2009 Nissan Maxima Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/14/2026

40Air Bags complaints

11.8%Of all 339 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

STEERING165 · 48.7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM78 · 23%

AIR BAGS40 · 11.8%

SUSPENSION35 · 10.3%

Unspecified / other33 · 9.7%

Share of the 339 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2009 Nissan Maxima overview page.

What owners report

“PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT RANDOMLY GOES ON AND OFF, WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IN THE SEAT. AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, I…”NHTSA complaint 10512722 — filed 05/19/2013

“THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG DEACTIVATES WHEN AN ADULT IS SEATED PROPERLY IN THE SEAT. IT WILL WORK SOMETIMES AND NOT WORK OTHERS. THERE IS NO…”NHTSA complaint 10490583 — filed 12/31/2012

“TILT STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN THE EXTREME UP POSITION WHEN DRIVERS DOOR WAS OPENED AT APPROX 2 YEARS/52,000 MILES. TILT STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE…”NHTSA complaint 10426881 — filed 09/23/2011

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Nissan Maxima have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2009 Nissan Maxima: 40 of 339 complaints on file (11.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2009 Nissan Maxima have in total?

339 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 7 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 6 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.