Buyer Research

2023 Nissan Maxima — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $25,000–$33,000. This is one of the more reliable vehicles in its class — here's what to watch for anyway.

Deciding between model years? Compare the 13 Nissan Maxima years we've written up →

Kestrel Take

The last Maxima. One complaint on file, no recalls, and the one complaint is an attachment NHTSA does not show us — so the public record for this year tells a buyer nothing, and we will not pretend otherwise. What we can say is what the car is: the same 300-hp V6, the same CVT, the same radar-and-camera driver-assistance suite and the same body as the 2016–2022 cars, whose records are led by a CVT that costs four figures to replace, driver-assistance electronics that warn or brake for nothing, and trim and glass that let go. A 2023 build date changes none of those parts. It does bring warranty: at this age most examples are still inside Nissan's 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage, and that — confirmed on the VIN by a dealer, not assumed — is the strongest argument for paying the premium over a 2020 or 2021. Test it like the earlier years, then decide whether the warranty is worth the difference.

What we checked

Checked against public records, 2026-09-25

NHTSA holds 1 owner complaint for the 2023 Nissan Maxima, and no recall campaigns.

That is too small a record to read a pattern from, so we are not going to pretend otherwise — with numbers this low one owner moves the percentage by a lot. What has been filed is grouped under electrics and electronics (1), equipment and accessories (1). Treat those as things to look at, not as the vehicle's known weaknesses. A thin file usually means few of these were sold or few owners filed. It is not evidence the vehicle is trouble-free, and the issues below are our own research rather than a reading of this record.

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

Known Issues for the 2023 Nissan Maxima

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.

Xtronic CVT — same unit as every eighth-generation Maxima, and the reason the warranty mattersMedium

No transmission complaint on this year, which is why this is unsourced and medium — but the CVT is unchanged from 2016, comes from the family that has drawn complaints across Nissan's whole range, and is replaced rather than rebuilt when it fails. On a 2023 the calculation is different from the older cars: most are still within the 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty from first sale, so a failure in the next year or two is Nissan's bill, not yours. Have a dealer confirm the in-service date and remaining coverage on the VIN. Then drive it cold from a stop and feel for shudder under light throttle between 20 and 40 mph, a whine that climbs with road speed, or hunting at a steady 65 mph. Ask when the fluid (Nissan NS-3) was last changed.

Repair cost (estimate): $250–$400 for a fluid service; $3,500–$5,500 for a replacement CVT out of warranty

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Driver-assistance warnings and phantom braking — the pattern on 2018–2020 cars with this hardwareMedium

The 2018, 2019 and 2020 Maxima records are each led by the same complaint: the forward-collision or 'front radar obstruction' warning on a clear road, a 'DAS Malfunction' cascade of lights, and in the worst reports the car braking hard or losing power on the highway with nothing ahead. The 2023 carries the same radar behind the badge and the same software family. A single unreadable complaint on this year is not evidence the fault was fixed, and it is not evidence it was not; it is silence. So test for it: a 20-minute drive with adaptive cruise on, following traffic and then on an empty stretch, watching the dash. Any warning or any braking you did not ask for is a fail, and under warranty it is the seller's problem to fix before you buy.

Repair cost (estimate): $0–$300 for a radar clean and recalibration; $900–$1,800 for a replacement radar sensor out of warranty

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Pillar mouldings, grille clips and glass that let go on the shared bodyLow

Every Maxima year from 2017 to 2021 has owners reporting the A-pillar and rear quarter-panel mouldings flying off at highway speed, grille clips breaking with no impact, and sunroofs shattering on their own. The 2023 body and its clips are the same. These are cheap parts and cosmetic in Nissan's eyes, which means they are the buyer's bill once the 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty runs out — and on a 2023 that may already have happened. At the car: press every pillar moulding and both rear quarter trims, check the grille sits tight to the bumper, and look along the sunroof glass edges for chips.

Repair cost (estimate): $60–$300 per moulding; $200–$500 for grille clips and realignment; $600–$1,500 for sunroof glass

Source: not yet checked against public records.

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Shudder between 20 and 40 mph under light throttle on a cold drive
✗Forward-collision or 'DAS Malfunction' warning on the test drive
✗Pillar moulding or grille edge that lifts when pressed
✗In-service date that puts the car outside powertrain warranty sooner than the seller says

Good Signs

✓Remaining Nissan powertrain warranty confirmed on the VIN by a dealer, with the in-service date in writing
✓A 20-minute drive on adaptive cruise with a quiet dash and steady speed
✓Smooth, quiet pull from 20 to 60 mph on a cold engine
✓Dealer service records from new, with the CVT fluid on Nissan's schedule
✓Every pillar moulding and the grille tight and even at the seams