942 of the 1,725 complaints about the 2004 Nissan Maxima are about the transmission — 55% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 84,000 miles.
942
Complaints
15
Crashes
2
Fires
7
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
WHEN IN MOTION THE TRANSMISSION STARTS TO SLIP IN 1 AND 2 GEAR THEN 4 AND 5 GEAR JUMPS OUT OF GEAR THEN GOES IN TO LIMP MODE
NHTSA complaint #11300237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
CAR WAS FINE INITIALLY THEN STARTED CAR WHICH TOOK LONGER THAN NORMAL TO START AND CAR WOULD NOT HARDLY GO DUE TO IT NOT BEING IN 1ST GEAR. PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO MANUAL MODE AND DOWNSHIFTED IT TO FIRST AND GOT A HARD CLUNK BUT CAR WOULD NOW GO UNDER ITS OWN POWER BUT WHEN YOU PUT IT BACK IN AUTO MODE IT GOES STRAIGHT TO 3RD GEAR. SHUT CAR OFF CAME BACK LATER AND STARTED CAR IT STARTED RIGHT UP AND HAD NO ISSUES WITH TRANSMISSION. DROVE IT FOR A BIT TURNED CAR OFF FOR A BIT AND THEN WENT TO START AGAIN AND HAD THE LONG START AND BAD SHIFTS AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #11221971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WHEN DRIVING THE CAR WIL LOSE POWER AND START JERKING BADLY, CUTTING BACK LIKE LOSING POWER. IT FEELS AS IF IT IS GOING TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I TOOK IT TO A WELL KNOW TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL NISSAN CARS INCLUDING MINE. THERE ARE SEVERAL RECALLS INCLUDING THE 2003 BUT NOT MY YEAR,I'M CONFUSED AND IT'S GETTING WORSE. BUT IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. MY SAFETY IS WARRANTED???
NHTSA complaint #11207984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WHENEVER I ACCELERATE AND THE SPEEDOMETER HITS 20 MPH THE TRANSMISSION JERKS OR IF I'M GOING 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND START TO BRAKE AND AS MY SPEED IS DECREASING WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER HITS 20 MPH IT JERKS. THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE SLIPPING OR HAVE AN ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #11171117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
THESE TRANSMISSION SHOULD OF BEEN RECALLED YEARS AGO I ALWAYS TEND TO FEEL A GEAR JUMP IN THE FIRST GEARS WHEN ABOUT TO START MOVING THE CAR OR BRAKING. THIS CAN BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN YOU SUDDENLY NEED TO MAKE A HARD STOP AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL MAKE A HUGE JUMP THEN STOP AND WITH THAT EXTRA TIME IT TAKES TO JUMP THEM STOP CAN BE A MINOR INJURY IF A PEDESTRIAN IS PRESENT OR EVEN DEATH.
NHTSA complaint #11097710 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION SLIPPING
NHTSA complaint #11092059 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION JERKS FROM P TO DR, JERKS WHEN DOWN AND UP SHIFTING. DOES NOT SEEM SAFE. 73, 0000 MILES ON VEHICLE
NHTSA complaint #11045160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
THE TRANSMISSION IS HAVING ISSUES WHEN CHANGING GEARS. IT STARTING TO HESITATE BETWEEN FIRST GEAR AND SECOND AND SECOND TO THIRD. MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY 85,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #11039974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THIS YEAR AS A USED VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED TO JERKING AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN I PRESS THE GAS. IT TAKES AT LEAST 1 MINUTE THEN THE RPM SHOOTS UP. SOMETIMES I FEEL THAT I AM GOING TO GET WHIPLASH FROM ALL THE JERKING THIS VEHICLE DOES. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION WHEN NISSAN KNEW ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION IN THESE VEHICLES. THEY SHOULD BE HOLD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND REPLACE ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS IN THESE VEHICLES AND PAY OTHER INDIVIDUALS BACK THEIR MONEY THAT HAS ALREADY PAID TO REPLACE THEIR TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #11003389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
VEHICLE HAS 91000 MILES ON IT AND TRANSMISSION IS FAILING.(JERKS WHEN VEHICLE TAKES OFF FROM STATIONARY POSITION. FRONT END GIVES ROUGH RIDE, AFTER REPLACING STRUTS.
NHTSA complaint #11000646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION IS STUCK IN 5TH GEAR WHEN GOING FORWARD. SHIFTING TO REVERSE OR ATTEMPTING TO DOWNSHIFT CAUSES SERIOUS JERKING (THUMP). THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE ELECTRONIC IN NATURE BECAUSE RESTARTING THE VEHICLE WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM WHEN IT FIRST STARTED OCCURRING. NOW, RESTARTING THE ENGINE DOES NOT FIX IT. NISSAN HAS CERTAINLY KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM FOR YEARS, SINCE MANY COMPLAINTS OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLES HAD FAIRLY LOW MILEAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10993008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION STARTED SOON AFTER I PURCHASED CAR, I WOULD SAY IN THE FIRST YEAR I HAD IT WHICH WAS IN 2003, ALTHOUGH IT IS A 2004. I TOOK IT IN MORE THAN ONCE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED CAUSING TROUBLE. IT WOULD ACT (AND STILL DOES TO THIS DAY) AS IF IT HAD/HAS BEEN KNOCKED OUT OF GEAR, RPM GOES UP AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION PICKS BACK UP. WHEN THAT HAPPENS IT WILL JERK REALLY HARD AND TAKE OFF. AS I SAID, I TOOK IT TO MY NISSAN DEALER AND EACH TIME WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT FIND ANY THING WRONG WITH IT. THIS IS MY 5TH MAXIMA, AND HAVE TO SAY IT IS MY LAST. THE SON OF A WOMAN I USED TO WORK WITH HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS 2004 MAXIMA, WHICH HE BOUGHT USED. HE TRADED IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE. MY CAR IS STILL GOING, ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE HAPPENING MORE OFTEN, BUT DOES SEEM TO BE MORE SEVERE WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN.
