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:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
124,070 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 purchased my Nissan Maxima brand new in January 2006. I started feeling my car having problems getting in gear in 2011. Now its getting worst. My check engine light is on, and I was told my the dealership that it is the transmission. I have seen now that Nissan had transmission issues with the 2006 Maximas and I believe that they should be recalled. I am in the navy and I need my car, for me and my family and I can't afford to purchase a new transmission, let alone a new car.
Transmission hesitation when attempting to enter traffic or advance when moving slowly, like what occurs when a traffic light changes when you are approaching it. The engine will rev (RPM approx 4000-6000) then slam into gear and jerk forward. This causes the danger of being propelled into traffic at the wrong time or simply getting rear-ended. My vehicle also has the problem of hesitating when I place the gear shift lever into reverse. Research has shown this is a common problem with this generation Nissan Maxima and they have failed to take ownership and correct it.
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the vehicle began to jerk, lunge and decelerated independently. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the transmission would need to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The VIN was unavailable. The failure and current mileage was 70,000.
Vehicle jerks at low speeds between 10-25 mph while accelerating and decelerating (1st-2nd gears). Vehicle also jerks from shifting park to reverse or drive, reverse to drive and drive to reverse. Vehicle jerks so severe at low speeds, it feels like being rear-ended. Vehicle will do this while trying to merge into traffic which is a safety hazard.
Vehicle hard shifts from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. It also hard shifts during deceleration around 1st or 2nd gears. This problem is widely reported on Nissan forums and on the internet. I believe it should be investigated as a recall issue as it has the possibility to cause injury. It feels like you are getting kicked when it does it.
- Riverside, CA, USA
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Sudden acceleration after the brakes were applied. Vehicle 1 hit two other vehicles, minor damage to them and then vehicle 1 flipped onto the driver's side. No one was injured. Nissan Maxima has been serviced twice for sudden acceleration at the Nissan dealership. The Nissan Maxima was judged to be a total loss due to the damage incurred.
I'm concerned that the defective transmissions that Nissan knowingly placed in the 2006 Nissan Maxima is and will continue to cause bodily harm and fatalities. My car started out jerking, slipping so bad it would cause whip lash. Now it's at a point I have it parked because I'm scared that I, my family, or an innocent driver will be in an accident, or potentially killed. I recently called Consumer Affairs in reference to this matter and they wanted $5,100 to fix it. It's a shame that they knowingly are charging the consumers and harming the innocent. I'm a soldier!!! what if I half way protected this country? I pray someone will look into this matter. Innocent lives are at stake....
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle suddenly jerked forward. The failure occurred intermittently while driving and also idling. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician stated that the transmission would have to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. Mah
Within the last month or so my vehicle has begun to display what appears to be a transmission problem. When I put it in reverse, then back into drive it hesitates and then jumps into gear. When I am accelerating (about 30-40 mph), my vehicle will hesitate or struggle to shift into the next gear. This happens most often at 30-40 mph but it has happen at faster and slower speeds and has happened with accelerating and decelerating. I have brought my vehicle to a repair shop who replaced the engine mounts at a cost of almost $1000 and that didn't fix the problem. Now they are stating the problem is the valve body. I brought it for a second opinion to the Nissan dealer and they state that I need a new transmission at a cost of $3500. I am about to bring it for a third opinion to a transmission shop. This is a safety concern in my opinion because the transmission could completely stall or give out while driving. I have researched this problem extensively online and have found hundreds of other stories of Maxima owners with the same or similar problem. I don't understand why Nissan hasn't been forced to recall these faulty transmissions. They obviously pose a danger to the public and they are obviously aware of the situation. I have found out about class action lawsuits against Nissan and have found out that Nissan has extended the warranty on the cvt transmissions (in the Altima), but I don't have that type of transmission. I would like to request that the NHTSA look into this problem further and take a look at the sheer number of owners who are dealing with this problem or who have. I would like to request that you demand Nissan to recall these vehicles and correct this problem. There is no reason that a transmission should need to be replaced in a vehicle after 70, 80 or 90 thousand miles. Thank you!
First after buying this Nissan Maxima 2006, I noticed that my head light lamps needed to be changed every 14 months. I never had a car where I had to replace the head light lamps so often. Both of my other cars (Toyota and Honda) have over 100K miles and we never had to change the lamps on those cars. Next, the ABS brakes are not working properly, really" after 70K miles" wow! later I found out that this is a common problem with this car. The ABS appear to be running while the car is moving and on dry roads. Finally, the transmission. Why do I have a slipping transmission on a car with only 64K miles. After research, I found out that the problems that I'm having with this Nissan Maxima, hundreds of other owns are having the same problems. I always had Honda and Toyota cars and I decided to try something new in this Maxima. I will never buy Nissan again, I'm running back to Honda and Toyota!!!
I got into the car then I stared up the car. Then I put the car in drive and when I begin to drive the car it started to jerk. After a while of driving the car I would stop at a light then I would get off of the brake to give it gas and the car would not move.
Transmission jerking and slipping going into and out of 2nd and 3rd gear. Very hard jerking. Nissan will not replace unless I pay $3,400. Saying internal transmission problem. The transmission shop said that it was the internal valve and all these Nissan transmissions have this problem. The one he would put in for me will have this fault.
Car has a serious transmission issue and it seems like this is a common problem with 2006 Maximas. In lower gears and in reverse, car lurches violently and slips. When accelerating, car revs very fast, but gets no power. This is starting to happen more and more and I have been told I need a new transmission. This vehicle was bought new in 2006 and should not have transmission issues at 90K miles. Given the multitude of complaints about this exact problem on various automobile forums, Nissan should take steps to fix this problem.
When I first bought the car it was working fine but just two days after the car started to jerk hard the mph would go all the way to the last number like it was reving up took it back to the dealer ship they took it to one of there mechanics and told them that the transmission would had to be replace and Ford wouldnt pay for it not one penny are even half I put down 5000 for the car at they could of paid half are gave us a new car I have two kids with me in the car every day am just scared it my stale when am on the freeway.
Transmission began to slip in 2nd and 3rd gears marked by engine RPM spikes then hard shifts into gear in both up and down shifts. Fuel mileage as a result dropped approximately 2 mpg due to surging engine RPM. Additional problems were marked by a violent continual vibration at cruising speeds under light acceleration in 3rd and 4th gears.
***faulty transmission*** my 2006 Nissan Maxima jerks, takes time to accelerate in traffic, and it barely wants to move once stopping for a red light. The gear spontaneously gets stuck in either 1st or 5th and I have to pull over and turn the car off and then back on so that I can get to my destination. This is so dangerous. My car has been properly maintained throughout the years and upon my research, I have found that others (have had/and are still having) the same problems that I am experiencing right now. This is not safe or fair to me as a consumer. A recall needs to be done asap.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Hoover, AL, USA