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.
This a beautiful car. I love it and all I want to know is how to get this fixed and if Nissan stands behind its product. The car has not been misused and the wear and tear is at minimum. I don't have thousands of dollars to get the problem fixed and if it is a factory problem then I would like to have this fixed as soon as possible. This is my only means of transportation. Thank you.
From what I am reading on this site, there seems to be a common problem with the car jerking, slipping, and being a transmission problem. We bought the car at 35,000 miles about 2 years ago almost 3 now and it's just about paid for. We are disgusted with this and want to get some answers as to why it seems to be a common problem with this car. There must be a defect to have so many problems, its not a coincidence!! NISSAN WAKE UP AND DO SOMETHING NOW...before someone gets freaking hurt!!! Put my name first if there is lawsuit, who can afford the costly repairs at the rate of your faulty car?!
Transmission started slipping in 2015 and got worse over two years. Started out as just slipping while downshifting, but then progressed into delaying shifting into 1st gear, a long delay when downshifting, and delays between all gears.
It got bad enough that I was afraid I'd get stranded in an intersection when turning left in front of other cars.
- Brian K.,
Dalton, US
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The transmission would slip and jerk. At one point it finally just stopped in the middle of the road. Had to get it pushed off the road and towed. This was due to the transmission failing.
I purchased my 2006 Nissan Maxima SE with 87561 miles on it and after driving only 513 miles noticed the transmission starting to slip. It started with the rpm's revving up while driving and car not accelerating then it started slipping when car is placed in reverse and jerk before moving. When it first started it would only slip sporadically now it slips on a regular each and every time I drive the car. I took it to the transmission shop and was diagnosed needing a transmission. The mechanic told me that he had 4 Nissan Maximas in his shop right now with the very same issue. I took the car back to the dealer that I purchased it from and he is offering me a warranty at his cost of $800 that for a $100 deductible is supposed to cover the cost of the transmission replacement.
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I helped my son buy a 2006 nissan maxima, and within a month the transmission started slipping. Now, I am told that at the very least, I need to get a new valve body for the transmission, for a cost of at least 1200, maybe more. That PSA from nissan should be extended to all that have the problem. My son went into the Army a couple of months after buying the car, and I am trying to get out from under it.
Has there been a recall on this problem and if not why??? With such a high rate of complaints and problems why has there not been a recall???
Also my sunroof window just exploded and has to be replaced. What would cause this and is the Nissan Maxima starting to be junk? I have owned one since 1995 and at this point I will not be getting another one, and yes all it takes is one piece of junk to turn me against a vehicle.
Very disgusting because I was taking my cancer sick husband to the doctor and broke down in the middle of the street. Had to call my neighbor to help, unfortunately she was busy. Call a taxi and had to pay $100.00 to take my husband for chemotherapy. Not happy, first the paint job sucks because the paint peeled and now this horrible transmission. Wish all the best with their bad experience with Nissan.
I love my car and its color but the transmission has been a real financial hardship for me and my family. Now, my car is totally unreliable and too costly to continuous repair.
I bought my 2006 Nissan Maxima with the 5 speed auto trans. The same day I drove it home, it started to shift super hard from 1st to 2nd gear...also hard shift from 2nd to 1st. I ended up coming to a light and the trans shifted down so hard, I literally hit the steering wheel with my chin. when the light changed green, I slowly accelerated and about broke my neck when it shifted to 2nd. the trans problem is really bad. I talked to nissan and they said the only thing they do for that problem is replace the transmission. they don't replace the linear solenoids or valve body. they said it would cost $4000 just for the transmission...not installed...i didn't pay that much for the car to begin with. I bought the car AS-IS from a dealership and they won't help any. guess I'm screwed. there was a lawsuit filed in 2011 for this problem. but still nothing has been done...WTH!!!!
I am a working mother, and bought this vehicle with my tax money. I haven't even been able to drive this car because I don't feel safe traveling with my daughter in it or myself. I am out of a vehicle. And do not have the money to repair this EXPENSIVE problem that happens to everyone!
I bought this car in 2013 and have only put 30,000 miles on it. I have put over $1,000 into this car since paying it off in February. The car was good until the last few weeks I noticed all my lights on the dash came on ABS, TCS off, Brake, and Slip we did the brakes and rotors, engine mount, replaced front calipers, did a tune up and now the transmission needs to be replaced because it is causing all the other lights to come on and we were not getting any codes for the ABS, brake, or TCS off lights on dash. We are noticing the slip light keeps blinking on and off now and when we make turns we are loosing acceleration. The transmission needs to be replaced.
First it started slipping, then the entire car violently jerks when switching from park to reverse or Drive. Now, it will go into drive but starts out in third gear and never changes. So the rpms rev really high from a stand still until you get up to 40 mph before it actually starts moving properly. I'm petrified to pull out into the road in front of another car for fear of being hit because it has no power until reaching 40mph.
I have replaced the valve body at a cost of $850.00, I replaced all three main solenoids at a cost of $130, I replaced the transmission fluid several times at a cost of $180, I had the transgo shift kit installed at a cost of $350. and nothing has corrected the problem. The jerks have calmed down, yet it still barely moves in drive. Nissan should replace what they know if a defective product.
In dec 2016 I bought this car. It ran for a month and then the transmission started to jerk and slip which eventually resulted in breaking down on the side of the road while myself and children where in it. I have had a mechanic look at it. the transmission is done! he informed me that I will have to buy a new transmission and then pay to have him or someone else put it in. come to find out by several people there was a recall on these transmissions. Nissan needs to take care of this ASAP.
This problem occurred at 106k miles and Nissan replaced the transmission with a remanufactured transmission. I now have the problem again at 148k miles.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
This is wrong and bull**. I bought a new car and have to replace a transmission that was clearly a factory defect.
- Chad B., Patterson, LA, US