NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
70 reportsClear category filter60,000 miles · Jan 31, 2010
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainSuspension
I HAVE AN 04 NISSAN MAXIMA. I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN 04. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT 60000 AFTER COMPLAINING ABOUT THE WAY THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS, NUMEROUS TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP, A 200 DOLLAR TRANSMISSION FLUSH, AND THE REPLACEMENT OF A TRANSMISSION MOUNT, THEY FINALLY REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE T…
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I HAVE AN 04 NISSAN MAXIMA. I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN 04. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT 60000 AFTER COMPLAINING ABOUT THE WAY THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS, NUMEROUS TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP, A 200 DOLLAR TRANSMISSION FLUSH, AND THE REPLACEMENT OF A TRANSMISSION MOUNT, THEY FINALLY REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY FRONT STRUTS 3 TIMES, MY TIMING CHAIN $3500, AND NOW I NEED ANOTHER TRANSMISSION AT 126,000 MILES. I HAVE BEEN ON NUMEROUS BLOG SITES WITH PEOPLE WHO SHARED SIMILAR STORIES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10303406
75 miles · Jan 4, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER IT WAS COLD, SNOWING AND APPROXIMATELY THIRTY DEGREES THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SINCE 2004 IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALER HAS MADE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER IT WAS COLD, SNOWING AND APPROXIMATELY THIRTY DEGREES THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SINCE 2004 IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALER HAS MADE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS ONLY ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHEN SOMEONE JUMP STARTS IT DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. THE FAILURE NEVER OCCURS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. THE CONTACT WROTE A LETTER TO THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER AND HAS NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. THE CONTACT HAS REPEATEDLY TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000.
NHTSA ODI #10297948
63,000 miles · Dec 2, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA WITH 64000 MILES, HAS STARTED SHIFTING HARD IN 1ST, AND 2ND GEARS, WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS YOUR NOT SUPPOSE TO FEEL THE GEARS CHANGING AT ALL. ALSO THERE IS A TICKING COMING FROM THE TIMING BELT WHICH I AM TOLD IS NORMAL....DOESN'T SOUND NORMAL TO ME! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10294262
48,701 miles · Oct 15, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE IN THE ENGINE FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REMAINED THERE OVERNIGHT SO THAT THE DEALER COULD DUPLICATE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE NOISE. THE FAILURE HAS OCC…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE IN THE ENGINE FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REMAINED THERE OVERNIGHT SO THAT THE DEALER COULD DUPLICATE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE NOISE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON 10/27/07. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WAS 48,701 AND HE IS THE SECOND OWNER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD CALL HIM REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,000.
NHTSA ODI #10288567
132,000 miles · Oct 7, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
2004 NISSAN MAXIMA: OCTOBER 7, 2009 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SEVERAL MILES LATER AS WE ENTERED OUR DRIVE WAY THE CAR STARTED TO SHUT DOWN. I NOTICE SOME JERKING AND METAL RATTLING NOISE AS I SLOW DOWN. AFTER STOPPING THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. AT THIS TIME THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO IN REVERSE, BUT ONCE I TURN THE ENGINE OF…
