CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2004-2006 Nissan Maxima has widespread transmission problems. It starts with the vehicle jerking when shifting, & progresses to full-blown transmission failure.
Maxima owners report spending $3,000 to replace the transmission, typically around when the odometer hits 100,000 miles.
There's a class action lawsuit filed in late 2011, & it is still in the "discovery" stage. Apparently, these things take time ... far too much time.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
90,422 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
My 2004 Nissan Maxima jerks/bangs when changing low gears. It makes my entire car bang loudly and jerk forward causing me to jerk forward as well. I have banged myself on the steering wheel numerous times. I read online thousands of complaints of this same issue. The dealerships try to tell me all these different things need to be fixed, but I know from all the other complaints its a faulty transmission in these cars and it needs to be recalled!!!
I have had my 2004 Nissan Maxima for six years. I have had this car since it was brand new. The car slams into gear and jerks into first gear when starting to drive. It bangs and throws me forward when downshifting from 2nd to 1st gear. It also throws me into gear when going from 2nd to 3rd gear. It has about 76,197 miles. At 70,000 miles the struts had to be replaced I reported the transmission problem to Nissan North America, by filing a formal complaint. They advised me to take the car to a Nissan dealership for diagnostic testing. The Nissan dealership told me that the transmission needed to be replaced. When I told Nissan North America what the dealership told me, they informed me that there was nothing they could do about the transmission problem, because the car is out of warranty. With all of the complaints about the 2004 Nissan Maxima, it will cost me a total of $3553.13 to have this problem repaired. With so many complaints about the transmission on the 2004 Nissan Maxima, I don't understand why there hasn't been a recall!
2004 Nissan Maxima transmission problems, 3000 over my warranty. Nissan needs to won up to these tranny problems in these $30,000 vehicles. I am not the only one having this problem. Please see consumerafairs.com.
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima SE. The contact merged into traffic at 60 mph and there was a strong pull from the rear of the vehicle. On a separate occasion, the vehicle stalled twice while in heavy traffic and would not accelerate. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to his residence, but it would not restart once parked. The manufacturer advised there were no recalls and to have the vehicle diagnosed by the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where he was awaiting a diagnosis of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,245 and the current mileage was 67,398.
I have been experiencing transmission problems about 80,000 with 04 Nissan Maxima. The gears slips for 1st to 2nd and from 2nd to 1st and jerks when if finally shifts. The car halts when going for R to D and giving a hard jerk when in gear. This is unsafe when backing out into traffic.
- White Plains, VA, USA
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The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated the vehicle would not shift from park to drive. In addition, when driving at speeds of at least 50 mph, the vehicle would suddenly decrease in speed without warrant. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who added transmission fluid to the vehicle but to no avail. The failure persisted. The failure mileage was 111,520 and the current mileage was 111,929. Updated 06/0611 the consumer stated H/she spent $ 1,900 to correct the transmission problem. Updated 06/10/11
In October of 2008 the car started jerking really hard when shifting between 1 and 2nd gears. Mainly when I was slowing down to take a turn or when approaching a light and then tried to accelerate. Dealer said that I needed to replace transmission or have it rebuilt. I had the transmission rebuilt in January 2009 problem was gone for a little while and then began again about once a week. With time the problem the shifting kept getting harder and harder. February 2010 the check engine light came on. Now the car will sometimes jerk really hard and make a really loud clanking noise when shifting. When it does this the car acts like it does not want to accelerate. When car is driven for a few minutes, then turned off and then turned on again then the noise is gone and car accelerates just fine. Problem occurs about every other day. When taken to the dealer they said it was the shift solenoid that's related to the transmission.
Transmission always slips had it remanufactured 2700 dollars later same problem. This leads up to and causes other problems especially since transmission needs to be worked on every 3 months hands are always taking out putting back together not to good for the car this prob jus doesn't go away. Sensors went bad now timing chain. Problem after problem but to me and mechanics I have talked to all leads back to the defective transmissions these 04 Maximas have.
Transmission has a delay in shifting gears. It jolts/kicks really hard and the car slows down as if it's going to stop. I can't really drive beyond 30mph w/O having an issue. It started doing it once a day and the dealer said they "fixed" the problem. Now, the car does it a lot more and the jolts/kicks are much worse then before.
Transmission problems- '04 Maxima SE V6 automatic transmission 53,000 miles. Experience sudden and severe jerks when shifting from 1st - 2nd, 2nd - 3rd and back down. No injuries occurred, however high potential for a front to back end collision.
