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:
11 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
76,985 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.
At about 53,000 miles my 2004 Nissan Maxima staring jerking and shifting roughly. I was told my car needed motor mounts and the transmission replaced. I had this taken care of at the Nissan dealership. It's been almost a year since my car transmission was replaced and now it's starting to jerk and shift rough again. I have investigated the problems that the 2004 Nissan Maximas have with the transmission having to be replaced at around 55,000 to 65,000 miles. Nissan made a poorly made 2004 Maxima. This should be investigated.
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. Approximately one year after purchasing the vehicle in 2007, the vehicle began jumping out of gear unexpectedly. The contact feels that the vehicle is unsafe to drive because it automatically changes gears during braking and accelerating. Through research, he discovered other vehicles with the same failure and feels that a recall should be issued. The dealer was aware of the failure and stated that it was related to the transmission. The vehicle has not been repaired; however, the repair would cost $5,000. The failure mileage was 75,000 and current mileage was 98,000.
Beginning of this week, March 30, 2009, my 2004 Nissan Maxima had a situation when I began to drive (my car is an automatic), the transmission appeared to be struggling to reach 2nd gear. Although I only work 1.8 miles from my home, I could feel the "difference" in the transmission from any other time. I have 63,000 miles on my car and for a five year old car, that is very low. I maintain the vehicle accordingly and about 8 months ago, I had the transmission fluid flushed, etc. The second day (today), I started up the car, put it in drive and quickly noticed it was going to strain itself into 2nd gear. Once it did, there was a hard jerk in getting there. I immediately drove the car to my home, parked it and made an appointment for it to be checked out tomorrow morning. Then I went online to search for any Nissan 2004 transmission problems such as mine and found a lot of web-sites that people have described the exact happenings that occurred to my vehicle. This does not seem to be an isolated incident. Something is seriously defective with at least the 2004 transmissions. Many people's comments always stated that there's occurred right after 60,000 miles. My car has not been driven hard and is well maintained. I read also about 2 other items that occurred to my vehicle. One is the drivers power window will not close up and stay closed when the button is pushed. I discovered a way to get the window closed by holding the button in the up position, turn off the car and open the door, while keeping your finger on the power up button. Secondly, people wrote about a ac refrigerant hose having leaks and needing to be replaced by several other owners. Mine also had this problem some time back. The most important issue to me is this transmission failing right after 60,000 miles. It mentions that when they put it on a machine to test, it shows nothing is wrong, which obviously it is. Nissan has told people they don't know exactly what the problem is either.
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. While driving between 5-20 mph, the vehicle hesitated to shift into second gear. The vehicle tends to jerk and makes a loud noise when the failure is occurring. The contact feels that a recall should be issued due to the numerous complaints that are posted on the internet. The current and failure mileages were 62,000. Updated 07/28/09 when driving from 1st to 2nd gear, there was a hard shift. Updated 07/30/09.
My vehicle first started jerking into gear around 9/2008. This was a very seldom thing at first and I assumed that I may have taken my foot off the brake too fast not allowing it time to get to the gear. I had about 90K miles then. It started to do it more than just going into reverse or drive but also when I would accelerate and slow down or stop. I took it to a local dealership and they could not detect anything at first. I brought it again at the time when it was jerking and the service engine was now coming on. They had a list of codes. I was instructed to bring it to a transmission specialist. I took it to 2 out of town and one local. It was stated that the transmission needed to be replaced @ a cost of 4,100$ approx. I was not financially able to handle this cost and pay a $570 car as well. I continued to drive the vehicle because it is my only transportation to and from work. The jerking came and went until now it does it everytime all the time when I am driving. It has progressively gotten worse. It w it now has about 112,000K. Last week 3/26 it left me at the drive up window of the bank. I had to have someone push me out of the way. Due to the large amount of other Nissan owners that are having the same problems as I am I feel that this is a problem with our vehicles that is the responsibility of Nissan. I am complaining because I have taken great care of my vehicle and it has failed me not because of normal wear and tear but because of an obvious manufacturer defect. I consider this vehicle an endangerment because with the jerking which feels like whiplash you are afraid to get into the flow of traffic because if you have to slow down it may jerk causing a halt or if you need to speed up or pass someone you never know if it will smoothly or just jerk and whine causing an accident. My vehicle has stopped and I will not be paying on it anymore causing my credit rating to decline. This is my 3rd Nissan vehicle and the last on.
- Ville Platte, LA, USA
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2004 nssan Maxima has slipping transmission causing lack of acceleration when needed most when merging on to interstate, etc. This is a very common complaint among these car owners and needs to addressed with Nissan. I have tried only to be told I need to replace my transmission. It is faulty engineering, bad valve body, yet they will not stand behind it with a recall.
I purchased a Nissan Maxima with approx 90,000 miles in June 2007. I purchased an extended warranty, however after less than a year the transmission was slipping very bad. It needed to be replaced, so the warranty only provided a transmission with equal value at the date of purchase, so they installed a 90,000 mile transmission, this transmission is now slipping out of gear bad. I think their should be a recall because I have read a ton of complaints online about this same issue.
