CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2004-2006 Nissan Maxima has widespread transmission problems. It starts with the vehicle jerking when shifting, & progresses to full-blown transmission failure.

Maxima owners report spending $3,000 to replace the transmission, typically around when the odometer hits 100,000 miles.

There's a class action lawsuit filed in late 2011, & it is still in the "discovery" stage. Apparently, these things take time ... far too much time.

8.2

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,530
Average Mileage:
107,350 miles
Total Complaints:
171 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace transmission (72 reports)
  2. not sure (63 reports)
  3. replace valve body (21 reports)
  4. replace broken motor mounts (6 reports)
  5. replace about 3/4 of your transmission fluid - NOT FILTER (3 reports)
  6. replace crankshaft position sensor (3 reports)
2004 Nissan Maxima transmission problems

transmission problem

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2004 Nissan Maxima Owner Comments (Page 1 of 9)

problem #171

Oct 082020

Maxima SD 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 0 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Transmission jerks badly and now the car will not move at all.

- Amanda R., United States, Switzerland

problem #170

Nov 072018

Maxima SE 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 98,760 miles

My 2004 Maxima SE was running flawless until the transmission started to FAIL! The problem continued to get worse and has caused a few safety close calls due to the defective transmission! The car is 15 years old and is still in great shape except for the transmission failure. I had intended upgrade this year but will not be purchasing a Nissan product due to Nissan's attitude toward the problem! If an accident occurs with this problem being at fault, it will cost Nissan in many ways. I am a retired veteran and disappointed with Nissan's handling of this problem and hope they lose the class action taken against them!

- Bernard D., Battle Ground, WA, US

problem #169

Dec 052017

Maxima SE 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 150,000 miles

2004 Nissan Maxima SE - Every time I would brake around 25MPH my car will feel funny. It was not a smooth braking. At first I thought it was my rear caliper sticking, so I changed them out. I was still having the same problem, then I went on Youtube, and found out it was the valve body. I found the part on eBay for $200, and found a place to do the job for $200 but I bought all the parts just the valve body, and transmission fluid from Nissan from Hillside much cheaper the Nissan of Queens. Now the car is running smooth, but just burns a lot of oil.

- Marie N., South Richmond Hill, NY, US

problem #168

Feb 012017

Maxima SE 3.5V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 114,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Had the transmission worked on last year to try to keep it going as I didn't want another car payment. It was slamming into gear and very rough gear transition. It was pretty stable until this year when it started again. Mechanic says it needs a new transmission at only 117,000 miles. I bought a Nissan because I always heard how reliable they are and that you can get high mileage out of them. I was hoping to get to 200k miles.

I have contacted Nissan and am waiting for their answer, though I don't expect to get any help out of them. This totally destroys my image of a Nissan as a reliable vehicle.

- smweers, Thornton, US

problem #167

Sep 052017

Maxima SE 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 160,000 miles

Problem after problem comes and costs a lot to fix them.

- Alpesh P., Scarborough, ON, Canada

problem #166

Jul 012010

Maxima SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,080 miles

The vehicle is an automatic and jerks into gear the problem gets worse the warmer or longer it is driven at one time. Prior to this happening, the vehicle would stall out if in stop and go traffic and then after that it completely went into limp mode staying in 5th gear.

- Crystal A., Johns Creek, GA, US

problem #165

Jan 152014

Maxima SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 94,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The vehicle is undriveable. The vehicle is an automatic and jerks into gear the problem gets worse the warmer or longer it is driven at one time. Prior to this happening, the vehicle would stall out if in stop and go traffic and then after that it completely went into limp mode staying in 5th gear. I contacted Nissan about any known problems regarding this year of Maxima and was told that they had not received any complaints. However, the problems were mentioned all over the internet when researching the issue. They responded via telephone call and email. ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE for Nissan to not admit or consider all the complaints about this issue.

- Crystal A., Johns Creek, GA, US

problem #164

Jun 012017

Maxima SE 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 186,000 miles

I bought this vehicle as a used car six months ago. Last month the vehicle started jerking and when I press the gas it takes over a minute for it to accelerate. Sometimes I feel that I think that my neck will get hurt with all the jerking. I feel that no one should have to pay to get a new transmission in these vehicle since Nissan knew about the problem. Nissan should be held accountable for this defect with the transmission in this vehicle and have replace them. When I think about the price my mechanic is going to give me to put a transmission in this vehicle it gives me a headache.

- Genisha W., Florence, US

problem #163

Jul 012016

Maxima SE 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 77,000 miles

I had bought the car for my daughter to use for college. I had not known about the transmission issues that would come with the 2004 Nissan Maxima. Had I known, I would not have bought the car, it was a waste of my money. The car often jerks when driving, making my daughter terrified that she is going to hit another car. Replacing the transmission would be too costly, seeing as how I have to worry about other finances.

- Vinh P., Loves Park, US

problem #162

May 262017

Maxima SL 3.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 112,920 miles

WHY IS IT IF THEY KNEW THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT IT WASN'T A RECALL? AS A VET NISSAN OWNER THIS IS SAD.

- Ruhvelo P., Hallandale, FL, US

problem #161

May 012016

Maxima 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 170,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

All at once I put my car in reverse then drive and it jerked so bad it felt like it snapped my neck. I'm honestly scared one day while I'm driving I'm my transmission is just going to fall out. I live on a budget and don't have the money to get it fixed right now. I have numerous specialty doctor appointments every month plus my primary care doctor I have to go to. It's my opinion that Nissan should be responsible for something this serious. If I get injured because of this I'm not sure what I'll do if I'm not dead!!!!!

