IllustrationFRONT SUBFRAME COMPLETELY ROTTED OUT LOWER CONTROL ARM BECOME UNATTACHED, HAD TO REPAIR SUBFRAME AND ALL COMPONENTS, ABSOLUTELY A SAFETY RISK, MANY RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DON'T HAVE ONE FOR THIS VEHICLE
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Maxima years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1380–25K
10625–50K
28150–75K
34975–100K
260100–150K
55150K+
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
Structure complaints
56 reportsTHE FLOOR BOARDS ON BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT HAVE RUSTED OUT. MOST OF THE OTHER METAL/ FLOORING HAS NOT RUSTED OUT LIKE IT HAS IN THESE TWO SPOTS. THE RUST DOES SEEM TO LEAD UP CLOSE TO THE SUB FRAME WHICH WORRIES ME OF THE INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME. THE FLOORING HAS RUSTED OUT TO THE FABRIC/INSULATION PORTION OF T…
Read full complaint
THE FLOOR BOARDS ON BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT HAVE RUSTED OUT. MOST OF THE OTHER METAL/ FLOORING HAS NOT RUSTED OUT LIKE IT HAS IN THESE TWO SPOTS. THE RUST DOES SEEM TO LEAD UP CLOSE TO THE SUB FRAME WHICH WORRIES ME OF THE INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME. THE FLOORING HAS RUSTED OUT TO THE FABRIC/INSULATION PORTION OF THE INTERIOR. ALSO OF CONCERN IS WHEN YOU ARE GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CAR THE FLOOR IS SO WEAK THAT YOUR FOOT/LEG COULD GO THROUGH IT. IN TIME YOUR FEET CAN AND WILL GO THROUGH THE FLOOR WITH OUT WARNING.
THE FLOOR BOARDS RUSTED OUT ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES AND WE WERE NOT AWARE BECAUSE THE CARPET COVERED BUT YOU CAN FIT A FIST THROUGH EACH ONE! SHOULD NOT HAPPEN!!
I'M EXPERIENCING THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE WITH THE 02-06 NISSANS. MY FLOOR BOARDS ARE RUSTING OUT AND THESE COMPLAINTS ARE ALL OVER THE INTERNET. I'M AMAZED THAT THIS CAN BE IGNORED
THE FLOOR PANEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS ROTTEN THROUGH AND IT FAIL THE SAFETY INSPECTION. I AM DISABLED AND CAN NOT GET UNDER THE CAR TO TAKE PHOTOS.
RUST IN THE FLOOR BOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT FAIL THE STATE OF NH SAFETY INSPECTION. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN, MY TEACHERS SHOWED THAT THE NISSAN ALTIMA HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS.
DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR PAN RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT WITH THE RUST RADIATING FROM A DRAIN PLUG. FLOOR PAN DESIGN ALLOWS WATER TO POOL INTERNALLY AND RUST FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN INSPECTION, FOUND OUT THAT THE FLOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND THERE WAS A GOOD SIZE HOLE. IT COST ME A COUPLE HUNDRED TO FIX BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T PASS THE INSPECTION. THE NEXT THING WAS THE SLACK TIMING CHAIN, THE CAR SOUNDS LIKE A TRUCK. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT WOULD COST UP TO $…
Read full complaint
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN INSPECTION, FOUND OUT THAT THE FLOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND THERE WAS A GOOD SIZE HOLE. IT COST ME A COUPLE HUNDRED TO FIX BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T PASS THE INSPECTION. THE NEXT THING WAS THE SLACK TIMING CHAIN, THE CAR SOUNDS LIKE A TRUCK. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT WOULD COST UP TO $3000 TO FIX. THEN THE BIGGEST SAFETY ISSUE IS THE TRANSMISSION, THIS ONE IS REALLY CONCERNING. THE JERKING, BUCKING, KICKING, CLANGING, THE SECONDS OF HESITATION BETWEEN DRIVE AND REVERSE AND THEN SUDDENLY IT ENGAGES AND THE KICK COULD GIVE YOU WHIPLASH. SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I'M IN A RODEO. WHEN THE CAR SITS FOR AWHILE (OVERNIGHT) THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH THE INITIAL START BUT ONCE IT WARMS UP THAT'S IT. YOU CAN'T ACCELERATE PROPERLY ONCE THE CAR SLOWS DOWN, OR IS MAKING A TURN, GOING AROUND A BEND OR COMES TO A STOP BECAUSE IT DROPS OUT OF GEAR, THEN THERE IS THE HESITATION AND AT THAT POINT IT JUST REVS, THIS HAPPENS 2 OR 3 TIMES BEFORE IT ENGAGES AGAIN THEN THERE IS A MASSIVE BANG AND THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD, BY THEN THE TRAFFIC IS RIGHT UNDER YOUR REAR BUMPER. AFTER THIS HAPPENS A FEW TIMES THERE IS NO MORE ACCELERATION, THE PEDAL HAS TO BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR FOR THE CAR TO MOVE. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A MONTH OR TWO AGO AND HASN'T GONE OFF. THIS IS A REAL DANGEROUS, SAFETY ISSUE. A FEW DAYS AGO ANOTHER ISSUE APPEARED, I CANNOT OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WITH THE REMOTE DOOR OPENER OR THE ELECTRONIC DOOR OPENER ON THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR. AT THIS POINT I'VE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE ISSUES, THEY ARE ALL MANUFACTURE PROBLEMS BUT THE TIMING CHAIN AND TRANSMISSION IS THE BIGGEST WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE CAR WILL STOP. WHY HASN'T NISSAN DONE A RECALL????? THERE ARE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS.
TRANSMISSION JERKS, SLIPS WHILE DRIVING ALSO BANGING SOUNDS WHEN YOU CHANGE GEARS THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR AWHILE I HAD TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHED, HAD THE ENGINE SPEED SENSOR REPLACED, NOW I WAS TOLD I NEED TRANSMISSION REPLACED 90,898 MILES HAD TO REPLACE UNDER CAR BODY BECAUSE IT ROTTED OUT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
Official recalls
205V512000 · 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
1PE04035 · 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.