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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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 reports
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150,000 miles · Feb 7, 2016
Power Train

TRANSMISSION HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, ALSO BETWEEN SHIFTS IN DRIVE ENGINE REVS UP THEN TRANS SLAMS INTO GEAR CAUSING A HARSH JOLT FORWARD.

NHTSA ODI #10824701

124,000 miles · Feb 2, 2016
Power TrainCrash

NISSAN MAXIMA 2005 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SUFFERING AND WILL AND COULD CAUSE AN DEADLY ACCIDENT. AFTER INITIAL START UP THE CAR DRIVES FINE THEN A FEW MINUTE DOWN THE ROAD THE TRANSMISSION DRIVES AS IF IT IS STUCK IN A TALL GEAR. IF YOU PLACE INTO LOWER GEAR THE GEAR VIOLENTLY SHIFTS. ALSO THE CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE LIGHTS AND O…

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NISSAN MAXIMA 2005 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SUFFERING AND WILL AND COULD CAUSE AN DEADLY ACCIDENT. AFTER INITIAL START UP THE CAR DRIVES FINE THEN A FEW MINUTE DOWN THE ROAD THE TRANSMISSION DRIVES AS IF IT IS STUCK IN A TALL GEAR. IF YOU PLACE INTO LOWER GEAR THE GEAR VIOLENTLY SHIFTS. ALSO THE CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE LIGHTS AND OTHER ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS ARE OPERATIONAL WHILE NORMALLY DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA ODI #10823716

130,000 miles · Jan 10, 2016
Power TrainService Brakes

I THINKS MANY HAVE THE SAME ISSUES WITH ME, TRANSMISSION HAD SOME ISSUES. ALSO ABS STARTED WHEN IT IS NOT SUPPOSED. MAXIMA NEED TO BE RECALLED.

NHTSA ODI #10819242

94,000 miles · Dec 29, 2015
Power Train

TRANSMISSION HARD SHIFT FROM PARK INTO DRIVE. SECONDS DELAY THEN BANGS INTO GEAR.

NHTSA ODI #10816879

100,000 miles · Dec 23, 2015
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED TO SWITCH GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MIL…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED TO SWITCH GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10811899

84,000 miles · Nov 21, 2015
Power Train

THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING OR STOPPING. THE CAR ONLY HAS 84000 MILES ON IT. THIS BEGAN AROUNDS 70000. THE JERKING IS SO BAD I AM AFRAID MY LITTLE KIDS WILL GET WHIP LASH. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON MANY FORUMS AND NISSAN REFUSES TO TAKE CAR OF THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS. THIS ISSUE ALMOST GOT MY …

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THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING OR STOPPING. THE CAR ONLY HAS 84000 MILES ON IT. THIS BEGAN AROUNDS 70000. THE JERKING IS SO BAD I AM AFRAID MY LITTLE KIDS WILL GET WHIP LASH. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON MANY FORUMS AND NISSAN REFUSES TO TAKE CAR OF THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS. THIS ISSUE ALMOST GOT MY FAMILY INTO AN AIDENT AS TRYING TO GO ONTO THE HIGHWAY ON THE ON RAMP THE CAR BEGAN TO SLIP DURING ACCELERATION CAUSE ME TO ALMOST BE REARENDED.

NHTSA ODI #10795270

120,000 miles · Nov 18, 2015
Power Train

FOR MONTHS NOW, OUR 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS EXPERIENCED A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IT SHIFTS ROUGHLY IN LOW GEARS (WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION), BOTH WHEN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. IT ALSO SHIFTS ROUGHLY WHEN MOVING FROM PARK TO EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE, AND FROM DRIVE/REVERSE TO PARK. A SPECIFIC INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN WE…

