IllustrationCAR STARTED TO JERK AND CLUNK AND A COUPLE OF TIMES WHILE TURNING IN TO DRIVEWAY IT WOULD JERK AND MAKE THE TIRES SQUEAL. *TR
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
What owners actually said
1,425 reportsCAR JERKS WHEN CHANGING SHIFTS. RESULTS NEED A TRANSMISSION. *TR
MY TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING WITH A LOUD BANG SOUND UPON SHIFTING GEARS AND UPON SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP. IT BEGAN TO SLIP INTO NEUTRAL WHILE IN THE DRIVE MODE CAUSING THE RPMS TO INCREASE AND THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE. IT JERKS BACK INTO DRIVE UNTIL THE NEXT STOP OR SLOWING DOWN AND STARTS THE PROBLEM OVER AGAIN. I HAVE TAKEN THE…
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MY TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING WITH A LOUD BANG SOUND UPON SHIFTING GEARS AND UPON SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP. IT BEGAN TO SLIP INTO NEUTRAL WHILE IN THE DRIVE MODE CAUSING THE RPMS TO INCREASE AND THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE. IT JERKS BACK INTO DRIVE UNTIL THE NEXT STOP OR SLOWING DOWN AND STARTS THE PROBLEM OVER AGAIN. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR INTO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP, WHICH STATES IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE NOTICED MANY COMPLAINTS FROM NISSAN CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. *TR
WHILE VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THE TECHNICIAN POINTED OUT SIGNIFICANT ROT TO FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
RIDE IN THE CAR HAS BECOME VERY JERKY, FROM GEARS SLIPPING. VEHICLE IN NEED OF A TRANSMISSION RE-BUILD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK, LUNGE, AND SLIP GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK, LUNGE, AND SLIP GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND MILEAGE WAS 145,000.
WHILE VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THE TECHNICIAN POINTED OUT SIGNIFICANT ROT TO FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. I SEE FROM THE LISTED COMPLAINTS THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND MODEL YEAR. *TR
TRANSMISSION JERKING HARD SHIFTING , WHOLE CAR HICCUPS, WONT SHIFT GEARS, CAR GIVES OUT. STUCK IN ONE GEAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK, LUNGE, AND SLIP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED OR REBUILT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK, LUNGE, AND SLIP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED OR REBUILT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW NISSAN MAXIMA 2004. AFTER DRIVING FOR 5 YEARS, IT HAS GIVEN NOTHING BUT HEADACHE AND STRESS. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR WOULD BE JERKING/SHAKING AFTER STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. WHILE DRIVING IN THE FREEWAY, MY CAR WOULD SLOW DOWN AND COULDN'T DRIVE PASS 20 MILE PER HOUR, THEN ENGINE DIED. I HAD REPLACED…
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I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW NISSAN MAXIMA 2004. AFTER DRIVING FOR 5 YEARS, IT HAS GIVEN NOTHING BUT HEADACHE AND STRESS. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR WOULD BE JERKING/SHAKING AFTER STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. WHILE DRIVING IN THE FREEWAY, MY CAR WOULD SLOW DOWN AND COULDN'T DRIVE PASS 20 MILE PER HOUR, THEN ENGINE DIED. I HAD REPLACED CATALYTIC CONVERTER ,SENSORS, MUFFLERS,BRAKES. AND THE PROBLEMS STILL HAVEN'T RESOLVED. AS OF TODAY, I DON'T HAVE A CAR, IT IS AT THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC. *TR
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.