MINE STARTED WITH A LITTLE KICK AND IT JUST KEPT ON GETTING WORSE TO THE POINT WHERE IT COULD CAUSE WHIPLASH... AND THIS IS DURING ACCELERATION AND WHILE SLOWING DOWN TOO. THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY GAVE OUT! *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
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.
What owners actually said
576 reportsI AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY CAR JERKING PROFUSELY WHEN SWITCHING GEARS. IT WILL DO THIS AS WELL WHEN I COME TO A STOP AND THEN TAKE OFF. THERE IS SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR VEHICLE. I LOVE MY CAR BUT AFTER SEEING THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, I DO NOT BELIEVE…
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I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY CAR JERKING PROFUSELY WHEN SWITCHING GEARS. IT WILL DO THIS AS WELL WHEN I COME TO A STOP AND THEN TAKE OFF. THERE IS SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR VEHICLE. I LOVE MY CAR BUT AFTER SEEING THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, I DO NOT BELIEVE MY NEXT PURCHASE WILL BE A NISSAN. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RECALLING AND FIXING THIS ISSUE. MAYBE FAMILIES THAT HAVE LOST LOVED ONES WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE SHOULD INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT A LITTLE FURTHER. *TR
TRANSMISSION STARTS TO SLIP FROM FIRST TO SECOND WHEN IT GETS WARMED UP. I WAS READING ONLINE THAT NISSAN MADE A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION AND IS REFUCING TO TAKE RESPONSABILITY FOR THERE MISTAKES. *TT
I WAS GOING THROUGH A STOP SIGN, AND AFTER I STOPPED, I PRESSED THE GAS ONLY TO SEE THE RPMS SHOOT UP WITHOUT THE VEHICLE MOVING FOR FIVE SECONDS, THEN THE CAR FINALLY KICKED INTO GEAR. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT. *TR
MY CAR WAS BOUGHT AT A NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN 2011 OF DECEMBER, IN JANUARY I NOTICED THE CAR JERKING AND SHIFTING WHILE DRIVING 20 TO 30 MILES. SO I TOOK THE CAR BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL ONLY GIVE ME ANOTHER CAR ONLY IF THE PROBLEM IS IN THE TRANSMISSION, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS MY MOTOR MOUNT I…
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MY CAR WAS BOUGHT AT A NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN 2011 OF DECEMBER, IN JANUARY I NOTICED THE CAR JERKING AND SHIFTING WHILE DRIVING 20 TO 30 MILES. SO I TOOK THE CAR BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL ONLY GIVE ME ANOTHER CAR ONLY IF THE PROBLEM IS IN THE TRANSMISSION, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS MY MOTOR MOUNT IS BROKEN, AND THEY DON'T COVER ANYTHING OUTSIDE THE TRANSMISSION OR ENGINE ONLY THE INSIDE.. THE TOTAL AMOUNT TO FIX WAS 500 BUT I HAD NO MONEY TO DO IT.THEY GAVE ME AN OPTION OF TAKING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH IT WAS EXPENSIVE FOR ME SO I SHOPPED FOR A WARRANTY AND I GOT A FULL BUMPER TO BUMPER FOR A CHEAPER PRICE THAN WHAT THEY GAVE ME. IT TOOK ME 3MONTHS TO GO BACK TO THE DEALER WITH A NEW WARRANTY THEY FIXED THE MOTOR MOUNT BUT THE ISSUE IS STILL THEIR. A NISSAN TECHNICIAN TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE THEY SUGGESTED THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND THERE'S NO WAY I'M WILLING TO GIVE THEM MY CAR AGAIN TO FIX BECAUSE IT TOOK THEM ALONG TIME TO REALIZE THE PROBLEM TELLING ME TO FIX YOUR CAR WE NEED TO GET IT OUT OF IDLE AND EMISSION NEEDS TO BE CHECKED THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE SAYING BEFORE THEY REALIZE ITS A TRANSMISSION..I LOVE NISSAN MAXIMA BUT IN ORDER TO KEEP A CUSTOMER LIKE ME TO STAY LOYAL PLEASE FIX THE ISSUE AND DO THE RIGHT THING BY RECALLING THE VEHICLES. *TR
I WAS DRIVING 45MPH AND CAME TO A RED LIGHT WHICH I STOPPED AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PLACED MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND MY NISSAN WOULD NOT GET PAST 3RD GEAR AND JERKED REALLY BAD BEFORE IT WOULD ACCELERATE. THIS HAPPENS NOW ALL THE TIME AND I EVEN HAD TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACED IN MY CAR WHICH HAS NOT PREVENTED THE ISSUE T…
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I WAS DRIVING 45MPH AND CAME TO A RED LIGHT WHICH I STOPPED AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PLACED MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND MY NISSAN WOULD NOT GET PAST 3RD GEAR AND JERKED REALLY BAD BEFORE IT WOULD ACCELERATE. THIS HAPPENS NOW ALL THE TIME AND I EVEN HAD TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACED IN MY CAR WHICH HAS NOT PREVENTED THE ISSUE THAT I AM STILL HAVING FAULTY TRANSMISSION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY JERKED WHEN SHIFTING GEARS AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY JERKED WHEN SHIFTING GEARS AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 7/12/12 *CN UPDATED 08/08/12
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. THERE WERE SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. THERE WERE SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.
HARD SHIFTING, TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, GEARING DOWN FOR NO REASON, ETC THIS CAR IS A LEMON, NISSAN SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THESE CARS. *TR
THIS IS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE, BUT 'TRANSMISSION' WASN'T LISTED AS A CHOICE SO I CHOSE 'POWER TRAIN'. I WAS ACCELERATING ON AN INTERSTATE ONRAMP, PREPARING TO ENTER THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. WHILE ACCELERATING, I NOTICED THE CAR AHEAD OF ME WAS NOT ACCELERATING AT THE SAME RATE SO I LET OFF THE GAS TO SLOW DOWN. THE CAR AHEAD THEN …
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THIS IS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE, BUT 'TRANSMISSION' WASN'T LISTED AS A CHOICE SO I CHOSE 'POWER TRAIN'. I WAS ACCELERATING ON AN INTERSTATE ONRAMP, PREPARING TO ENTER THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. WHILE ACCELERATING, I NOTICED THE CAR AHEAD OF ME WAS NOT ACCELERATING AT THE SAME RATE SO I LET OFF THE GAS TO SLOW DOWN. THE CAR AHEAD THEN SPED UP, SO I ATTEMPTED TO ASSUME ACCELERATING TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY. AT THAT POINT THE ENGINE QUICKLY REVVED UP AS THOUGH I WERE IN NEUTRAL. THAT LASTED FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, THEN SUDDENLY THE TRANSMISSION SLAMMED INTO GEAR WITH SUCH FORCE THAT THE FRONT TIRES LOST TRACTION AND THE CAR LURCHED HARD TO THE LEFT. MY REACTION WAS TO ADJUST QUICKLY TO THE RIGHT, TO PREVENT CUTTING ACROSS BUSY LANES. I LEFT THE ROADWAY TO THE RIGHT, FORTUNATELY NO COLLISION WITH ANYTHING EXCEPT A CURB. SKIDDED TO A STOP THERE IN THE GRASSY AREA RIGHT OF THE HIGHWAY. *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.
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