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
What owners actually said
948 reports
85,000 miles · Nov 7, 2009
Power Train
2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE 15+ SECONDS AT STOP SIGNS AND INTERSECTIONS AND THEN ENGAGE AND JERK CAR OUT INTO TRAFFIC. HARD SHIFT BETWEEN 1ST & 2ND GEAR. & GEARS WOULD SLIP IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC. NISSAN DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION ($3800) AND SAID THIS IS HAPPENING FREQUENTLY WITH 2004-2005 MAXIMAS. 300+ IDEN…
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2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE 15+ SECONDS AT STOP SIGNS AND INTERSECTIONS AND THEN ENGAGE AND JERK CAR OUT INTO TRAFFIC. HARD SHIFT BETWEEN 1ST & 2ND GEAR. & GEARS WOULD SLIP IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC. NISSAN DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION ($3800) AND SAID THIS IS HAPPENING FREQUENTLY WITH 2004-2005 MAXIMAS. 300+ IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ON JUST ONE INTERNET BLOG. NISSAN NEEDS TO DO A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. DEALER FOUND CODE PO744A/T TCC S/V FUNCTION INDICATING FUNCTIONAL VALVE MALFUNCTION IN TRANSMISSION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10291325
65,000 miles · Nov 7, 2009
Power Train
I AM HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA SE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT BECAUSE IT WOULD MESS UP AFTER IT WARMED UP. IT WOULD JERK IN DOWN SHIFTING AND WHEN I ACCELERATED. FIRST THE GUY SAID IT MIGHT BE MY MOTOR MOUNTS. THEY ADVISED ME THAT I NEEDED A TRANSMISSION FL…
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I AM HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA SE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT BECAUSE IT WOULD MESS UP AFTER IT WARMED UP. IT WOULD JERK IN DOWN SHIFTING AND WHEN I ACCELERATED. FIRST THE GUY SAID IT MIGHT BE MY MOTOR MOUNTS. THEY ADVISED ME THAT I NEEDED A TRANSMISSION FLUSH BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO START SOMEWHERE. I GOT THAT DONE AND MY PROBLEM CONTINUED. THEN HE SAID THAT I NEEDED MY FUEL INDUCTION DONE. HE SAID THAT HE PUT IT ON THE MACHINE AND THERE WHERE NO ERROR CODES. THEN AFTER I COMPLAINED AGAIN HE WANTED TO CHARGE ME TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC AFTER HE ALREADY SAID HE PUT IT ON THE MACHINE AND DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. ALSO MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON INDICATOR LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. I HAVE HAD 3 NISSAN MAXIMAS BUT NISSAN IS NOT WORKING WITH ME. I BOUGHT MY CAR IN AUG OF 2008 AND DIDN'T PURCHASE A WARRANTY. I THOUGHT NISSANS WERE GREAT CARS BUT AS STATED IN THE FORUMS LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES AND NISSAN NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS IF THEY WANT TO KEEP LOYAL CUSTOMERS LIKE MYSELF. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10291288
72,000 miles · Nov 6, 2009
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
NISSAN 2005 MAXIMA HAD A DEFECT IN THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE DEVICE WHERE WATER FROM THE ROAD ACCUMULATED AND CAUSED CORROSION. NISSAN ADVISED THE DEALER TO DRILL A HOLE TO ALLOW WATER TO EXIT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD PRIOR OCCURRENCES EXACTLY LIKE THIS. THE COST TO ME WAS$ 534.34. *TR UPDATED 11/16/09 THE CONSUMER WANTED T…
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NISSAN 2005 MAXIMA HAD A DEFECT IN THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE DEVICE WHERE WATER FROM THE ROAD ACCUMULATED AND CAUSED CORROSION. NISSAN ADVISED THE DEALER TO DRILL A HOLE TO ALLOW WATER TO EXIT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD PRIOR OCCURRENCES EXACTLY LIKE THIS. THE COST TO ME WAS$ 534.34. *TR UPDATED 11/16/09 THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW THE STATUS OF HER COMPLAINT. UPDATED 03/29/10
NHTSA ODI #10291264
85,000 miles · Oct 27, 2009
Power Train
I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA, AND THIS CAR IS HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEMS, I ONLY HAVE 90K ON MY MAXIMA AND IT JERKS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND ACCELERATING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR WHICH SOMETIMES ME AND MY PASSENGERS GET WHIPLASH BY IT. I REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE CAR IS STILL SLIPPING INTO GEAR. SOME DAYS THE CAR WO…
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I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA, AND THIS CAR IS HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEMS, I ONLY HAVE 90K ON MY MAXIMA AND IT JERKS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND ACCELERATING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR WHICH SOMETIMES ME AND MY PASSENGERS GET WHIPLASH BY IT. I REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE CAR IS STILL SLIPPING INTO GEAR. SOME DAYS THE CAR WORKS GOOD, BUT MOST OF THE TIME THE CAR HAS TROUBLE WITH THE SHIFTING AND IS MAKING ME THINK LESS OF NISSAN MANUFACTURING. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10289925
37,000 miles · Oct 20, 2009
Power Train
MY NISSAN MAXIMA '05 HAS ABOUT 37000 MILES. RECENTLY, THE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE BAD. THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT RAPIDLY ENOUGH WHEN I ACCELERATE. ALSO, IT HAS SOMETIMES SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AT LOW SPEEDS, CAUSING IT TO LURCH FORWARD IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC! THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10289141
78,000 miles · Oct 20, 2009
Power Train
