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.
My car just began slipping and jerking within the last 2 months. It seems to be worse now and very scary in that I have to drive during nighttime hours. Interested in a solution if anyone has discovered one, estimated cost of repair and additional information regarding the Class Action Lawsuit.
the problem started after transmission maintenance by the dealer (60K miles) and became by the time it reached 70k. There is no help from Nissan Customer Affairs and Dealer. Not sure what to do. Even after monitoring and driving the car, dealer is not ready to accept that there is a problem. Nissan dealers just make money and spoil your car on every maintenance..
I have Transmission slipping issue while driving and it jerks too. Strange this problem occurred on 145K mileage. I will have to take to dealer to fix it.
My car is revving and slipping gear. It does it most while driving in the city and jumps RPM from 1 to 5. Transmission shop has told me it will cost $4500 to fix. The dealership is telling me there is nothing they can do about it.
My car started jerking in and out of 2nd gear right after my warrenty expired. I owe 12,000 still, worth about 6,000. Worst car mistake i ever made. Should have read the reviews first. Everyone online has same problem and nissan could care less. Jerking is so bad i feel im being rear ended everyime i slow down. I have no money for a new transmission. Nissan f%#*%# sucks!!!!
- Steven S.,
Lancaster, CA, US
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Transmission went out. Replaced under warranty. 6 months later, JUST as the warranty ran out on the repair it went out again. Nissan has their planned obsolescence down to a science. I'll never own another Nissan. Even if given to me I would take it and trade it for a Yugo.
I just bought a 2006 Nissan Maxima SE with 72,000 miles on it and when the car gets warmed up it shifts really hard and jerks, mostly at slow speeds. Now I find out it's a known problem and there's no fix for it, and Nissan refuses to do a recall. Terrible!! Now I don't know when the trans is gonna completely go. Some people mentioned fixing or replacing the valve body, but no one actually said if it fixed the problem. If anyone knows, please let me know.
On 13 Aug 2016, at my appointment at Crown Nissan of Greenville, I was told by dealership rep (James Bancone) that although there is no service interval in the Owners Manual that the transmission was supposed to be serviced 'regularly' but couldn't explain what that meant. He somehow was trying to place blame on me rather than own up to the crappy transmission Nissan put into my vehicle.
Only solution offered was to replace transmission. I have seen on some Nissan forums where others have experienced this problem and some saying that the valve body is the actual culprit. I asked the service rep about this but he again stated that the replacement of the transmission is the solution at a cost of $4100.
I have four crack engine mounts, which I have two of them fixed in the front. The transmission is a pain in the ass. I hate driving my car because of the jerking. I am afraid I might be driving and go into the back of another car. My family will not ride with me because of the constant jerking. It is scary and dangerous.
I need a solution to this problem, I took it to the dealer they put on the machine and gave me bad news. I need a new transmission that cost $5,000.
The problem has become worse the cost of repair is about $3000 would not be so upset but the is a problem with many maximas. This is a manufactures problem not mine that means their $$bill.
I bought this car in April 2011. The first 60 days the car ran fine. But around the third month of me driving the car, it started jumping in gear very hard from first into second gear. So I brought the car to a transmission specialist. They fixed the transmission. After that the car still was skipping into gear again. I then brought the car to a auto body shop. Where they put my car on a machine. To print out what was the problem. The computer said that the timing belt was my issue, as well as other engine issues. I am so pissed off with this car. It was supposed to be my dream car, and turns out to be a nightmare.
After much research for a few years now, I realize this is a nation wide nissan defect. I spoke with the dealer, a few repair shops with all giving me the same answer, the trany needs replaced. Price range from 3,500.00 to 4,800.00, all of which are unacceptable. There are thousands complaints to no avail with this automobile manufacturer. A class action suit has been filed but in discovery mode for since 2011, why is it taking so long? Someone needs to do something within Nissan America and deal with the issue. Its unfair to the consumer, let alone a safety hazard.
Been having problems with the transmission but every time I take it in to get checked, the dealership says " We could not find a problem with your transmission". I have don't have $3800 to fix it if I took it to another shop.
THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING A YEAR AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR, IT COST ME $4200 TO GET THIS FIXED. HAD I KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WAS GOING ON WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL, I WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED THIS CAR!!!!!!
