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2004 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Maxima years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Nissan Maxima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 99.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

1,189 reports with mileage · 236 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 934 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 141 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 102 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

33 crash reports16 fire reports22 injury reports

Power Train complaints

934 reports
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3,600 miles · Sep 30, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AFTER THE VEHICLE STOPPED IT WOULD JERK AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T ACCELERATE TO A HIGHER SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT SHE NEEDED …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AFTER THE VEHICLE STOPPED IT WOULD JERK AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T ACCELERATE TO A HIGHER SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO THE FIRST AND SECOND GEAR HAVING ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,600.

NHTSA ODI #10428021

100,000 miles · Sep 26, 2011
Power Train

I OWN A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA AND WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2009 AT 73,000 MILES, IT DID NOT JERK, BUT THE MORE I DROVE IT I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE JERKING OF THE TRANSMISSION FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. IT STARTED ONLY WHEN I WAS GOING 20 MILES PER HOUR, BUT NOW IT JERKS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR SHIFTING TO GO FASTER THAN 20 MPH. I CONTACTED…

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I OWN A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA AND WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2009 AT 73,000 MILES, IT DID NOT JERK, BUT THE MORE I DROVE IT I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE JERKING OF THE TRANSMISSION FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. IT STARTED ONLY WHEN I WAS GOING 20 MILES PER HOUR, BUT NOW IT JERKS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR SHIFTING TO GO FASTER THAN 20 MPH. I CONTACTED MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, I HAD MY TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED, AND EVEN TRIED THE LUCAS TRANSMISSION FLUID. NOTHING WORKED. I CONTACTED A NISSAN DEALER AND THEY SAID MY TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10427485

58,000 miles · Sep 26, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD ABNORMALLY AND ALSO, WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE AFTER DRIVING 55 MPH. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHI…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD ABNORMALLY AND ALSO, WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE AFTER DRIVING 55 MPH. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. KMJ

NHTSA ODI #10427226

54,250 miles · Sep 25, 2011
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL'S TRANSMISSION, TO THE POINT WHERE NISSAN HAS ISSUED A TSB. I HAVE REPEATEDLY BEEN OPERATING IN TRAFFIC WHEN THE VEHICLE'S ACCELERATION PAUSES, THE RPM SHOOTS WAY UP, THE DROPS DOWN AFTER A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION …

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I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL'S TRANSMISSION, TO THE POINT WHERE NISSAN HAS ISSUED A TSB. I HAVE REPEATEDLY BEEN OPERATING IN TRAFFIC WHEN THE VEHICLE'S ACCELERATION PAUSES, THE RPM SHOOTS WAY UP, THE DROPS DOWN AFTER A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGES IN A JERKING FASHION. THIS IS A CONSIDERABLE PROBLEM GIVEN MY OPERATION IN AND AROUND A MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA WITH SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC. SUDDEN UNEXPECTED CHANGES IN VELOCITY, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN VELOCITY, IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10427114

62,000 miles · Sep 23, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE SHIFT CONTROL VALVE HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND THE CURRENT M…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE SHIFT CONTROL VALVE HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

NHTSA ODI #10426951

142,000 miles · Sep 23, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD VIOLENTLY JERK WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE AND WHEN SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VARIOUS INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION EITHER NEEDED TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED. THE VEHICL…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD VIOLENTLY JERK WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE AND WHEN SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VARIOUS INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION EITHER NEEDED TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10426871

70,659 miles · Sep 23, 2011
Power Train

MAXIMA JERKS WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP OR WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE OR VISE VERSA. MAXIMA SEEMS TO STRUGGLE SOMETIMES TO GET TO HIGH GEARS. AT HIGH SPEEDS MAXIMA SEEMS FINE BUT ANNOYING JERKS OCCUR WHEN COMING TO A SLOW STOP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10426860

85,000 miles · Sep 22, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND IT FAIL TO FUNCTION NORMALLY WHILE SHIFTING GEARS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS FLUSHED, BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT REPLACED. T…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND IT FAIL TO FUNCTION NORMALLY WHILE SHIFTING GEARS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS FLUSHED, BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

NHTSA ODI #10426814

76,000 miles · Sep 17, 2011
Power Train

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSON ON MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA GETS STUCK IN 5 GEAR AND THERE IS A VERY VIOLENT HARD JERK WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE THEN BACK TO DRIVE. I HAVE TO PARK THE CAR AND SHUT IT OFF FOR ABOUT 30-60 SECONDS FOR THE GEARS TO RESTO RESET THE GEARS BACK TO FIRST GEAR. I'M ABLE TO SEE THE GEARS ARE STUCK IN 5…

