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:
4 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
9 / 0
Average Mileage:
86,782 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.
I own a 2005 Nissan Maxima sl. At about 65000 miles I started to experience problems with my transmission. When changing the gear from park to drive the car would violently kick back and forth. The same would occur when ever the car transitioned between the 5 gears. I have researched this transmission problem online and have also surveyed many local mechanics. I have learned that this is a recurring problem with the 2005 year model. On websites such as "safecar.gov" there are over 300 complaints reported about the same exact issue. I took the car to my local Nissan dealer and they suggested that I contact Nissan headquarters to help find a solution.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the vehicle would jerk violently when shifting from first to second gear or when shifting from park to drive. In addition, the vehicle would stall intermittently. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic who replaced the transmission. The current mileage was 102,000 and the failure mileage was 75,000.
Bought car brand new 9/2005. Car was serviced multiple times and even a Nissan engineer tested steering and suspension. When speed is at 60 mpr, steering wheel shakes. New tires were put on by dealership several times, also. Engineer stated that car was supposed to do that. Well now my car's transmission is acting up. Please note that steering wheel still shakes, too. I did a google search and see that numerous people are having the same issue. This car has to be a lemon. I will be contacting Nissan North America to file a complaint also and request that they repair my car.
Bought car brand new 9/2005. Car was serviced multiple times and even a Nissan engineer tested steering and suspension. When speed is at 60 mpr, steering wheel shakes. New tires were put on by dealership several times, also. Engineer stated that car was supposed to do that. Well now my car's transmission is acting up. Please note that steering wheel still shakes, too. I did a google search and see that numerous people are having the same issue. This car has to be a lemon. I will be contacting Nissan North America to file a complaint also and request that they repair my car.
Engine would rev high then bang into gear. Took to aamco/ dealer neither could duplicate. Dealer changed trans fluid. This helped for 5 days. @104,000 miles trans is slipping aggressively and banging into gear.
- Belair, MD, USA
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The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the vehicle would stall between shifting gears. The contact called the dealer regarding the failure and was advised by the dealer that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 110,000.
While traveling at highway speeds the transmission (automatic) abruptly changed gears into neutral for several seconds and then abruptly went back into gear. This rapid transition between powered and unpowered condition caused the front wheel drive car to swerve abruptly from torque steer.subsequent to this initial event the transmission continued to change gears into and out of drive or fail to engage gears as it changes between gears. On taking this to the dealer they stated the controller needed to be updated and performed this service. Approximately one week after this service the transmission again started randomly changing from a powered condition to neutral at highway and other speeds. The car is currently undrivable due to the torque steer caused by the abrupt changes in the transmission making it unsafe to travel at other then slow speeds.
I have a 2005 Nissan Maxima with 105000 miles on it. The transmission shift hard from 1st to 2nd. Also fails to shift into reverse from drive. Down shifts from 3rd to 2nd are extremely hard. You have to drive slow to keep from breaking something. This all a cures when the transmission is hot. I have drained and replaced the fluid six times. You can only replace 4.5 quarts each time. I also had the coolant system professionally flushed. I still have the same.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the vehicle began to jerk while driving 60 mph. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the front engine mounts were replaced. The failure continued. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was advised to replace the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 38,000.
At 72K my auto transmission is failing, jerking, bucking and slipping. I've found a service bulletin about this issue and see literally thousands of Maxima owners in the same boat, right around the same mileage. My car isn't in warranty and I will be going this weekend to have this problem confirmed. It appears there is a defect in this year car transmission, but Nissan will not "man up". I have read some complaints where customers have gotten Nissan to pay for their transmission repair..doesn't that indicate some "guilt"? I have no idea how I will replace my transmission, im a single parent, fighting to keep my house and help my daughter thru college. This needs an investigation and possible recall. I read one account where a woman's transmission went out on a busy road and her 2 small children were in the car.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated the vehicle would jerk when shifting from first to second gear. The vehicle would also jerk while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 68,000.
I like many others am having the exact transmission "slipping, jerking" problems between 2nd and 3rd gear. The RPM's just jump right up under acceleration, the transmission slips then catches causing a jerking, lurching forward action. It is very dangerous especially coming on to a major highway. Because of this I will not let my wife and children drive in the car. We cannot afford the quoted $3500 to $4000 to replace the transmission. Nor do we feel as if we should have to. We have owned this car since new. It has been very reliable but this is absurd. Nissan needs to recall this model year and replace with corrected transmission before someone gets killed. Or is that what it's going to take to get them to acknowledge the problem.
At 57,000 miles, transmission began shifting extremely hard (jerks) and erratically (cannot predict) when up shifting and down shifting between 1st and 3rd gears. Very nerve-racking to operate the vehicle whenever in slow moving or stop-N-go traffic. Had to maintain very large gap (wider than normal) with vehicles in front to avoid collisions. Paid Nissan dealership $3,300 for repair. Nissan does not attempt to repair the transmission, it is simply replaced with a "''Nissan factory certified reconditioned" transmission, that only comes with a 1 year warranty. Not much of a warranty for a "''certified reconditioned" transmission costing $3,300! powertrain had a 5 year/60,000 mile warranty, transmission failed at 57,000 miles, but vehicle was over 5 years old. The fact the Nissan dealership did not have to order the replacement transmission(had it in stock), tells me this is a very common issue and repair! the component that fails on thousands of vehicles is the transmission valve body. Countless blogs on internet about this very issue. Since 2006, the Nissan Maxima have cvt (no shift) transmission. The faulty transmission also caused damage to two out of the three motor mounts, which will cost another $800-$1,000 when repaired. Contacted the North american Nissan motor corporation, Consumer Affairs division in franklin Tennessee hoping they would meet me "''somewhere in the middle" to cover part of the repair expense. They told me that the car was out of warranty and they were not going to do anything or help me out. Everyone familiar with this issue knows the Nissan motor corporation has known about the inferior transmissions, but yet, failed to do anything for the consumer by way of a "''factory recall." I have been a long-time Nissan car owner, going back to the Datsun years, and I can tell you this, this will be the last Nissan I will ever own!
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. While driving approximately 15 mph, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal but the gear slipped as the vehicle downshifted before suddenly accelerating. The vehicle would also jerk forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technician was unable to diagnose a failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000. Updated 02/01/12 updated 02/08/12
Slight hesitation when put in D or R then hard jerk and clunking sound when goes into gear. Has a hard jerking when slowing down and down shifting. Will slip in and out of gear while going down the road. RPM's will rev up to 6000-7000 before shifting into gear. This mainly happens when car is warmed up. But goes in and out of gear between 20-40 mph.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the vehicle would jerk abnormally when accelerating from a complete stop. The failure would become more severe when the engine had been running for a prolonged period of time. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer but they were unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 91,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Transmission failed at 49000 miles on a new preowned vehicle purchased one month earlier. Drove the car for almost one year to the date, and now experiencing transmission problems again. Dealer suggest new transmission. This will make three transmissions for a car with only 75000 miles.....not to mention two cracked engine mounts, front suspension work and needs a new timing belt all within 1 year of owning. This is suppose to be a pre-certified car!!!
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that the transmission failed. The transmission would downshift at low speeds and hesitate when accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 76,000 and the current mileage was 82,000.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. While driving approximately 10-20 mph, the transmission began to jerk and shift out of gear with severe hesitation. The transmission malfunction progressed over a period of time. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The technician recommended the transmission be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 61,000.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- New York, NY, USA