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2004 NISSAN MAXIMA: OCTOBER 7, 2009 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SEVERAL MILES LATER AS WE ENTERED OUR DRIVE WAY THE CAR STARTED TO SHUT DOWN. I NOTICE SOME JERKING AND METAL RATTLING NOISE AS I SLOW DOWN. AFTER STOPPING THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. AT THIS TIME THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO IN REVERSE, BUT ONCE I TURN THE ENGINE OFF I COULD NOT START THE CAR AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP WERE I PURCHASE THE CAR HAS DONE ALL THE SERVICES, AND YES THEY DID FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION. TYPE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID IS NOT KNOW. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10286693
115,000 miles · Sep 29, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling
'04 MAXIMA, MAINTAINED REGULARLY, ORIGINAL OWNER, PURCHASED IN SUMMER OF '03(FIRST BATCH OF ASSY. LINE); NOISE COMING FROM RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE. NOISE WAS LOUD WHEN ENGINE WAS COLD AND WOULD GO AWAY AFTER ENGINE HAD WARMED UP. EVENTUALLY STARTED TO STILL HEAR THE NOISE (NOT AS LOUD) AFTER ENGINE WAS WARM. LOCAL REPAIR SHOP SAID …
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'04 MAXIMA, MAINTAINED REGULARLY, ORIGINAL OWNER, PURCHASED IN SUMMER OF '03(FIRST BATCH OF ASSY. LINE); NOISE COMING FROM RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE. NOISE WAS LOUD WHEN ENGINE WAS COLD AND WOULD GO AWAY AFTER ENGINE HAD WARMED UP. EVENTUALLY STARTED TO STILL HEAR THE NOISE (NOT AS LOUD) AFTER ENGINE WAS WARM. LOCAL REPAIR SHOP SAID THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE TIMING CHAIN AND MOST LIKELY THE GUIDE HAD BROKEN AND WAS RUBBING THE CHAIN AND STATED BOTH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS SHOP HAD NEVER DONE ONE OF THESE REPAIRS ON A NISSAN BECAUSE "THIS NEVER HAPPENS TO A NISSAN MOTOR". YET THEY FOUND MANY TSBS AND INTERNET SEARCH RESULTS ABOUT MY PARTICULAR MODEL CAR HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. THEY SUGGESTED I HAVE THE DEALERSHIP TAKE A LOOK. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER AND WITHOUT TELLING THEM WHAT THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP SAID, ONLY SUMMARIZING THE EXPLANATION OF THE NOISE WHEN ENGINE WAS COLD AND THEN GOES AWAY AFTER WARM UP, THE SERVICE ADVISOR INTERRUPTED ME AND SAID, "IT'S THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDE". HE BARELY LET ME FINISH THE STORY BEFORE HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS. HE SAID THAT WAS BECAUSE HE (HIS SERVICE CENTER) HAS DONE THIS REPAIR ON 04 MAXIMA'S SO MANY TIMES IT'S RIDICULOUS. HE ALSO STATED THAT IT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY NISSAN AS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 04 MODEL ENGINES BUT YET WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. NISSAN BOASTS THAT THE TIMING CHAINS IN THESE ENGINES ARE MAINTENANCE FREE OR AT LEAST WORTH 300K+ MILES (SINCE BY THAT TIME MOST OWNERS WOULD HAVE GOT 15 YEARS+ OUT OF THE CAR), BUT YET THE PARTS TO HOLD THE CHAIN ON BREAK DOWN WAY BEFORE THAT. THE LABOR TO REPAIR THE SURROUNDING PARTS IS THE SAME TO REPLACE THE CHAIN SINCE THE TECH HAS TO REACH TO THE SAME SPOT OF THE ENGINE FOR REPAIRS. I WAS ORIGINALLY QUOTED $1500.+ FOR THE REPAIRS BUT WAS ABLE TO STRIKE A SMALL DISCOUNT AND PAID $1133.55 FOR "2 TENSIONER CHAINS", "CHAIN GUIDE", "TENSIONER ASSEMBLY", AND SOME OTHER SEALS & GASKETS. LABOR ALONE WAS $787.50. WHICH WAS DISCOUNTED FROM $1100.+. OUTRAGEOUS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10285642
Mileage unknown · Jul 29, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainTires
2004 MAXIMA HAS HAD TIMING CHAIN NOISE FOR YEARS HAS BEEN BLOWING OIL FOR 2 YEARS NOW TRANSMISSION IS BANGING AND SHIFTING VERY HARD LOSING POWER ETC. FOR 3 MONTHS NOW HAD TRANS FLUSHED DID NOT HELP AT ALL TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST YEAR A/C HAS NOT WORKED FOR 2 YEARS THIS CAR IS VERY MUCH A LEMON. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278731
