Buyer Research

2014 Nissan Maxima — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $8,000–$13,000. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.

Deciding between model years? Compare the 3 Nissan Maxima years we've written up →

Kestrel Take

The '4-door sports car' with Nissan's excellent 3.5L VQ V6 — smooth, torquey, and genuinely quick. The catch is the CVT behind it, which is the weak link and expensive to replace. A maintained Maxima with a healthy CVT is a lot of comfortable, fast sedan cheap; test-drive the transmission carefully and price for the risk.

What we checked

Reconciled against public records, 2026-09-11

NHTSA holds 95 owner complaints for the 2014 Nissan Maxima, and no recall campaigns.

A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. The largest single group is airbags at 25%. That is notable without being overwhelming — worth checking, not worth panicking about.

Looked at and set aside: airbags (24) — 24 airbag complaints on file, almost always a recall matter rather than a repair bill; have a dealer check this VIN for open airbag campaigns and confirm any were performed; the lights (19) — 19 lighting complaints on file; real, but usually a bulb or a housing rather than a reason to walk.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2014 Nissan Maxima

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.

CVT reliabilityHigh — wallet impact

The CVT behind the strong V6 can overheat and fail; feel for shudder/hesitation and listen for whine. Replacement is costly.

Repair cost (estimate): $3,500-$5,000

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the transmission and drivetrain (21), the engine (9).

VQ V6 timing chain / oil consumptionMedium

The 3.5L is strong but wants clean oil; some units use oil or develop chain-related noise. Check level and listen cold.

Repair cost (estimate): $0-$2,000

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (9).

Front suspension and bushingsLow

Clunks from worn front components over time.

Repair cost (estimate): $200-$700

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the suspension (6).

Interior electronicsLow

Occasional infotainment/sensor faults.

Repair cost (estimate): $100-$600

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under electrics and electronics (8).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗CVT shudder, whine, or overheating
✗No CVT fluid service
✗Low oil or engine noise cold
✗Modified/abused example

Good Signs

✓Smooth CVT with documented fluid service
✓Steady oil, quiet V6
✓Clean, well-kept car

Found a specific Nissan Maxima?

This page covers what goes wrong on the 2014 Nissan Maxima in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.

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Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for this year. It stops short of the verdict, because that needs the photos.

Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.

Other Nissan Maxima years

2013 Nissan Maxima

$8,000–$13,000

2016 Nissan Maxima

$12,000–$18,000