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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Unknown Or Other complaints

18 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 17, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

This Vehicle is Severely Defective. This Vehicle is not safe to be on the road. This Vehicle has had several repairs for the same repair issue but the problem still exists. I have spent thousands on this Vehicle and this vehicle is still inoperative and not drivable. This Vehicle is a hazard for the road. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE! VEHI…

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This Vehicle is Severely Defective. This Vehicle is not safe to be on the road. This Vehicle has had several repairs for the same repair issue but the problem still exists. I have spent thousands on this Vehicle and this vehicle is still inoperative and not drivable. This Vehicle is a hazard for the road. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE! VEHICLE has still not been Repaired. Please I like to be Compensated and Reimbursed for the Loss I have suffered. Please compensate and/or reimbursed me for the $10,000.00 I lost in a Defective, Inoperable, and Unsafe Vehicle. Thank God My Child and I did not get seriously hurt while I was driving this vehicle. I remember one incident while I was driving this vehicle: Right in the middle of me driving this vehicle I was going about 40-45 mph on the highway, the vehicle just shut down all of a sudden. The entire Electrical System just Shutdown. That was very frightening! So, yes I like to be Fully Compensated for all my troubles with this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11589401

Mileage unknown · May 26, 2021
SuspensionUnknown Or OtherCrashInjury

When you're driving in hazardous conditions the car loses stability and it caused me to go into a spin and hit a wall, anytime it rains you can feel that the car starts to lose grip of the road and I fear for my life every time it remotely starts to rain or the road is wet. And there's a recall on the Nissan Maxima regarding the…

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When you're driving in hazardous conditions the car loses stability and it caused me to go into a spin and hit a wall, anytime it rains you can feel that the car starts to lose grip of the road and I fear for my life every time it remotely starts to rain or the road is wet. And there's a recall on the Nissan Maxima regarding the rear suspension something and the effect of the recall on that vehicle is what's happening to my vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11418613

150,000 miles · Sep 24, 2018
Unknown Or Other

TRANSMISSION HAS A WICKED VIBRATION. HAVE HAD SENSORS REPLACED, BUT THAT DIDN'T HELP. WAS TOLD THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION... APPARENTLY I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE!

NHTSA ODI #11131093

117,000 miles · Mar 7, 2017
Unknown Or Other

I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A BUY HERE PAY HERE HAD THE CAR FOR 1 MONTH AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT IN IT. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE. THE DEALER WILL NOT HELP ME BECAUSE IT WAS SOLD AS IS. BUT THEY NEVER TOLD ME ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. IT ACTUALLY DROVE FINE FOR A MONTH. I WAS DRI…

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I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A BUY HERE PAY HERE HAD THE CAR FOR 1 MONTH AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT IN IT. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE. THE DEALER WILL NOT HELP ME BECAUSE IT WAS SOLD AS IS. BUT THEY NEVER TOLD ME ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. IT ACTUALLY DROVE FINE FOR A MONTH. I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. I TRIED TO TURN IT BACK ON WHEN IT DID IT WOULD NOT DRIVE. I HAD A MECHANIC HECK IT OUT. I NOW HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #10959467

69,000 miles · Jul 12, 2016
Unknown Or Other

THE TRANSMISSIONS ARE BUILT AND DESIGNED TO FAIL ON ALL 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA MODELS AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED BETWEEN 70,000 AND 90,000 MILES, COSTING CONSUMERS BETWEEN $3500-$5000 TO REPAIR. EVEN WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS REBUILT OR VALVE BODY JOB CONSUMERS WILL FACE THE SAME DILEMMA WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS.

NHTSA ODI #10884219

125,000 miles · Mar 8, 2016
Unknown Or Other

ITS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMUM WHEN DRIVING IT. JERKS THEN IT SOUNDS REALLY LOUD WITH STRANGE NOISE S LIKE ITS TRYING TO SHIFT GEARS BUT STUCK WONT. DRIVE OR PULL IN A AUTOMATIC CAR ITS A VERY SCARY SITUATION

NHTSA ODI #10845546

173,000 miles · Jun 1, 2015
Unknown Or Other

WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!!!

