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.
Vehicle makes clunking, jerking noises and bad clunking sounds when you put it into gear or shift gears, digital gear display shows vehicle is in 5th gear all the time, accelerates very slowly.
The car has a sound as if it were metal fatigue in the front of the hood a hard blow sounds loud every time the car moves from one side to the other they have not been able to find the problem they say what is a factory defect I am afraid that it is a metal that is under fatigue and the engine falls on the ground running on the street.
My car only has 112337 mile and needed to replace the transmission, now at 112954 have to replace the ABS control module. The transmission was hard shifting/ jerking when you get to about 30-35 mph. So it cost almost $4,000 to fix and the the speedometer and odometer quit working after 500 miles with new transmission and took the car to electrical shop to find out I now have to replace the ABS control module and after all the money put in this car I don't think it is worth fixing the ABS considering I just bought the car in Oct. 2018 and thought I got a great car and alredy have enough money put in it and could never sell it for the money I have in it Nissan should be fixing these issues not me considering all the complaints on these cars with the same problems at the same mileage
This car has nothing but issues. I have had to replace the timing chains along with continuing to deal with the cars transmission and engine revving and trowing itself in and out of gear and dying the the middle of the road or highway. This car is dangerous and hundreds of people are having the exact same issues with Nissan refusing to address the issue or admit fault. Something needs to be done. Im sure people have been physically hurt from this issue and seems strong enough to be made into a class action suit.
- Anchorage, AK, USA
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When driving the vehicle, the... cv transmission could slip out of gear causing loss of power. Cv transmission could hesitate in shifting to next or previous gear. This can cause hard, violent shifting to occur which could seriously damage the vehicle and result in an accident.
The 2005 Nissan Maxima has a terrible transmission. Problems shifting gears and when trying to accelerate it wont shift out of gears to go faster. Such as if I stop at a stop light or stop sign and then try to go again it accelerates very (5mph). Also when shifting into drive, it does this loud banging jerk that jerks the entire car. Was told transmission is slipping. There are thousands of other complaints for the nissian Maxima transmission and needs to be a recall on the transmission. Car is only 13 years old.
Car would stay in 5th gear when turned. It would move but at slow rate. Now it will move about a 100 feet then gear wont engage. You can give it gas but it just wont move. Ill let it cool down and it move again but will resume problem.
Transmission failing delay in gear select followed by a hard thump hard shifting after 30min did not expect this from a car with 108K miles well taken care of.
Sudden total transmission failure at 45,699 miles on Maxima 2005. Put car in reverse, backed out put in drive it stalled out. Car did not want to start, I was in middle of street. Car has never ever given me issues prior. Sudden "service engine" light, (never illuminated before. Put accelerator to floor to start then car would barely move forward, it had no 1, 2nd gears. Drove it out of middle of street. Took forever to get to 20mph. Parked car, started easier in the morning but made horrible clunk when put in reverse. It is now at repair shop and not sure of full diagnosis yet but told will probably bee a full transmission rebuild.
Automatic transmission had to be replaced under 100,000 miles due to severe jerking during shifts between low gears. The worst would often be slowing down, as in approaching a stop light or stop sign. In stop-and-go traffic, the kick from the transmission when slowing (down-shift from 2nd to 1st) would often cause the car to nose-down a bit suddenly, such that drivers behind would react as if I were making a hard stop.
When driving for a few miles it shifts hard like the transmission isn't wanting to shift right. After reading online I find out that this year of mission is known for some kind of fault in the transmission! other then that the car is in excellent condition but afraid to drive because of the transmission but I can't afford to spend the money on whatever is wrong with the transmission!
I bought a Nissan Maxima 2005 from a second hand and looks great but one riding the transmission started to make a uful noise. Once I got home I turned of the engine. The next day when I start the engine and shifted to drive the wouldn't move. The mechanic told me that I have to buy a new transmission that it's to expensive. I hope you could help me. Thank you
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Maxima. While driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle drove roughly when the accelerator pedal was depressed. There were no warning indicators illuminated. While driving on an incline or bumpy road, the vehicle would shake. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The control arm and ball joints on the front driver and passenger sides were recently replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Around 103000 miles the transmission started slipping when accelerating from a stop. The engine would rev and then the transmission would slam into gear. I had a fluid change done and now not only does it slip on acceleration it also slams when shifting between gears.
Harsh shifting, jerking, lots shift slippage. Actually slowed down on the highway. Diagnosis returned as failed transmission assembly and cost $4,100 to repair.
Harsh engagement at reverse and forward gears. Erratic shifting. After start up the transmission has a harsh engagement in reverse and forward. When driving there is a harsh up shift and down shift. Driving on city or highway the transmission is doing the same of harsh upshifting and downshifting. Harsh engagement. The valve body has been replaced. We have installed new (dealer) cam sensors. We have had it reprogrammed. We have rebuilt the unit and still have the same problem.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Church Hill, TN, USA