IllustrationTHE CAR STARTED TO JERK AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. CAR WILL NOT MOVE NOW. IT SLAMS INTO GEAR. *TR
2006 Nissan Maxima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Maxima years
Owner complaints for the 2006 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
260–25K
3825–50K
11150–75K
18475–100K
125100–150K
28150K+
512 reports with mileage · 64 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 393 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. 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.
21 crash reports4 fire reports12 injury reports
Power Train complaints
393 reportsWHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, I HAD CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 80MPH. THERE WAS A STALLING/JERKING MOTION THAT TOOK PLACE. AFTER LOOKING OVER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I NOTICE IT WAS STILL ON CRUISE CONTROL BUT THE MPH HAD DROPPED A FEW MILES. ONCE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISENGAGED, I NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE IN ACCELERATION. IT FELT …
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WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, I HAD CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 80MPH. THERE WAS A STALLING/JERKING MOTION THAT TOOK PLACE. AFTER LOOKING OVER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I NOTICE IT WAS STILL ON CRUISE CONTROL BUT THE MPH HAD DROPPED A FEW MILES. ONCE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISENGAGED, I NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE IN ACCELERATION. IT FELT LIKE MY CAR WAS STUCK IN THIRD OR FORTH GEAR. I HAD TO HOLD PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND WAIT AS IT PICKED UP SPEED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP, TRANSMISSION SHIFTED HARD. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT AND THE TENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP, TRANSMISSION SHIFTED HARD. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT AND THE TENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,800.
TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND JERKING WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE. FIRST OCCURED ON A BUSY 4 LANE BYPASS. WE WERE BARELY ABLE TO GET IT PULLED OFF OF THE HIGHWAY THE PROBLEM WAS SO BAD. *TR
SLOWED DOWN TO ROUND A CORNER. TRANSMISSION SLIPS UPON ACCELERATION. *TR
SAME ISSUE AS ANOTHER "TRANSMISSION DEFECT. I AM EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE TRANSMISSION IN MY CAR IS SLIPPING. WHEN I AM DRIVING MANY TIMES THE ACCELERATION INCREASES THE RPM ABOVE 3, BEFORE IT CHANGES. THERE ARE OTHER INTERNET POSTINGS WITH THE SAME ISSUES THAT I HAVE. BASED ON THE INTERNET RESEARCH…
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SAME ISSUE AS ANOTHER "TRANSMISSION DEFECT. I AM EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE TRANSMISSION IN MY CAR IS SLIPPING. WHEN I AM DRIVING MANY TIMES THE ACCELERATION INCREASES THE RPM ABOVE 3, BEFORE IT CHANGES. THERE ARE OTHER INTERNET POSTINGS WITH THE SAME ISSUES THAT I HAVE. BASED ON THE INTERNET RESEARCH, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. WHY ISN'T THE NISSAN CORPORATION BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS?" *TR
TRANSMISSION DEFECT. I AM EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE TRANSMISSION IN MY CAR IS SLIPPING. WHEN I AM DRIVING MANY TIMES THE ACCELERATION INCREASES THE RPM ABOVE 3, BEFORE IT CHANGES GEARS. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN TAKING OFF THERE IS A VERY HARD KICK BEFORE YOU TAKE OFF. THERE ARE OTHER INTERNET POSTINGS…
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TRANSMISSION DEFECT. I AM EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE TRANSMISSION IN MY CAR IS SLIPPING. WHEN I AM DRIVING MANY TIMES THE ACCELERATION INCREASES THE RPM ABOVE 3, BEFORE IT CHANGES GEARS. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN TAKING OFF THERE IS A VERY HARD KICK BEFORE YOU TAKE OFF. THERE ARE OTHER INTERNET POSTINGS WITH THE SAME ISSUES THAT I HAVE. BASED ON THE INTERNET RESEARCH, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. WHY ISN'T THE NISSAN CORPORATION BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS? *TR
THE CAR DOESN'T DOWNSHIFT PROPERLY (AUTOMATIC 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION). ALSO IT SHIFTS VERY HARD FROM REVERSE INTO FIRST. WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A HILL, THE CAR REVS HARD WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AND SLAMS INTO GEAR. CAR TRANSMISSION ALSO SOMETIMES SLIPS WHILE ACCELERATING. LOTS OF FORUMS WITH PEOPLE COM…
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THE CAR DOESN'T DOWNSHIFT PROPERLY (AUTOMATIC 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION). ALSO IT SHIFTS VERY HARD FROM REVERSE INTO FIRST. WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A HILL, THE CAR REVS HARD WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AND SLAMS INTO GEAR. CAR TRANSMISSION ALSO SOMETIMES SLIPS WHILE ACCELERATING. LOTS OF FORUMS WITH PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES. TRANSMISSION REPAIR FACILITY SAID THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM NISSAN FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
TL ' THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE VALVE BODY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8…
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TL ' THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE VALVE BODY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. JCC
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REPLACED. *TR
Official recalls
206V046000 · Suspension:rear
Feb 13, 2006
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE REAR SUBFRAME MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRACK IN A BRACKET WHICH HOLDS PART OF THE REAR SUSPENSION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE BRACKET IS CRACKED, THE STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE MAY BE AFFECTED UNDER SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR SUBFRAME TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY AND REPLACE IT, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 27, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
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.
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.