NHTSA ODI #10722798

101,000 miles · Apr 18, 2015
EngineStructureUnknown Or OtherCrashInjury

I HAVE A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. I WAS GOING 30 MPH, I HIT A TRUCK THAT WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. $4870 IN DAMAGE BUT MY INSURANCE COMPANY SAID THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH DAMAGE TO BE CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS ($170 AWAY FROM BEING CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10706432

90,000 miles · Oct 20, 2014
Electrical SystemPower TrainUnknown Or Other

IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE, VARIOUS INSTANCES OF ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, INCLUDING MIRROR LIGHTS FLICKERING, DASH LIGHTS FLICKERING/HALF DOESN'T COME ONE, AS WELL AS FAULTY WIRING IN SUN ROOF CAUSING IT TO OPEN AND CLOSES RANDOMLY ON IT'S OWN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP AND KNOCK HARD INTO GEARS, EVEN THOUG…

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IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE, VARIOUS INSTANCES OF ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, INCLUDING MIRROR LIGHTS FLICKERING, DASH LIGHTS FLICKERING/HALF DOESN'T COME ONE, AS WELL AS FAULTY WIRING IN SUN ROOF CAUSING IT TO OPEN AND CLOSES RANDOMLY ON IT'S OWN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP AND KNOCK HARD INTO GEARS, EVEN THOUGH PROPER MAINTENANCE WAS ALWAYS COMPLETED. BRAKES REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. SUSPENSION LACKING. AS OF LAST WEEK, THE TRACTION/SLIP LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY, ALMOST CAUSING SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. THIS PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE RESOLVED, AS NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THIS VEHICLE HAS CAUSED FINANCIAL HARM AS WELL AS NEAR PHYSICAL HARM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10648745

105,000 miles · Sep 25, 2014
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesUnknown Or Other

BRAKE "ACTUATOR" STARTED HUMMING OR RUNNING AS SOON AS CAR ('06 NISSAN MAXIMA SE) WAS TURNED ON AWAY FROM HOME. CONTINUED TO KICK IN ABS AT EVERY BRAKE APPLICATION CREATING UNSAFE (OR AT LEAST NOT NORMAL) BRAKING SITUATIONS AND CONTINUED TO RUN WHEN CAR WAS SHUT OFF. ABS LIGHT, TCS LIGHT, AND SLIP LIGHT ALL ACTIVATED CONTINUAL…

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BRAKE "ACTUATOR" STARTED HUMMING OR RUNNING AS SOON AS CAR ('06 NISSAN MAXIMA SE) WAS TURNED ON AWAY FROM HOME. CONTINUED TO KICK IN ABS AT EVERY BRAKE APPLICATION CREATING UNSAFE (OR AT LEAST NOT NORMAL) BRAKING SITUATIONS AND CONTINUED TO RUN WHEN CAR WAS SHUT OFF. ABS LIGHT, TCS LIGHT, AND SLIP LIGHT ALL ACTIVATED CONTINUALLY. CODES C1110 & C1105 & C1106 WERE PRESENT AFTER SCANNING AT LOCAL GARAGE. BATTERY DRAINED AFTER CAR SHUT OFF DUE TO ACTUATOR CONTINUING TO RUN WITH CAR SHUT OFF. PER RESEARCH AND OTHER TSB OR NISSAN-ISSUED TECHNICAL BULLETINS, THE REAR HUB ABS SENSOR FREQUENTLY MALFUNCTIONS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW IN THE CAR. IF DRIVEN WHILE MALFUNCTIONING (AS IN THIS CASE) THE CONTROLLER/ACTUATOR MAY MALFUNCTION. TURNING OFF "ABS" WHILE DRIVING SEEMS TO KEEP THE ACTUATOR FROM RUNNING, BUT ALSO MAKES DRIVING LESS SAFE, ESPECIALLY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER DUE TO TURNING OFF TCS/ABS. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THIS OUT-OF-POCKET (DESPITE BEING AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE). SENSORS AND ACTUATOR WERE REPLACED. VEHICLE DRIVEN AGAIN. LESS THAN 8 MONTHS LATER, SAME ISSUES RETURN. NISSAN DEALERSHIP REPLACED REAR SENSOR PER CODES, NEW CODE FOR ACTUATOR SHOWS AGAIN (AFTER SENSORS PLACED IN) AND THEY REQUIRE ME TO PAY OUT OF POCKET AGAIN FOR NEW ACTUATOR. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW IN THE CAR (PER MANY OTHER REPORTS) AND SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY FOR REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10639052

Official recalls

2

06V046000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.