TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, JERKING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I AM FILING A COMPLAINT TO DOCUMENT THIS EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURE, HOPING FOR NISSAN TO ISSUE A RECALL OR ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. *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
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.
What owners actually said
948 reportsI BOUGHT THIS CAR USED JULY 2013 TEST DROVE FINE BUT IT WAS A SHORT DRIVE AFTER AN HOUR OF DRIVING THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION HIT VERY HARD IN REVERSE AND GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION THEY REPLACED IT W A USED ONE WHICH SCARES ME BUT THEY DID FIX IT NO CHARGE IT …
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I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED JULY 2013 TEST DROVE FINE BUT IT WAS A SHORT DRIVE AFTER AN HOUR OF DRIVING THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION HIT VERY HARD IN REVERSE AND GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION THEY REPLACED IT W A USED ONE WHICH SCARES ME BUT THEY DID FIX IT NO CHARGE IT IS A BEAUTIFUL CAR AND I HOPE IT WORKS OUT I OWNED A 2001 I30 INFINITI AND IT WAS A GREAT NISSAN PLEASE DO A RECALL NISSAN TOO MANY EXPENSIVE FIXES FOR FOLKS WHO LOVE YOUR CARS. *TR
MY CAR TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND SHIFTS HARD WHEN ITS DOES IN 1 AND 2ND GEAR AND SOMETIMES STALL THE CAR AND WONT MOVE ONLY REV FOR ABOUT 5 SECS THEN JERK HARD ENOUGH TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE I GOT HIT BY ANOTHER CAR. *TR
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VIOLENTLY SHIFTS INTO GEAR FROM 1ST TO 2ND. ALSO VIOLENT SHIFTING WHEN SLOWING DOWN. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN TOWN THE CAR STARTED JERKING ERRATICALLY, LAUNCHING FORWARD, HARD JERKS, CAR SHAKING LIKE CRAZY, SMELL BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR, I ALMOST HIT OTHER CARS DUE TO MY CAR JERKING FORWARD. I WAS FRIGHTENED... THE CAR IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE TO SAY THE VERY LEAST. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING,…
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WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN TOWN THE CAR STARTED JERKING ERRATICALLY, LAUNCHING FORWARD, HARD JERKS, CAR SHAKING LIKE CRAZY, SMELL BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR, I ALMOST HIT OTHER CARS DUE TO MY CAR JERKING FORWARD. I WAS FRIGHTENED... THE CAR IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE TO SAY THE VERY LEAST. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING, IT JERKS AND LAUNCHES FORWARD AT WILL. MY CHILDREN COULD HAVE GOT SERIOUSLY HURT RIDING IN THIS CAR. I PAID CLOSE TO $800 TOGET THIS CAR FIXED IN MAY OF 2013, ONLY TO HAVE IT ALL HAPPEN ALL OVER AGAIN AS THE NISSAN CORPORATION KNEW OF DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS IN THE NISSAN MAXIAMAS. YET, THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THESE "DEATH TRAPS", TO CITIZENS.. THIS IS AN ATROCITY, WHAT THE NISSAN CORPORATION HAS TO DONE IT'S CONSUMERS. *TR
TRAVELING AT 30 MPH, VEHICLE BEGAN TO UPSHIFT. ALSO, MADE CLUNKING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING TO REVERSE, THEN TO DRIVE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE FORWARD. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO OPERATE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMIS…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE FORWARD. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO OPERATE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000. *TR
2005 NISSAN MAXIMA BEGAN SHIFTING HEAVY, ESPECIALLY WHEN DOWN SHIFTING,HEAVY JERKS AT TIMES, AND DELAY OR JUMP WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE. TOOK TO TRANSMISSION PLACE TO CHECK ON ISSUE ONCE I SAID WHAT KIND OF CAR I HAD HE SAID LET ME GUESS 2005. THEY SAID THEY HAVE SEEN SEVERAL WITH ISSUES SOME AS EARLY AS 50,000 MILES. I CURRENTLY …
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2005 NISSAN MAXIMA BEGAN SHIFTING HEAVY, ESPECIALLY WHEN DOWN SHIFTING,HEAVY JERKS AT TIMES, AND DELAY OR JUMP WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE. TOOK TO TRANSMISSION PLACE TO CHECK ON ISSUE ONCE I SAID WHAT KIND OF CAR I HAD HE SAID LET ME GUESS 2005. THEY SAID THEY HAVE SEEN SEVERAL WITH ISSUES SOME AS EARLY AS 50,000 MILES. I CURRENTLY HAVE 104,000 WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND ALSO BECAUSE OF THE JERKING AND ENGINE MOUNT WAS ALSO NEEDED. *TR
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. IT STARTED JERKING AND SHIFTING HARD. I HAD TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGED AND FLUSHED AT A LOCAL NISSAN BUT IT ONLY WORKED TEMPORARILY. I HAVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $3500-$5000. *TR
I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA FOR AWHILE, BUT LATELY THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN ACTING UP. THE MAXIMA SHIFTS GEARS VERY HARD AND CAUSES A VERY DANGEROUS THRUSTING MOTION. ALSO, WHENEVER THE MAXIMA IS SWITCHED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE IT KICKS FORWARD VERY HARD AND LOUD. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS AND NISSA…
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I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA FOR AWHILE, BUT LATELY THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN ACTING UP. THE MAXIMA SHIFTS GEARS VERY HARD AND CAUSES A VERY DANGEROUS THRUSTING MOTION. ALSO, WHENEVER THE MAXIMA IS SWITCHED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE IT KICKS FORWARD VERY HARD AND LOUD. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS AND NISSAN NEEDS TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION APPROPRIATELY. I TOOK THE MAXIMA INTO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION NISSAN HAS PUT IN THIS CARS MODEL IS TERRIBLE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY ONLY OPTION IS TO HAVE THE VALVE BODY REBUILT. THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY SURROUNDING PARTS OF THE VEHICLE. AGAIN, THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 2005 MAXIMA NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *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.
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