IllustrationWHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED HEAVILY. IT WAS HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. *AK THE DEALER EXCHANGED THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER AND THE NEW VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO PULL. *SC *JB
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
Suspension complaints
102 reportsSTERING AND VIBRATION AT 50 TO 70 MPH. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE VEERD TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLE VEERED EVEN MORE TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. DEALER HAS PERFORMED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT TWICE WITHIN A THIRTY DAY PERIOD.*AK
WHEN DRIVING 5 MPH A RATTLING NOISE CAME FROM THE FRONT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT FRONT STRUT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THAT PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. *AK
PASSENGER SIDE STRUT MAKES NOISE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. *AK
STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES EXCESSIVELY AT ANY SPEED. IT DOES IT MORE WHEN DRIVER POSITION IS SET TO 1. HAVE TRIED REDOING THE SETTING STARTING FROM POSITION 2 BUT DOESN'T WORK. TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER BUT UNABLE TO FIND CAUSE. I NOTICED THERE ARE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. NISSAN SAID THEY WERE GOING TO TEST A 2004 MAXIMA THEY KNEW …
Read full complaint
STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES EXCESSIVELY AT ANY SPEED. IT DOES IT MORE WHEN DRIVER POSITION IS SET TO 1. HAVE TRIED REDOING THE SETTING STARTING FROM POSITION 2 BUT DOESN'T WORK. TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER BUT UNABLE TO FIND CAUSE. I NOTICED THERE ARE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. NISSAN SAID THEY WERE GOING TO TEST A 2004 MAXIMA THEY KNEW DIDN'T HAVE PROBLEMS TO TRY AND FIND THE ISSUE. HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING. I HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED EVERY OTHER OIL CHANGE WHICH IS PROBABLY BEFORE EACH 7500 MILE REQUIREMENT. TIRE PRESSURE IS MAINTAINED ADEQUATELY AS WELL. SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. TIRES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION ONLY 22000 MILES 99% OF THAT IS DRIVEN ON THE FREEWAY DAILY.*AK
STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES AT SPEEDS FROM 50-80 MPH AND ALSO SHIMMIES HARSHLY WHEN BRAKING AT LOWER SPEEDS. *NM
WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT 50+ MPH, STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES BADLY. TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER AND THEY REBALANCED WHEELS AND TIRES. PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. COMPLAINED TO NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SHIMMIED AND VIBRATED HARSHLY. THE VEHICLE'S TIRES HAD ALSO BEGUN TO WERE EXCESSIVELY. *PH *NM
AROUND 50 TO 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES. ORIGINAL TIRES WERE BALANCED 3 TIMES, DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. DEALER THEN REPLACED TIRES, PROBLEM STILL PERSIST. ALSO INTERMITTENT RATTLING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS COMING FROM FRONT DRIVER SUSPENSION. *AK
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.