IllustrationTRANSMISSION FAILING DELAY IN GEAR SELECT FOLLOWED BY A HARD THUMP HARD SHIFTING AFTER 30MIN DID NOT EXPECT THIS FROM A CAR WITH 108K MILES WELL TAKEN CARE OF.
2005 Nissan Maxima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Maxima years
Owner complaints for the 2005 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
370–25K
4225–50K
19850–75K
31075–100K
201100–150K
34150K+
822 reports with mileage · 126 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 777 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
16 crash reports10 fire reports19 injury reports
Power Train complaints
777 reportsSUDDEN TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 45,699 MILES ON MAXIMA 2005. PUT CAR IN REVERSE, BACKED OUT PUT IN DRIVE IT STALLED OUT. CAR DID NOT WANT TO START, I WAS IN MIDDLE OF STREET. CAR HAS NEVER EVER GIVEN ME ISSUES PRIOR. SUDDEN "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT, (NEVER ILLUMINATED BEFORE. PUT ACCELERATOR TO FLOOR TO START THEN CAR W…
Read full complaint
SUDDEN TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 45,699 MILES ON MAXIMA 2005. PUT CAR IN REVERSE, BACKED OUT PUT IN DRIVE IT STALLED OUT. CAR DID NOT WANT TO START, I WAS IN MIDDLE OF STREET. CAR HAS NEVER EVER GIVEN ME ISSUES PRIOR. SUDDEN "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT, (NEVER ILLUMINATED BEFORE. PUT ACCELERATOR TO FLOOR TO START THEN CAR WOULD BARELY MOVE FORWARD, IT HAD NO 1, 2ND GEARS. DROVE IT OUT OF MIDDLE OF STREET. TOOK FOREVER TO GET TO 20MPH. PARKED CAR, STARTED EASIER IN THE MORNING BUT MADE HORRIBLE CLUNK WHEN PUT IN REVERSE. IT IS NOW AT REPAIR SHOP AND NOT SURE OF FULL DIAGNOSIS YET BUT TOLD WILL PROBABLY BEE A FULL TRANSMISSION REBUILD.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED UNDER 100,000 MILES DUE TO SEVERE JERKING DURING SHIFTS BETWEEN LOW GEARS. THE WORST WOULD OFTEN BE SLOWING DOWN, AS IN APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC, THE KICK FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN SLOWING (DOWN-SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 1ST) WOULD OFTEN CAUSE THE CAR TO N…
Read full complaint
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED UNDER 100,000 MILES DUE TO SEVERE JERKING DURING SHIFTS BETWEEN LOW GEARS. THE WORST WOULD OFTEN BE SLOWING DOWN, AS IN APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC, THE KICK FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN SLOWING (DOWN-SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 1ST) WOULD OFTEN CAUSE THE CAR TO NOSE-DOWN A BIT SUDDENLY, SUCH THAT DRIVERS BEHIND WOULD REACT AS IF I WERE MAKING A HARD STOP.
WHEN DRIVING FOR A FEW MILES IT SHIFTS HARD LIKE THE TRANSMISSION ISN'T WANTING TO SHIFT RIGHT. AFTER READING ONLINE I FIND OUT THAT THIS YEAR OF MISSION IS KNOWN FOR SOME KIND OF FAULT IN THE TRANSMISSION! OTHER THEN THAT THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BUT AFRAID TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION BUT I CAN'T AFFORD TO SPE…
Read full complaint
WHEN DRIVING FOR A FEW MILES IT SHIFTS HARD LIKE THE TRANSMISSION ISN'T WANTING TO SHIFT RIGHT. AFTER READING ONLINE I FIND OUT THAT THIS YEAR OF MISSION IS KNOWN FOR SOME KIND OF FAULT IN THE TRANSMISSION! OTHER THEN THAT THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BUT AFRAID TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION BUT I CAN'T AFFORD TO SPEND THE MONEY ON WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION!
