Model year guide

2002 Nissan Maxima

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2002 Nissan Maxima is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 90 on record.

2002 Nissan Maxima — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2002 Nissan Maxima at a glance

Safety recalls9
Owner complaints220
Combined21 mpg
Typical price$2,064

Free: specs, open recalls for that exact car, build sheet and fair price.

2002 Nissan Maxima recalls 9

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #20V008000 · 09/01/2020

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated, frontal passenger air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) …

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 888-737-9511 or Infiniti customer service at 888-810-3715.

Air Bags NHTSA Campaign #15V287000 · 15/05/2015

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 and I35, 2003 FX35 and FX45, and 2001 I30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: On December 18, 2015 Nissan informed NHTSA of an amendment of this recall to remove 2004-2005 …

Exterior Lighting NHTSA Campaign #09E012000 · 07/04/2009

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

Exterior Lighting:headlights NHTSA Campaign #09E025000 · 11/05/2009

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Fix: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.

Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm NHTSA Campaign #02V146000 · 30/05/2002

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE PIN AT THE END OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION TRANSVERSE LINK (LOWER CONTROL ARM) COULD BREAK WHERE IT IS MOUNTED TO THE FRAME.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSVERSE LINKS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES WITH NEW ONES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 29, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN A…

Engine And Engine Cooling NHTSA Campaign #03V455000 · 17/11/2003

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR MAY HAVE AN IMPROPER SOLDER JOINT DUE TO SOLDER DEFORMATION CAUSED BY HEAT STRESS ACCELERATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF FLUX RESIDUE DURING THE SOLDERING PROCESS.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR(S), AND IN SOME CASES, THE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL SENSOR(S). VEHICLES INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN, 01V357, ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS NEW CAMPAIGN. THE REPLACEMENT SENSORS USED IN THAT CAMPAIGN ARE ALSO AFFECTED…

Power Train NHTSA Campaign #02V010000 · 11/01/2002

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, THE ODOMETER IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES REGISTERS DISTANCE IN KILOMETERS INSTEAD OF MILES AS IS SPECIFIED IN THE DESIGN. THE ODOMETER DOES NOT HAVE A LABEL THAT INDICATES "KILOMETERS" OR "KM" AS REQUIRED BY FMVSS NO. 101, "CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS."

Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ODOMETER TO DETERMINE IF IT IS CORRECT AND, IF NOT, WILL REPLACE THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 12, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHI…

Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA Campaign #02V043000 · 12/02/2002

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM, THE STOPPER FOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL PREVENT EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF THE ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR. IF THE DRIVER APPLIES OVERLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PUSHING IT TO THE RIGHT, THE PEDAL CAN "OVER TRAVEL" DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE PEDAL STOPPER.

Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW ACCELERATOR PEDAL STOPPER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 11, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI A…

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #22E066000 · 09/08/2022

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain air bag inflator replacement service parts that may have been installed as part of a theft or collision repair. The parts include certain passenger-side air bag inflators designed to fit Infiniti 2002-2003 QX4, 2006-2010 M35 and M45; Nissan 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, and both driver and passenger-side inflators designed to fit 2007-2012 Versa Sedan a…

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the inflators as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 14, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669.

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A recall applies to a model year, but only a VIN check shows whether a specific car has had the repair done.

2002 Nissan Maxima common problems

The most-reported problem areas from 220 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Engine
Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Steering
Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.
Fuel/propulsion System
Check for fuel or battery warnings, hard starts and stalling. On a hybrid/EV, confirm charging and range behave normally.
Vehicle Speed Control
Test cruise control and throttle response, and watch for any hesitation or unintended acceleration.

2002 Nissan Maxima MPG & running costs

Combined21 mpg
City18 mpg
Highway25 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$3,025

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov, averaged across trims.

What's a 2002 Nissan Maxima worth?

Low
$900
Typical price
$2,064
High
$3,300

From 87 comparable 2002 Nissan Maxima listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2002 Nissan Maxima costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$15,125
Depreciation (5 yrs)$1,050
Total$16,175
Per mile$0.22

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($2,064) with the same model 5 model-years older ($1,037), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2002 Nissan Maxima trims & engines on record

Trims
SE · GLE · GXE
Engines
3.5L 6-cyl

2002 Nissan Maxima vehicles on record

Other Nissan Maxima model years

2002 Nissan Maxima — frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Nissan Maxima have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 9 safety recalls for the 2002 Nissan Maxima. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Nissan Maxima?

Based on 220 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are air bags, engine, electrical system.

What gas mileage does the 2002 Nissan Maxima get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2002 Nissan Maxima at about 21 mpg combined (18 city / 25 highway).

How much is a 2002 Nissan Maxima worth?

Comparable 2002 Nissan Maxima listings run roughly $900–$3,300, typically around $2,064 (from 87 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.