- Dail D., Rocky Mount, NC, US

problem #160

Aug 202015

Maxima SL 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 132,680 miles

I expected more from Nissan. It shutters it shakes it has big problems shifting. Will the company help?..stay tuned for more expensive adventures of Nissan.

- David A., Duncan, BC, Canada

problem #159

Jan 202015

Maxima V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 98,000 miles

My Nissan Maxima has had multiple electrical problems and has a faulty transmission that gave out at around 95,000 miles. All the transmission related problems from this vehicle have led to numerous headaches and a pain in my wallet.

- Israel L., San Antonio, US

problem #158

Nov 012004

Maxima S 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles

Problem with transmission started soon after I purchased car, I would say in the first year I had it which was in 2003, although it is a 2004. I took it in more than once when the transmission started causing trouble. It would act (and still does to this day) as if it had been knocked out of gear, RPM goes up and then the transmission picks back up. When that happens it will jerk really hard and take off. As I said, I took it in to my Nissan dealer and each time was told they did not find any thing wrong with it. This is my 5th Maxima, and have to say it is my last. The son of a woman I used to work with had the same problem with his 2004 Maxima, which he bought used. He traded it for something else. My car is still going, although the problem does not seem to be happening more often, but does seem to be more severe when it does happen.

- Debbie H., Alvaton, US

problem #157

Aug 112016

Maxima ES 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 106,800 miles

We keep replacing the motor mounts - so far 3 times - today - could not even change gears

- Edwardo S., Feasterville, PA, US

problem #156

Jul 122016

Maxima SE 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,836 miles

Transmission is jerking from 2 to 1 when going to stop car, is just going bad since the transmission started to fail try to change oil and much thing to end up needing to change the transmission

- Frederik S., La Sarre, QC, Canada

problem #155

Oct 102014

Maxima SL 3.6L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 150,000 miles

MY CAR IS ON ITS LAST LEG AT THIS POINT. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REPLACE A NEW TRANSMISSION AND NOBODY SEEMS TO LISTEN WHEN YOU POINT OUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE SAME ISSUES WHO REGULATES THESE. PPL DO YOUR FUCCIN JOB!! PPL BUY A CAR TO SUPPORT THEIR LIVES, NOT TO BECOME ANOTHER STRESSOR.

- Bluvirgo80 .., North Las Vegas, NV, US

problem #154

Jul 012011

Maxima

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles

When releasing the gas to slow down, then applying gas to speed up, the car would jerk terribly as the RPMs shot up. I was told by a Nissan dealership to have the transmission fluid changed, so I did, but that did not help the problem. As the years have passed, it has become worse, where now the slightest tap of the gas that puts the RPMs up towards the 2 yields a jerk.

- Val A., Naperville, US

problem #153

Feb 022016

Maxima SE 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 107,000 miles

About a year ago, my 2004 Nissan Maxima started to run differently. It started to jerk while shifting gears, mostly the first two gears and going from park to 1st or reverse to 1st (It would take 5 seconds to shift and jerk into 1st). The transmission tends to slip and jerk more and more as time goes on. I brought it to the mechanic and he tried to have the computer reset and have the car re-learn to shift gears. He told me to drive 1,000 miles and let him know if it goes away. It's been 1,000 miles but the problem is still present. The transmission will have to be replaced. While researching this issue online it appears that most if not all maxima owner's particularly 04' - '07 are having transmission issues. Nissan is a large company and at one time a well respected company. A recall should take place to have the transmission replaced. I understand that this is costly on Nissan's part to do so, but it is costly on our side as well and it could cost them a lot more money to ignore the issue/issues and customer complaints. We loyal customer's are hoping on Nissan to do the right thing for us and protect the Nissan brand at the same time. If nothing is done, Nissan will lose those loyal customer's (Including me, my friend's and family) to competitors who treat and respect their customer's by doing the right thing. Can you blame us "the customer" for walking away and trying to make sure our friends and family do not make the same mistake as us by purchasing a Nissan vehicle? Please do the right thing

- Paul B., East Providence, RI, US

problem #152

Jan 182017

Maxima SE 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

I have had issues with transmission since about 80,000 miles. I now have a little over 120,000 miles. At first it would only down shift hard from 2nd to 1st gear. Now I have issues when accelerating as well. When running and slowing down, it would not down shift properly so when I would need to accelerate, it would seem to be in between gears. It would rev high then slam into the gear and chirp my tires.

Sometimes from a dead stop at a stop light, I would accelerate slow then it would slam into the next gear. I feel like my tires are taking a beating due to the amount of sudden power being transferred to the wheels and making them slip.

During highway driving, the vehicle did not respond like it should have when I switched lanes. I switched into a faster lane and tried to accelerate. When I tried to accelerate, the transmission did not respond fast enough causing the traffic behind me to decelerate abruptly almost causing an accident.

I've had the vehicle since mid 2003 (when the new line came out) and am upset that such an expensive vehicle (at the time) could have such an issue. I've owned other Nissans before hand and never had issues like these with any of them.

I believe Nissan should own up to the fact that this transmission issue is a major problem and should do something to rectify the issue since I am not the only one reporting this. I know there has been a suit out there since 2011, but action needs to happen soon before these vehicles no longer exist and Nissan brushes it off since there are no Maximas (or Altimas and Quests from what I hear) that they can examine.

- Jonathan D., Bolingbrook, IL, US

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