEEP HOOD UP WHEN OPENED. HOOD SUDDENLY SLAMS SHUT WITHOUT WARNING”
“HOOD SUPPORTS FAILED SUDDENLY AND HOOD ALMOST CAME DOWN ON MY HEAD”
“HOOD SHOCKS CANNOT KEEP HOOD OPEN. FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED, THE HOOD CAME DOWN ON MY HEAD AND HIT ME PRETTY HARD”
STRUCTURE
3 NHTSA complaints · 2006-08 → 2012-03
“THE LOWER RADIATOR SUPPORT, AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FRAME NEEDED FOR ALIGNMENT AND TO HOLD UP THE FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS RUSTED THROUGH”
“LOWER RADIATOR SUPPORT, WHICH CONNECTS TO FRONT MOTOR MOUNT, ROTS THROUGH. THIS CAUSES FRONT MOTOR MOUNT TO DROP DOWN”
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
5 NHTSA complaints · 1996-10 → 2004-05
“REPLACE REAR 02 SENSOR, MARCH 3, 2000 SAME REAR 02 SENSOR FAILED AFTER 27,052 MILES OF WEAR”
“WE PURCHASED A NEW 1995 NISSAN MAXIMA IN JULY 1995. BY APRIL 1996, THE STILL-NEW CAR HAD TO BE REPAIRED WITH A NEW O2 SENSOR, BUT UNDER THE WARRANTY”
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
5 NHTSA complaints · 1995-09 → 2002-09
“CONSUMER USES PREMIUM GAS. VEHICLE RUNS ROUGH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON/ FUEL INJECTORS HAVE FAILED”
“THE FUEL INJECTORS FAILED TWICE, ONCE IN 1998, AND AGAIN IN 10/99”
“WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON, LOSE SPOWER STEERING AS A RESULT OF ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED BY A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE INJECTORS”
AIR BAGS
12 NHTSA complaints · 1997-09 → 2003-07
“AIRBAG LIGHT WAS BLINKING, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. DEALER STATED THAT AIRBAG SENSOR NEEDED REPLACING”
“AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AT ABOUT 80,000 MILES DEALER SAID AIR BAG MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED---NO ACCIDENT--NO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS”
“AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT AIRBAG COULD DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNING”
AIR BAGS
6 NHTSA complaints · 1995-09 → 2005-04
“UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONTAL CRASH AT APPROX. 40MPH, 11:00 ON FRONT BUMPER, DUAL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURY”
“WOMAN STOPPED SHORT. MY BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT MY CAR HIT THE REAR OF WOMAN'S CAR. AIRBAG DID NOT OPEN RESULTING IN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND INJURY TO DRIVER”
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
5 NHTSA complaints · 1997-06 → 2004-12
“CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. HE SMELT WIRES BURNING”
“SHORT AND BURNING SMELL DEVELOPS UNDERNEATH THE DASH. THIS COULD RESULT IN VEHICLE FIRE”
“WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH CONSUMER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, 5 MINUTES LATER, VEHICLE STALLED”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Replace synthetic-blend or full-synthetic oil every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1. Schedule 2: 7,500 miles. VR30DDTT (3.0L twin-turbo): full synthetic only.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate tires every 5,000 miles. Front-wheel-drive Nissans (Altima, Sentra, Versa) wear front tires fast — don't skip rotations.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Nissan officially calls CVT fluid 'lifetime,' but independent technicians and Nissan TSBs recommend replacement every 60,000 miles to prevent CVT failure. Use Nissan NS-3 fluid only — substitutes destroy the belt-and-pulley system.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$360–$500
Shop
~$255–$355
DIY
~$80–$180
CVT fluid is manufacturer-specific and pricey — do NOT substitute conventional ATF.
Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Rogue and Pathfinder front pads typically last 35,000-50,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 2 years. Dark or amber fluid indicates moisture contamination.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles, sooner if driving on dusty unpaved roads.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Iridium-tipped spark plugs are rated 105,000 miles on QR25, MR20, and VQ35 engines. VR30DDTT: 60,000 miles due to higher cylinder pressures.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Nissan Long-Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue/green): first change at 105,000 miles, then every 75,000. Do not mix with other coolant chemistries.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
On AWD and 4WD models, replace transfer case fluid and rear differential fluid every 60,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$105–$140
Shop
~$75–$100
DIY
~$15–$40
AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. Located behind the glove box on Altima, Rogue, and Sentra.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
271 crashes 1990–2024
How the 271 occupant deaths break down
182
driver deaths
89
passenger deaths
271
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 1995 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
20
complaints mentioning a crash
6
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 1995 Nissan Maxima reflects Nissan's published service intervals and the Maintenance Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.