I own a 2004 Nissan Maxima. I took it to the dealer and told them I was having transmission trouble, they told me the car was fine, but I'm a mechanic so I knew something was wrong. The car recently had cut off a few times while driving. I had it checked and I was told that I needed a camshaft sensor. I replaced it but I still noticed problems with the trans, rough shifting from 1st to 2nd and to 3rd, and rough down shifting from 3rd to 2nd. The car would loose power, which I noticed it was shifting to fifth gear and staying there until the car was cut off and some what reset. I also noticed some tapping coming from the engine compartment. I am hoping for a recall on the transmission because there are many others with the same problem.
2004 Nissan Maxima SE - vehicle service maintenance schedule followed as recommended. Vehicle is well taken care of and driven appropriately. Two major repairs - first 7/2008 noise heard in engine, 74,000 mi.. diagnosis was fuel damper replacement needed along with many other parts and pieces that needed to be replaced while making those changes (many seals, washers, and gaskets, and other recommended fixes including tensioner chain, front and rear brakes, cooling system upper and lower radiator hoses, clamp, tensioner assy- chain guide - total cost $3,000. New problem Dec 2008, 81,000 mi. - transmission jerks/skips when accelerating and decelerating between 15- 25 mi. Per hour. Currently at Nissan dealer for repairs March 2009 and told need new transmission, front and left motor mounts, and fuel induction work, at a hefty cost of $5,000 parts and labor.
I purchased a 2004 Nissan Maxima with only 58,000 miles on it. After it had reached about 65,000 miles I started having problems with my transmission. It would jerk hard into drive. And when slowing down for red lights, it will shift hard when breaking down to stop. I had taken it back to the dealer ship where they charged me to replace the fluids which was not the cause of the problem. It was something within the transmission. They have attempted to repair it, but it is still giving me problems. I think there should be a recall on these transmissions before someone gets killed in a serious accident.
Car will shift hard and jerk from 1st to second gear and from 2nd to 1st when decelerating. It makes it difficult to stop and control the vehicle and fear for my safety and my kids as well.
My 2004 Maxima began shifting really hard from 1st gear to 2nd gear for about the past 3 months now and I was in disbelief it was my transmission since I service my car regularly and don't beat on my car. I just found out after changing the sensors, transmission filter and fluid that it can only be my transmission. After doing my research, I found that this problem was not isolated and it is recurring problem with alot of 2004 Maximas. I think this problem with the transmission should be a recall because it is a real safety issue. Every time I merge onto the parkway I'm in fear that my car wont accelerate in time and I cause a accident. We should not wait until this causes someone to be injured or die in order to issue a recall.
I have a Nissan Maxima 2004 and the transmission slips and jerks going from 1st to 2nd or downwards. I know I M not the only one with this problem. Im at 101K miles and the transmission shouldn't be doing this at this point. I understand this a manufacturer problem. They charge me 4000 to get a replacement and I feel Nissan should pay for it call a recall on these cars.
I have a Nissan Maxima 2004 and the transmission slips between 3rd and 4th gear. I was reading on the internet about several owners of my make, model and year Maxima that are having the same issue. Acceleration when come to a stop and transmission slip.
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that his vehicle has an automatic transmission and he was experiencing difficulty shifting gears. While driving various speeds or making turns, the vehicle jerks when shifting gears. He took his vehicle to a mechanic and was informed that the transmission was failing. The Nissan dealer advised him to bring in the vehicle for inspection. The failure mileage was 58,000.
2004 Nissan Maxima. The transmission started shifting hard (jerking), when shifting from reverse to drive when backing out of parking spaces. Then it started shifting hard between 1st and 2nd gear and then 3rd and 4th. I had the transmission fluid replaced by Nissan, but it didn't resolve the problem. I took it back to Nissan who said that the valve body was shorting out. After it was replaced it still didn't work, and now they say that the transmission needs to be replaced. The Nissan service dept. Claims that they are unaware of the numerous failures and complaints, when it comes to the 2004 Maxima transmissions. If you read the complaints on this site and other car survey sites, it seems pretty obvious that the transmission for the 2004 Maxima is defective!
I own a 2004 Nissan Maxima. It has 107,000 miles on it and it needs a transmission. On March 10, 2009, I went to two auto repair shops and was told that my transmission needed to be replaced. Two and a half years ago I was having a problem with my transmission and I took my vehicle to the Nissan dealership to get the problem taken care of and they examined my vehicle and told me the trans was ok and the problem I'm having is due to two motor mounts that need to be replaced. They said it would cost $800. There are numerous complaints about the transmissions in the 2004 Nissan Maxima's on line. While your car is still under warranty Nissan will find things that are wrong with the car that are not covered under the warranty and tell you its not the transmission it something else. Once the warranty has expired then they will say that it is your transmission. These vehicles need to be recalled and have the transmission replaced.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Murrieta, CA, USA