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.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
79,375 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2005 Nissan Maxima accessories - interior problems

accessories - interior problem

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2005 Nissan Maxima Owner Comments

problem #8

Feb 122016

Maxima 6-cyl

  • 175,000 miles

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

"tamara inflators" seat belts didn't lock or light did not come on. Smashed body all the way to back seat bottom to ground. Engine was idling very high felt/sound as if we were going 60 but only was going 40. No air bags came on. Brakes grinding. Back window blew out and tires flat in back.. windows slow on drivers side. When the sheriff Tahoe hit us at 80mph on U.S. 40 greenfield in was in the shop at J&M truck an trailer on the West side of indianapolis having the oil leaked fixed and tires all fixed and rotors and lights by [xxx] a couple months prior. I had my little girl in the back seat as well where sheriff hit and ran. I uploaded a before and after picture. VIN#[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Greenfield, IN, USA

problem #7

Oct 132015

Maxima

  • 152,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. The contact observed that the front passenger side seat was sinking through the floorboard. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was confirmed that the passenger side seat was sinking into the floorboard and the front passenger side seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

- Randolf, MA, USA

problem #6

Mar 112010

Maxima 6-cyl

  • 65,000 miles
I purchased my 2005 Nissan Maxima brand new in April of 2005. I paid cold hard earned cash ($35,000) for this car. We refinanced our home too buy an reliable, sturdy, dependable, stylish, road car (instead we got a lemon). I have had many issues with the car. The headliner constantly falling down over my head while driving with the sunroof open, the sunroof not opening and closing properly, the O2 sensors going out constantly, , the brackets being replaced, the leather seats look as if I have razor blades attached to my bottom side, and the transmission is awful!!! at 65,000 miles it started going out. The local dealer replaced the tranny without admitting any fault on Nissan behalf. At the time we did not know about the troubling problems with the 2004-2005 transmissions. They only charged us for the labor cost. We actually thought "wow, they are cool"!! here we are at 157,000 miles (about 70,000 later and the tranny is:jerking extremely hard ( it feels like I am being rammed from the rear by a 18 ton semi-trailer) between going into 1st and second gear and again back in reverse from 2nd into 1st gear. The problem has gotten so bad that is now hesitating in shifting and I have had enough!! I have done my research, and this is an epidemic. Nissan has too step up and fix this problem. This country has hit a recession. Us hardworking americans deserve better than this. Please help us consumers. Thank [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Moreno Valley, CA, USA

problem #5

Jan 102011

Maxima 6-cyl

  • miles

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

Like all other I have a 2005 Nissan maxiam transmission when out got another did same so Nissan have a mayor proplem and nee D 2 fix it not hide it.

- New Orleans, LA, USA

problem #4

Jun 232009

Maxima

  • 67,000 miles
On June 23, 2009 my 2005 Maxima was parked in an enclosed garage within my home. On that same date I attempted to enter my vehicle and was greeted with an extreme amount of smoke upon opening the driver's side door. No fire was occurring, so I opened all car doors and garage doors to clear the smoke. When the smoke cleared I discovered my car had, at some point in the prior 8 hours, had an interior fire and had luckily self-extinguished. The fire seemed to originate near the fuse box, located to the left of the steering column, on the under side of the dash. The fire melted the fuse box and surrounding dash area, spreading around the underside of the steering column to just above the ignition on the dash. No police or fire emergency services were called as the fire was out. My insurance was immediately contacted and a tow ordered to take the Maxima to the nearest Nissan dealership. I contacted Nissan Consumer Affairs to advise them of this fire. After a few weeks they communicated that Nissan would not investigate the fire. My insurance covered the cost of the repairs and the repairs took place. Upon completion of the repairs the dealership discovered when they tested the lumbar switch, that it was overheating the fuse panel and that it would need to be replaced. My insurance was contacted to come out to the dealership to assess the new discovery. The insurance adjuster, service manager, and service technician met and agreed that the cause of the fire was a pinched lumbar switch and it needed to be replaced. I paid the cost of the switch as insurance only covers damages. The lumbar switch was recalled in 2006. My lumbar switch was repaired in April of 2006. The recall states the lumbar switch wiring could become pinched and cause a fire. I asked both the dealership and Nissan Consumer Affairs to refund and investigate my fire and it's association to the recall. At this time neither is cooperative and refuses to assist or investigate.

- Greenwood, MO, USA

problem #3

Jul 272009

Maxima

  • 95,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that her vehicle caught fire. Smoke appeared from under the driver's seat and the vehicle was severely burned. The contact extinguished the fire and there were no injuries. The dealer advised her to call the insurance company. She was informed that there would be a $1,000 deductible, but she does not want to pay. A complaint was filed with the Nissan manufacturer. The failure mileage was 95,000.

- Long Beach, CA, USA

problem #2

Jun 232009

Maxima

  • 69,000 miles
My 2005 Maxima had been parked in my garage when an electrical fire occurred near or in the fuse panel. We do not know when the fire occurred. The fire had somehow contained itself and self-extinguished. The car was sealed so we assume it ran out of oxygen as the smoke did not leak to the garage. The lower dash panel on the left side of the steering column appears to be the initial fire. As I am not an expert, I can only assume the housing for the fuse panel would relate to the cause of the fire as this is where most of the damage occurred. The fire melted that panel to the floorboard and spread around the steering column, around the ignition and slightly up to the upper dashboard (right side), again causing the dash to melt. Prior to the fire the driver's side power seat would not engage any movement. I had not attempted to fix it as I rarely, if ever, move my seat. This had occurred approximately 4-6 months prior to the fire. Another electrical issue the car had prior was the seat belt light indicator would remain on when the driver's side seat belt was indeed buckled. I do not know if these electrical issues relate to the electrical fire. I did however find another report on NHTSA involving the same type of power seat issues and similar electrical fire to the same make, model and year of my Maxima. At this time the Nissan dealership is not sure how the fire started and is not claiming Nissan liability. I am concerned the dealership will not investigate the cause of fire and replace the damaged components of my car with the same potential electrical fire hazards. I feel this fire should be cause for investigation as my Maxima appears to be at least the second Nissan with the same exact electrical issues and fire.

- Greenwood, MO, USA

problem #1

Jul 212005

Maxima 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,000 miles
(1.) after a quick take off making a left turn one or two things happen...there is a clunk noise coming from the front left pillar and/ or (2.)the driver lumbar looses its position of support.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

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