I own a 2004 Nissan Maxima for almost three years now. I bought the car with 70,000 mi. And in very good shape at the time. Three months went by and I started noticing my transmission slipping and shifting very hard. I took it to the local Nissan dealership for them to check my transmission and told me they did not see anything wrong with it but suggested a transmission flush. Because of their high price for a transmission flush I took it to jiffy lube. The vehicle shifted smoothly for about 30 min. Into the drive then the slipping and hard shifts continued. I went online to research this problem and found out that I was not the only person with this exact problem. I found this website (www.carsurvey.org/reviews/Nissan/Maxima/R61092/comments/page-16/) and came across thousands of Nissan owners with the exact transmission problems. After learning this I was convinced that it was a defect and Nissan needs to recall the transmission. I am never going to buy a Nissan car ever again! I have this expensive car note for the next four years and the transmission was defected ever since it was put in the car! my warranty was expired before this started happening. This should be looked into and an investigation needs to start. It is so unfair to me and the other people who are going through this. Please help!
I have a 2004 Nissan maximum and the transmission is slipping and the car is making a noise after being replaced and Nissan has done nothing to rectify the issue because the warranty is up.
2004 Nissan Maxima violent jerking from 2nd to 3rd. Also, from reverse to drive. During city driving engine will rev up to 3,000 rpms before going into gear.
I own a 2004 Nissan Maxima. Here recently my transmission has been slipping, I began to look online for recalls and found that several other owners have had the same problem. I think Nissan should recall this problem, because my car only has 85,000 miles and has been well taken care of. I took it to the shop and was told they wasn't for sure but thought it was the valve body that needed to be replaced, and it was going to cost 2,000-3,000 dollars, I was astonished that this would happen. I thought Nissan was supposed to be a well made car that is why we bought it. Also the mechanic I took my car to said he did not know what the problem was cause it was not showing anything on the machine, so he called Nissan and they told him what it was and they had several of that part that was needed to fix the car in stock, so they obviously know at Nissan that they would be needing several of those parts to have so many readily available and I think Nissan should be ashamed of themselves for that and not recalling the part. Obviously Nissan would not be making a part that cost so much money and not be able to sell them so shame on them.
I have 2004 Nissan Maxima with 90000 miles on it, 6 speed. About two years ago all most every gear started to jerk when I switch between gears, mostly 2nd and 3rd gear. I hear from other people that this models have this problems very frequently. The Nissan should have recall on this models for transmission problems, cause all most every tranny with this model have problems and need to be replaced.
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that at low speeds, she experienced unintended vehicle acceleration. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the transmission was flushed; however, the repair did not remedy the failure. The failure mileage was 75000 and the current mileage was 107000. Updated 3/12/10 the consumer stated the transmission would get stuck in gear when trying to resume speed after stopping and dropping 10-20 mph slower. When the accelerator was applied, the transmission idled, but the vehicle staggered in 1st gear. Updated 05/10/10
I have a 2004 Nissan Maxima and I am having problems with the car jerking into and out of gear. I have read several complaints on carsurvey.org with the same exact problem and Nissan doesn't seem to be helping anyone. With as many complaints that I have read you would think there would be a recall on the transmission. I hope someone could look into this because this seems to be quite a problem in 2004 Nissan Maximas.
NHTSA, please, please go to the website I have pasted below and look at all the complaints on the 2004 Maxima. Nissan has turned a blind eye to the american consumer and are looking the other way on the defects in automobile. We look to and rely on the NHTSA to help resolve serious defects in this automobile that should be recalled. Nissan doesn't want to do the right thing and we need you. It is not a coincidence that owners of the 2004 Nissan Maxima are all having the same transmission problems and other issues. I will not let my wife drive this car anymore due to the safety hazard the faulty transmission poses not only to the driver but anyone in it's path on the road. The car jerks, stalls, and on occasion flat loses power in normal driving conditions. W.carsurvey.org/reviews/Nissan/Maxima/R61092/comments/.
2004 Nissan Maxima has a transmission problem it jerks and now it does not shift at all, now I can't afford to fix this problem. Nissan has many complaint. I need help.
Myself and other owners of 2004 Nissan Maximas encounter premature transmission failure. The transmissions in these cares jerk when going into each gear and downshifting. At any given time, the car may hesitate. Nissan dealers only solution to this problem is transmission flush. The transmission flush only subsides the problem for a short period of time. At anytime, the car can delay and cause an accident of some sort.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Chicopee, MA, USA