I BOUGHT A NISSAN MAXIMA 2005 FROM A SECOND HAND AND LOOKS GREAT BUT ONE RIDING THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO MAKE A UFUL NOISE. ONCE I GOT HOME I TURNED OF THE ENGINE. THE NEXT DAY WHEN I START THE ENGINE AND SHIFTED TO DRIVE THE WOULDN'T MOVE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I HAVE TO BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION THAT IT'S TO EXPENSIVE. I …
Read full complaint
I BOUGHT A NISSAN MAXIMA 2005 FROM A SECOND HAND AND LOOKS GREAT BUT ONE RIDING THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO MAKE A UFUL NOISE. ONCE I GOT HOME I TURNED OF THE ENGINE. THE NEXT DAY WHEN I START THE ENGINE AND SHIFTED TO DRIVE THE WOULDN'T MOVE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I HAVE TO BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION THAT IT'S TO EXPENSIVE. I HOPE YOU COULD HELP ME. THANK YOU
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE DROVE ROUGHLY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. WHILE DRIVING ON AN INCLINE OR BUMPY ROAD, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTROL ARM AND BALL J…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE DROVE ROUGHLY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. WHILE DRIVING ON AN INCLINE OR BUMPY ROAD, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINTS ON THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WERE RECENTLY REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.
AROUND 103000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THE ENGINE WOULD REV AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLAM INTO GEAR. I HAD A FLUID CHANGE DONE AND NOW NOT ONLY DOES IT SLIP ON ACCELERATION IT ALSO SLAMS WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS.
HARSH SHIFTING, JERKING, LOTS SHIFT SLIPPAGE. ACTUALLY SLOWED DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY. DIAGNOSIS RETURNED AS FAILED TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY AND COST $4,100 TO REPAIR.
HARSH ENGAGEMENT AT REVERSE AND FORWARD GEARS. ERRATIC SHIFTING. AFTER START UP THE TRANSMISSION HAS A HARSH ENGAGEMENT IN REVERSE AND FORWARD. WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A HARSH UP SHIFT AND DOWN SHIFT. DRIVING ON CITY OR HIGHWAY THE TRANSMISSION IS DOING THE SAME OF HARSH UPSHIFTING AND DOWNSHIFTING. HARSH ENGAGEMENT. THE VALVE BOD…
Read full complaint
HARSH ENGAGEMENT AT REVERSE AND FORWARD GEARS. ERRATIC SHIFTING. AFTER START UP THE TRANSMISSION HAS A HARSH ENGAGEMENT IN REVERSE AND FORWARD. WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A HARSH UP SHIFT AND DOWN SHIFT. DRIVING ON CITY OR HIGHWAY THE TRANSMISSION IS DOING THE SAME OF HARSH UPSHIFTING AND DOWNSHIFTING. HARSH ENGAGEMENT. THE VALVE BODY HAS BEEN REPLACED. WE HAVE INSTALLED NEW (DEALER) CAM SENSORS. WE HAVE HAD IT REPROGRAMMED. WE HAVE REBUILT THE UNIT AND STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
VEHICLE IS SHIFTING EXTREMELY HARD IN LOWER GEAR AND AT STOPPING
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.
05V338000 · Child Seat:latch Strap
Jul 26, 2005
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE LOWER ANCHORAGE BRACKETS IN THE REAR SEATS DO NOT MEET THE LOCATION REQUIREMENT IN THIS STANDARD. THIS MAY CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN ATTACHING SOME CHILD SEATS TO THESE BRACKETS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A CHILD SEAT IS NOT PROPERLY SECURED, THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER ANCHORAGE BRACKETS WITH MODIFIED BRACKETS TO ENSURE THAT THE STANDARD IS MET. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 28, 2006. THE INFINITI Q45 MODEL VEHICLES ARE BEING CAMPAIGNED UNDER A SEPARATE RECALL (PLEASE SEE 05V374000). OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.