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THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSON ON MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA GETS STUCK IN 5 GEAR AND THERE IS A VERY VIOLENT HARD JERK WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE THEN BACK TO DRIVE. I HAVE TO PARK THE CAR AND SHUT IT OFF FOR ABOUT 30-60 SECONDS FOR THE GEARS TO RESTO RESET THE GEARS BACK TO FIRST GEAR. I'M ABLE TO SEE THE GEARS ARE STUCK IN 5TH GEAR BY SHIFTING TO MANUAL AND DISPLAY ON MY DASHBOARD SHOWS THE GEAR IS IN 5TH GEAR. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK MY MAXIMA TO THE NISSAN DEALER. NISSAN TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSON NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BASED ON THE CODES AND WAS GOING TO CHARGE OVER $4000. I GOT A SECOND OPINION FROM AND THE FAILURE CODES INDICATED THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR WAS BAD. THEY REPLACED THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A LITTLE WHILE BUT THE STUCK IN 5TH GEAR PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. REPLACING THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR DIDN'T RESOLVE THE HARD VIOLENT JERK PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

NHTSA ODI #10425877

70,000 miles · Sep 15, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD VIOLENTLY JERK WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT BETWEEN GEARS AND SHE WOULD LOSE POWER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD VIOLENTLY JERK WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT BETWEEN GEARS AND SHE WOULD LOSE POWER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,614. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI #10425671

Official recalls

2

05V512000 · Seats:front Assembly:power Adjust

Nov 7, 2005

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE DRIVER PREFERRED PACKAGE, THE WIRE HARNESS FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT POWER LUMBAR SUPPORT SWITCH MAY BE ROUTED INCORRECTLY AND COULD BE PINCHED UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A PINCHED HARNESS, IN COMBINATION WITH DRIVING VIBRATION, MAY RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE HARNESS THAT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE IN THE SEAT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS AND ROUTE IT CORRECTLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 16, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

04V326000 · Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly

Jul 7, 2004

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SKYVIEW ROOFS, THE GLASS FOR THE ROOF MAY NOT HAVE BEEN QUENCHED PROPERLY AFTER THE FORMING PROCESS, RESULTING IN TEMPER IMBALANCE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD CREATE EXCESSIVE INTERNAL STRESS IN THE GLASS AND EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE GLASS TO SHATTER, CREATING A RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE GLASS IN THE SKYVIEW ROOF. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE04035 · Glass Roof Shattering

Opened Apr 12, 2004 · Closed Jul 13, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION ON APRIL 12, 2004, BASED ON FIVE REPORTS INDICATING THAT THE SKYVIEW GLASS-PANELED ROOF, WHICH IS STANDARD EQUIPMENT IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA VEHICLES, WOULD SUDDENLY SHATTER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN USE.FIVE INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO ODI, RESULTING IN CUTS TO THE HEAD, HANDS, ARMS, OR FACE.NISSAN DISCOVERED THAT THEIR SUPPLIER FOR THE SKYVIEW GLASS PANELED ROOF DID NOT PROPERLY QUENCH (COOL) THE GLASS AFTER IT WAS FORMED.THE RESULTING TEMPER IMBALANCE COULD CREATE EXCESSIVE INTERNAL STRESS IN THE GLASS AND CAN EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE GLASS TO SHATTER.NISSAN REPORTS THAT GLASS PRODUCED BEGINNING OCTOBER 23, 2003 WAS PROPERLY QUENCHED.NISSAN HAS INFORMED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL RECALL 32,100 MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMAS BUILT FROM THE BEGINNING OF PRODUCTION THRU DECEMBER 17, 2003.IT REPORTS THAT VEHICLES BUILT AFTER DECEMBER 17 ARE NOT AFFECTED.TO CORRECT THE CONDITION NISSAN WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING SKYVIEW GLASS WITH NEW PROPERLY QUENCHED GLASS.NISSAN WILL BEGIN OWNER NOTIFICATION ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2004.ODI IS AWARE OF ONLY ONE COMPLAINT AND NISSAN REPORTS NO COMPLAINTS OF SKYVIEW GLASS PANELED ROOF BREAKAGE ON VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THE DECEMBER 17 DATE.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED, HOWEVER THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION AS APPROPRIATE.