I FIRST PURCHASED MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA LAST YEAR AND IT HAD 70,000+ MILES, IT WAS USED, AFTER THE FIRST WEEK I ENDED UP TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS JERKING AND SWITCHING. THEY INFORMED ME IT WAS THE MOTOR MOUNTS SO THEY REPLACED THEN. WHEN I GOT THE CAR BACK THE SAME PROBLEM WAS HAPPENING, SO AT MY NEXT OIL CHAN…
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I FIRST PURCHASED MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA LAST YEAR AND IT HAD 70,000+ MILES, IT WAS USED, AFTER THE FIRST WEEK I ENDED UP TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS JERKING AND SWITCHING. THEY INFORMED ME IT WAS THE MOTOR MOUNTS SO THEY REPLACED THEN. WHEN I GOT THE CAR BACK THE SAME PROBLEM WAS HAPPENING, SO AT MY NEXT OIL CHANGE I INFORMED THEM OF THE PROBLEM AGAIN, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG, SO I LET IT GO. JUST RECENTLY THE CAR HAS BEEN JERKING ONCE I TRY TO ACCELERATE. THE WORST PART IS THAT I FOUND AN ACTUAL SITE WITH 30+ OTHER 2005 MAXIMA OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WHO WERE GIVEN THE SAME RESPONSE. IF THAT MANY CARS ARE DEFECTIVE SHOULDN'T THE MANUFACTURER FIX THE PROBLEM OR SUBMIT A RECALL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10289123
Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2009
Power Train
THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR BETWEEN 1ST TO 2ND AND 2ND TO 3RD. THEN IF IT DOES IT JERKS REALLY HARD AND SOUNDS LIKE ITS GOING TO FALL OUT. THEN THERE'S TIMES IT SLIPS. WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE YOU HAVE TO HOLD YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE REALLY HARD OR THE CAR WILL JUMP BACKWARDS. AS SOON AS TH…
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THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR BETWEEN 1ST TO 2ND AND 2ND TO 3RD. THEN IF IT DOES IT JERKS REALLY HARD AND SOUNDS LIKE ITS GOING TO FALL OUT. THEN THERE'S TIMES IT SLIPS. WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE YOU HAVE TO HOLD YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE REALLY HARD OR THE CAR WILL JUMP BACKWARDS. AS SOON AS THE CAR WARMS UP IT DOES THIS. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR OUT OF TOWN IN FEAR THE TRANSMISSION WILL COMPLETELY STOP. THERE ARE PLENTY OF WEBSITES WITH PEOPLE COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE. ITS NOT AN ISOLATED THING. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL REASONS. THE CAR IS ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD. I BOUGHT IT USED AND HAVEN'T EVEN HAD IT A YEAR YET. I CALLED NISSAN AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO KNOWN ISSUE OF THIS PROBLEM. I READ THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE TOLD THE SAME THING WHEN THEY CALLED. THERE'S NO WAY A TRANSMISSION SHOULD HAVE PROBLEMS AFTER ONLY FOUR YEARS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10287277
79,000 miles · Oct 6, 2009
Power Train
2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10286413
50,000 miles · Sep 18, 2009
Power Train
CLUTCH PEDAL ON A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA GOES TO THE FLOOR. IT WILL RETURN BY "POPPING" THE PEDAL; BOUNCING IT OFF OF MY FOOT. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10284520
95,000 miles · Sep 14, 2009
Power Train
FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THAT JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER 2004-2005 NISSAN MAXIMA OWNER HAS EXPERIENCED. MINE IS A MAXIMA SE WITH 5 SPEED AUTO (WITH MANUAL SHIFT MODE). ONCE THE CAR WARMS UP, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD AND ROUGH FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. IT ALSO DOWNSHI…
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FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THAT JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER 2004-2005 NISSAN MAXIMA OWNER HAS EXPERIENCED. MINE IS A MAXIMA SE WITH 5 SPEED AUTO (WITH MANUAL SHIFT MODE). ONCE THE CAR WARMS UP, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD AND ROUGH FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. IT ALSO DOWNSHIFTS HARD FROM 3RD TO 2ND GEAR. AT THIS POINT, IF I PUT THE CAR IN PARK OR REVERSE, AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE, THERE'S ABOUT A 3-5 SECOND DELAY, THEN IT MAKES A BANGING NOISE AS IT KICKS INTO GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS GET WORSE: WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND 2ND TO 3RD GEARS IT SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL (CAUSING RPM'S TO FREELY SHOOT UP NEARLY TO THE REDLINE) AND THEN JERKS AND SLAMS BACK INTO GEAR VERY ROUGH & HARD. THIS REALLY AFFECTS THE CARS PERFORMANCE. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS GO FROM WORSE TO MORE WORSE: EVENTUALLY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR, I'LL HEAR AND FEEL THE TRANSMISSION MAKE A BANGING SOUND AND LOCK UP...NO UP OR DOWN SHIFTING. THIS CAUSES THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT TO LIGHT UP. AT THIS POINT, THE CAR ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY FROM A STOP SINCE IT'S LOCKED IN GEAR AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE RPM'S ARE VERY HIGH. WHEN SWITCHING THE TRANSMISSION TO MANUAL MODE, THE GEAR INDICATOR ALWAYS STAYS AT "5". I HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS AND RE-START THE CAR TO GET THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT AGAIN, BUT UNLESS IT'S HAD SEVERAL HOURS TO COOL OFF, THE SAME PROBLEMS START AGAIN IMMEDIATELY IN SEQUENCE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND HOW NISSAN IS NOT BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS BLOWS MY MIND AND IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A $30,000+ CAR THAT'S UNDER 5 YEARS OLD!!! *TR
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.
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 ↗