60,000 miles · Jul 28, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20-35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLIPS AND STALLS IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURS BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS. OCCASIONALLY, THE TRANSMISSION KICKS INTO GEAR, BUT IT IS SO SEVERE THAT THE VEHICLE FINALLY ACCELERATES TO A VERY HIGH SPEED. THE CONTACT TOOK TH…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20-35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLIPS AND STALLS IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURS BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS. OCCASIONALLY, THE TRANSMISSION KICKS INTO GEAR, BUT IT IS SO SEVERE THAT THE VEHICLE FINALLY ACCELERATES TO A VERY HIGH SPEED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT NEW ENGINE MOUNTS WERE NEEDED. HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT NEW ENGINE MOUNTS WOULD CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
NHTSA ODI #10278533
60,000 miles · Jul 24, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainFire
GOOD MORNING, I CURRENTLY OWN 2004 MAXIMA & HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR FOR ABOUT 2-3 YEARS. MY MAJOR PROBLEM AT FIRST WAS MY TRANSMISSION. APPARENTLY THE DEALERSHIP STATES I WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH IS ABSURD SINCE THE CAR IS NOT EVEN 10 YRS OLD. I KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WHEN THE CAR STARTED …
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GOOD MORNING, I CURRENTLY OWN 2004 MAXIMA & HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR FOR ABOUT 2-3 YEARS. MY MAJOR PROBLEM AT FIRST WAS MY TRANSMISSION. APPARENTLY THE DEALERSHIP STATES I WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH IS ABSURD SINCE THE CAR IS NOT EVEN 10 YRS OLD. I KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WHEN THE CAR STARTED JERKING ON ITS OWN. AT TIMES IT JERKS REAL HARD WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND IT IS QUITE SCARY & EMBARRASSING. WHEN THE PROBLEM STARTED, I HAVE TWO FRIENDS WHO WERE OWNERS OF A NISSAN MAXIMA AS WELL AND THEY WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME JERKING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THEY EVENTUALLY TRADED THEIR CARS BUT I NOT WANTED TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS OF FINANCING A CAR, I FIGURED I'LL FIX THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION IS ONE PROBLEM BUT WHY EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS THERE IS OTHER PROBLEMS AS WELL. FOR EXAMPLE I LAST YEAR I HAD TO CHANGE MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER, MY MOUNTS, AND MY ROUTERS. NOW WHAT HAS MADE ME AT MY ENDS WITH THIS CAR IS WHAT HAPPENED LAST MONTH (JUNE 2009). WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A LOUD SOUND, I OPENED THE HOOD OF THE CAR AND RIGHT BUY THE ENGINE, AND THERE WERE FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED ALONG WITH THE POLICE. AS I SUBMIT MY COMPLAINT NOW MY CAR IS STILL AT THE SHOP. THIS HAS BECOME A FRUSTRATED AND VERY EXPENSIVE ISSUE THAT I HAVE BEEN FACING. HONESTLY I HAVE SPENT ABOUT 5K'S OR MORE ON THIS CAR, NOT CONSIDERING THAT I'M STILL FINANCING AS WELL. HOW IS IT THAT, I HAVE DONE MY RESEARCH AND THERE ARE MANY OTHERS OUT THERE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. NISSAN NEEDS TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND IT IS NOT A COINCIDENCE ALSO. I HAVE DOCUMENTS AND EMAILS FROM OTHERS WHO ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE (OVER 300 COMPLAINTS SINCE 2006). PLS IF ANYTHING, THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INVESTIGATION, MANY PPL ARE SUFFERING AND LOSING $ AS WELL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278182
55,000 miles · Jul 13, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling
I RECENTLY BROUGHT A USER MAXIMA 2004 SE 3 WEEKS BACK. WHEN I FIRST DROVE IT WITH 55,500MILES ON IT. IT IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE BUT I DID NOT OBSERVER CLEARLY BUT THESE DAYS I CAN FEEL THE JERKING AFFECT. WHEN I START DRIVING THE CAR IT JERKS FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND SOMETIME INTO 3RD. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM STOP THE RPM…
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
NHTSA ODI #10276505