IllustrationTHE 2005 MAXIMA MOTORS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE TIMING CHAINS PROBLEMS GIVE A VEHICLE A BAD RATTLE NOISE FROM THE ENGINE SOME VEHICLE DO IT WITH AS LOW AS 15000 MILES THEN THEY TRY AND CHARGE ALMOST 3000 TO FIX. *TR
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 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING TO SECOND GEAR SHE WOULD FEEL A HARD JERKING MOTION AND HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO ADVISED HER THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND SAID IT MAY BE THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE …
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING TO SECOND GEAR SHE WOULD FEEL A HARD JERKING MOTION AND HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO ADVISED HER THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND SAID IT MAY BE THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.
TRANSMISSION JERKS REALLY HARD CAUSING NECK PAIN AND CAUSE VEHICLE TO STALL OR LOSE POWER ON THE HWY. *TR
I PURCHASED A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA IN NOVEMBER 2010 WITH 55,000 MILES ON IT. WE HAVE RECENTLY NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS REALLY HARD WHEN DECELERATING. I TOOK IT TO AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS, AND THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR ABOUT $3200.00 TOTAL. IT SEEMS AWFULLY RIDICULOUS THAT A TRANSMISS…
Read full complaint
I PURCHASED A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA IN NOVEMBER 2010 WITH 55,000 MILES ON IT. WE HAVE RECENTLY NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS REALLY HARD WHEN DECELERATING. I TOOK IT TO AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS, AND THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR ABOUT $3200.00 TOTAL. IT SEEMS AWFULLY RIDICULOUS THAT A TRANSMISSION WOULD GO OUT AFTER ONLY 57000 MILES. I WAS HOPEFUL THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED SO THAT I WOULDN'T NEED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. *TR
I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA TRANSMISSION JERKING REALLY BAD AROUND 20 MPH WHEN DECREASING SPEED AND AT 15 MPH WHEN ACCELERATING. I HAVE CALLED NISSAN NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST 2 1/2 WEEKS. I JUST GOT A CALL BACK FROM THEM MONDAY STATING THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME BECAUSE THE TRANSM…
Read full complaint
I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA TRANSMISSION JERKING REALLY BAD AROUND 20 MPH WHEN DECREASING SPEED AND AT 15 MPH WHEN ACCELERATING. I HAVE CALLED NISSAN NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST 2 1/2 WEEKS. I JUST GOT A CALL BACK FROM THEM MONDAY STATING THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS DARK AND BURNT. I HAD JUST HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER CHANGED A MOTH PRIOR TO THAT SO KNOW THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. I HAVE NOT TAKEN MY CAR TO NISSAN FOR MAINTENANCE BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO HIGH BUT HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOR SERVICE ON A REGULAR BASIS. I AM ASKING FOR THEIR HELP WITH THE REPAIRS BUT THEY HAVE REFUSED SO FAR. I FEEL THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL MAXIMA, AND THEY SHOULD COVER THE COST!
TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING VERY BAD. CAR JERKS HARD WHEN SHIFTING FORM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP CAR JERKS AND SOMETIMES WON'T SHIFT. WHEN PUTTING CAR IN GEAR THERE IS A HARD SHIFT OR JERK. *TR
I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA I'VE HAD IT GOING ON 2 YEARS AND MY TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT. I'VE KEPT THE CAR MAINTENANCE BY THE DEALER AND HAS TAKEN REALLY GOOD CARE OF THE CAR... I'VE HEARD ALOT OF THE 4 SAME COMPLAINTS ON THESE CARS JUST WONDERING WHY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. ME AND MY DAUGHTER ALMOST STOPPED IN THE MID…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA I'VE HAD IT GOING ON 2 YEARS AND MY TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT. I'VE KEPT THE CAR MAINTENANCE BY THE DEALER AND HAS TAKEN REALLY GOOD CARE OF THE CAR... I'VE HEARD ALOT OF THE 4 SAME COMPLAINTS ON THESE CARS JUST WONDERING WHY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. ME AND MY DAUGHTER ALMOST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE OF IT, ITS NOT SAFE AND FOR IT NOT BE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ON THESE CARS THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND ACTION. *TR
2005 NISSAN MAXIMA TRANSMISSION ISSUE-MAXIMA HAS 76K ON IT, TRANSMISSION KEEPS SLIPPING, FEELS LIKE YOU ARE GETTING KICKED FROM BEHIND OR REAR ENDED, MAXIMA WILL ALSO SLIP GEARS AND REV UP.. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM FIRST GEAR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM FIRST GEAR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
OVER THE PAST YEAR (SINCE FEB 2010), I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CAR GIVES A HARD JERKS WHEN GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING MY MAXIMA ON THE FREEWAY (LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE), IT COMPLETELY STOPPED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. MY TR…
Read full complaint
OVER THE PAST YEAR (SINCE FEB 2010), I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CAR GIVES A HARD JERKS WHEN GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING MY MAXIMA ON THE FREEWAY (LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE), IT COMPLETELY STOPPED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THANK GOD, I WAS NOT HIT AND KILLED. NISSAN IS FULLY AWARE OF THE 2005 MAXIMA TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS ARE EXPERIENCING BUT YET THEY ARE DOING NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I AM FILING A COMPLAINT AGAINST NISSAN BECAUSE THEY WERE FULLY AWARE ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION DEFECT. *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.
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.