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 reports
138,000 miles · Apr 24, 2016
Unknown Or Other
LAST APRIL 25, 2003 I TOOK MY CAR FOR A YEARLY INSPECTION AND IT FAILED DUE TO THE RUST IN THE PASSENGER FLOOR PANEL AND SIDE RAIL. FROM THEN I TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY GAVE ME A PRICE OF $800 TO $1,000 DOLLARS TO FIX IT. BEING DISABLED AND A FORMER MARINE ON A FIXED INCOME. I COULD NOT PAY FOR IT. SO I COVERED IT AND PLA…
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LAST APRIL 25, 2003 I TOOK MY CAR FOR A YEARLY INSPECTION AND IT FAILED DUE TO THE RUST IN THE PASSENGER FLOOR PANEL AND SIDE RAIL. FROM THEN I TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY GAVE ME A PRICE OF $800 TO $1,000 DOLLARS TO FIX IT. BEING DISABLED AND A FORMER MARINE ON A FIXED INCOME. I COULD NOT PAY FOR IT. SO I COVERED IT AND PLACED IT IN STORAGE. FOR HOW MUCH I PAID FOR THIS VEHICLE YOU THINK THEY WOULD GIVE YOU A BREAK, HELL NO. I NEED TO GET TO APPOINTMENTS AND NEED A CAR, SO WE'RE DO I GO TO GET HELP????? WHEN I FIND SOME ONE TO TAKE PICTURES I WILL WRITE AGAIN. I CAN NOT GET UNDER THE CAR BECAUSE I HAVE HAD 3/3 MAJOR BACK FUSION SERGURY'S THAT ALL FAILED.
NHTSA ODI #10861131
150,000 miles · Mar 21, 2016
Power Train
TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT ON THE HIGHWAY, ALMOST CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, HAD TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, WAS WRITTEN UP AT WORK FOR BEING LATE. I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AGO. NISSAN LOOKED AT IT SAID IT WAS FINE. 150,000 MILES
NHTSA ODI #10850840
60,000 miles · Jan 19, 2016
Power Train
SAME PROBLEM AS MANY OTHERS WITH THIS HORRIBLE TRANSMISSION. AT LOW THROTTLE, MAJOR JOLT WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. JUST ABOUT RIPS THE ENGINE OFF IT'S MOUNTS.
NHTSA ODI #10821121
Mileage unknown · Jan 12, 2016
Structure
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.
NHTSA ODI #10819757
188,000 miles · Jan 12, 2016
EnginePower Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE GEAR SHIFT FAILED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SOLENOID NEEDED T…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE GEAR SHIFT FAILED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SOLENOID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 188,000.
NHTSA ODI #10819638
Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 2015
EnginePower TrainStructure
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 $…
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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.
NHTSA ODI #10816570
90,898 miles · Dec 26, 2015
StructureUnknown Or Other
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
NHTSA ODI #10816233
180,000 miles · Dec 16, 2015
Power Train
THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE OUT ON THIS VEHICLE, AND THIS TIME IT HAPPENED ON THE STREET. I FEEL I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO NOT GET STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AS I GOT THE VEHICLE HOME. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2006, THERE HAS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THESE VEHICLES.
NHTSA ODI #10810778
115,000 miles · Dec 15, 2015
Unknown Or Other
MY CAR FAILED THE SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO RUST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS A HOLE IN THE FLOOR PAN AS WELL AS RUST IN THE SIDE RAIL. I AM A DISABLED FORM MARINE VET. MY WIFE LEFT ME AND EVERYTHING I HAD. SO I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS TO BE FIXED. FROM ALL THE COMPLETES ABOUT THIS THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. I CAN NOT TAKE ANY PICTURES…
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MY CAR FAILED THE SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO RUST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS A HOLE IN THE FLOOR PAN AS WELL AS RUST IN THE SIDE RAIL. I AM A DISABLED FORM MARINE VET. MY WIFE LEFT ME AND EVERYTHING I HAD. SO I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS TO BE FIXED. FROM ALL THE COMPLETES ABOUT THIS THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. I CAN NOT TAKE ANY PICTURES BECAUSE AFTER 3/3 LEVEL BACK FUSIONS I CAN NOT GET UNDER THE CAR. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND BY THE STATE INSPECTION FAILED DUE TO THE RUST.
NHTSA ODI #10810587
Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 2015
Power Train
TRANSMISSION KEEPS JERKING AND STALLING OUT KEEPS ON SLIPING DURING SHIFTS
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.
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.
2004 Nissan Maxima Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year