IF YOU SEE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING WITH THE SAME YEAR, THEN YOU ALREADY KNOW ITS A PROBLEM ON YOUR END (NISSAN) DO BETTER, BECAUSE THIS ISSUE AND YOU ALL NOT TAKING CARE OF IT, ISN'T LOOKING GOOD FOR YOU. NISSAN CARS ARE VERY HIGHLY RATED, BUT AFTER THIS ISSUE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE IS TO COME WITH THIS CAR, I'M THINKING TWICE ABOUT PURCHASING ANOTHER NISSAN!!!!
This problem began somewhere after or around 100,000 miles. This vehicle was brought new and have been maintained regularly. I know several Maxima/Nissan owners who have experienced or is experiencing same problem. Many have gotten rid of their Maxima's.To fix this problem is expensive; $2000-3,000.
Due to the number of complaints and problems with these transmissions, I believe they are factory problems that Nissan should be or was aware of. The issue is dangerous as you get no warning when the transmission is going to slip and cause a temporary delay in the gear shifting. This happened on I95 going to Philadelphia and back during April 10-20, 2015. I would like for Nissan to take responsibility for this and repair the transmission.
Prior to buying this Maxima, I owned two Honda Accords. Both Hondas had well over 200,000 miles and never problems with the transmission. It will be much bigger problem for Nissan if someone is killed or severely injured due to their negligence in accepting responsibility for this.
My Maxima has been jerking and hesitating at low speeds. It is only when the car has been running for a bit and is warmed up. A few times it has slammed into gear so hard I thought I had been rear ended. I am very frustrated with the response I have received from the Nissan Dealership where I purchased the car. They offered to replace the transmission for $7000. I had to shop around and found if I put in a remanufactured part, I could get the price to install closer to $5000. Honestly, I would not put in another OEM factory part back in.
The transmissions should be recalled and replaced by Nissan before someone gets injured.
Got the transmission fixed in December 2013 and guess what? It has started again !!! Yes, it is clearly evident that Nissan models from 2004 - 2006 Maxima have a problem. But Nissan USA & Canada does not want to admit it. It is despicable and they should be ashamed of themselves.
I will never buy a Nissan ever again and PLEASE, have everyone thinking of buying a Nissan to think twice and BOYCOTT the bastards !!
WOW. Nissan is really stinking up the customer service boards.
I have a 06 Nissan Maxima with 69K miles on it. I was proactive in all my maintenance including a transmission fluid change at 63K miles. Well, after this service I noticed my transmission slipping and jerking when shifting into gear. I took my car into the Nissan dealership where I had my transmission fluid change and they stated that the fluid looks good and that they did everything properly so this is a problem with the transmission. I ask them to diagnose the problem. I left the car with them and this is the response they gave me "Mr. Brown, your car is not throwing any codes, but when the technicians have the computer attached to the car then they see the transmission mis-shifting". Hey thanks, I think that is why I brought it in. Also they stated that I need a transmission replacement. I asked can't they look into the transmission and properly diagnose and/or fix the problem? Well, Nissan doesn't do that, they just replace the whole transmission, which is not throwing any codes mind you.
So I went higher and I have spoken to every manager within the Nissan USA Corporation and pleaded my case that I should not have to pay for a transmission replacement for a car that only has 69K miles on it and that was caused by one of their dealerships. Well, I got all the way up to the most powerful customer facing manager. She stated that Nissan does not feel that they should pay for a repair of a transmission that is 9K miles over warranty and 51 months over warranty. Well, I had to educate her that the 51 months was a null and void statement, because power-trains are stressed unless they are in motion and the 9K miles, well, was caused by their Nissan store. She offered to pay for the service that I had completed for the transmission fluid change. I was floored that she would offer to pay for the service that started the disabling of my transmission, but not the transmission repair.
Needless to say I have had to have a calm down weekend and I am selling this car and never ever getting a brand in which the manufacturer does not stand behind their product. I have 2 Ford diesels that have 500K miles on them and have had no transmission problems. We have bought 2 BMWs since we bought this car and are confident that this POS company is going to lose customers rapidly due to the POS customer service that they offer.
Can someone keep me posted on a lawsuit? I am going to a third party to fix the transmission I don't want to dump this on anyone else.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
My car just began slipping and jerking within the last 2 months. It seems to be worse now and very scary in that I have to drive during nighttime hours. Interested in a solution if anyone has discovered one, estimated cost of repair and additional information regarding the Class Action Lawsuit.
- M R., Little Rock, US