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FOR MONTHS NOW, OUR 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS EXPERIENCED A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IT SHIFTS ROUGHLY IN LOW GEARS (WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION), BOTH WHEN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. IT ALSO SHIFTS ROUGHLY WHEN MOVING FROM PARK TO EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE, AND FROM DRIVE/REVERSE TO PARK. A SPECIFIC INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN WE WERE DRIVING DOWN A SLIGHT DECLINE, AND THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED ROUGHLY. THIS CAUSED US TO MOMENTARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE MAXIMA AND IT BUMPED INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER THAT HAD YELLOW PAINT ON IT. THIS PAINT IS NOW SCRAPED ACROSS THE BOTTOM GROUND EFFECTS MOLDING ON OUR VEHICLE. HAD THE BARRIER NOT BEEN THERE, WE WOULD HAVE DRIFTED ACROSS THE ROAD INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IN RESEARCHING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FOR THE 2004-2006 NISSAN MAXIMA MODEL YEARS, IT'S APPARENT THAT MANY OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION ON THEIR 2004-2006 NISSAN MAXIMAS, AND THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THESE ISSUES WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND POSSIBLE RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #10794756

145,000 miles · Nov 10, 2015
Power Train

TAKING OFF CAR JERKS REAL BAD BETWEEN 1ST & 2ND GEAR, THEN WHEN I PUSH DOWN ON GAS SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T WANT TO MOVE. SLOWING DOWN CAR KICKS & JERKS WHEN DOWN SHIFTING. NOW IT'S AT THE POINT WHERE THE CAR STALLS WHEN SWITCHING GEARS. PUTTING THE CAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE IT HESITATES ABOUT 5 TO 7 SEC AND MAKES A LOUD SOUND WHEN I…

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TAKING OFF CAR JERKS REAL BAD BETWEEN 1ST & 2ND GEAR, THEN WHEN I PUSH DOWN ON GAS SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T WANT TO MOVE. SLOWING DOWN CAR KICKS & JERKS WHEN DOWN SHIFTING. NOW IT'S AT THE POINT WHERE THE CAR STALLS WHEN SWITCHING GEARS. PUTTING THE CAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE IT HESITATES ABOUT 5 TO 7 SEC AND MAKES A LOUD SOUND WHEN IT JERKS. TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR UNDER 20M.P.H. CAUSING ENGINE TO REV UP TO 4RPM AND SOMETIMES 5RPM. THIS ISSUE IS HAPPENING WHETHER I IN MOTION ON A STREET OR HIGHWAY, STATIONARY GETTING READY TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR, ETC. I AM REALLY AFRAID THAT I AM GOING TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING. I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAYS I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #10789477

80,000 miles · Nov 6, 2015
Power Train

CAR BEGAN JUMPING WHEN IT CHANGED GEARS AT LOW SPEEDS, HAD TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REBUILT

NHTSA ODI #10788806

81,000 miles · Oct 22, 2015
Power Train

GOT THE CAR A YEAR AGO FROM CARMAX. HAD THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 30 DAYS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT. THE MILEAGE WAS RIGHT AROUND 52,000 MILES. THEY TOOK IT BACK, FIXED IT AND IT WAS FINE. NOW HERE I AM AGAIN LESS THAN A YEAR LATER I'M HAVING THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. JERKING REALLY HARD IN BETWEEN GEARS, RPM WOULD RED LINE BEFOR…

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GOT THE CAR A YEAR AGO FROM CARMAX. HAD THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 30 DAYS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT. THE MILEAGE WAS RIGHT AROUND 52,000 MILES. THEY TOOK IT BACK, FIXED IT AND IT WAS FINE. NOW HERE I AM AGAIN LESS THAN A YEAR LATER I'M HAVING THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. JERKING REALLY HARD IN BETWEEN GEARS, RPM WOULD RED LINE BEFORE IT WOULD FINALLY SWITCH GEARS. NOW THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY GAVE OUT ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION! WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS, THE CAR MADE A NOISE AS IF THE POWER WAS FAILING, AND SURE ENOUGH IT DID. THE CAR CUT OFF ON ME. CONTACTED CARMAX AGAIN TO SEE IF I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. BUT THIS WILL BE THE SECOND TIME I'VE GOT THE CAR FIXED FOR THE SAME ISSUE. NOW I HAVE AROUND 80,000 MILES ON THIS CAR.

NHTSA ODI #10785363

Official recalls

2

05V512000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.