NHTSA complaint #10980037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WHEN GIVING GAS TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR WILL JERK/JUMP GOING FROM 1 TO 2 RPMS
NHTSA complaint #10959036 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
DOWN SHIFTING IN LOWER GEAR OR UPSHIFTING FROM LOWER TO HIGHER GEAR LOUD BANG IN TRANSMSSION
NHTSA complaint #10927447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 100K MILES
NHTSA complaint #10926701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I WAS PULLING OUT AT A STOP SIGN FOR A LEFT TURN WHEN ALL A SUDDEN THE CAR JERKED AND I HEARD A LOUD BANG. THIS WAS MY TRANSMISSION LETTING GO. I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. LUCKILY SOMEONE STOPPED AND HELPED ME PUSH THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
NHTSA complaint #10917662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SHIFT POORLY, HIGH REV INBETWEEN SHIFTS, HARD DOWN SHIFTS AND EXTREMELY HARD UP SHIFTS. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE DURING ICY CONDITIONS DUE TO THE HIGH REV AND HARD DOWN SHIFTS THAT CAUSE UNCONTROLLABLE LOSS OF DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10916502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION SHIFT POORLY, HIGH REV INBETWEEN SHIFTS, HARD DOWN SHIFTS AND EXTREMELY HARD UP SHIFTS. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE DURING ICY CONDITIONS DUE TO THE HIGH REV AND HARD DOWN SHIFTS THAT CAUSE UNCONTROLLABLE LOSS OF DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10916502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION JERKS WHEN DOWNSHIFTING ON HIGHWAY AND ROADS, THIS IS A VERY HARD JERK THAT IS VERY HAZARDOUS. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ONLINE AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10908033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
VERY HARD SHIFTING AND DELAY FROM PARK TO DRIVE, HARD SHIFT FROM PARK TO REVERS
NHTSA complaint #10897444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION FAILING FOR SECOND TIME. TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT/OVERHAULED IN MARCH OF 2014. MILEAGE AT TIME OF REBUILD WAS 111,090 MILES. THE TOTAL COST OF SAID REPAIR WAS $2,996.00. AS OF TODAY AUGUST 19, 2016 THE SAID MENTIONED TRANSMISSION IS FAILING FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 136,XXX MILES. THE CURRENT SYMPTOMS WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION ARE, EXTREMELY HARD SHIFTS AND SLIPPING INTO UPPER GEARS.
NHTSA complaint #10897039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SUDDENLY AFTER PUTTING MY CAR IN DRIVE FROM REVERSE AFTER BEING PARKED IN A PARKING LOT MY CAR JERKED SO BAD I THOUGHT MY NECK WAS BROKE. IT HAS CONTINUED. I LIVE ON A BUDGET AND AM DISABLED SO I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REPLACE OR MAKE REPAIRS ON MY TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #10887457 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE TRANSMISSION EXHIBITED A DELAYED RESPONSE WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, THE TRANSMISSION JERKED VIOLENTLY WHENEVER THE GEAR LEVER WAS SHIFTED FROM THE PARK POSITION INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10884226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY WHEN DOWNSHIFTING AND WOULD SOMETIMES STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA complaint #10873620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
THE CAR STARTED BUCKING WHEN IS DOWNSHIFT INTO A LOWER GEAR AND IT JERKS AND IT'S SLIPS. I HAVE A HUNDRED 100 THOUSAND MILES ON THE SPEEDOMETER.
NHTSA complaint #10873394 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WHEN AUTO IS IN MOTION WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM LOW TO HIGHER GEAR ENGINE REVS TO EXCEEDINGLY HIGH RPM'S AS IF IN NUETRAL. WHEN LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR AFTER SLOWING THE TRANSMISSION REENGAGES WITH A VIOLENT JERK, VERY DANGEROUS AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS
NHTSA complaint #10870788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WHAT IS WRONG WITH NISSAN? WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL ON THE MAXIMA TRANSMISSIONS? SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT ! NOT EVERYONE HAS THE MONEY TO THROW AWAY ON A PROBLEM THAT THE MANUFACTURER CAUSED. SOMEONE SHOULD REALLY HELP SOLVE THIS ISSUE. CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT. SO MUCH FOR A RELIABLE CAR FOR MY SON TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO COLLEGE WITH. MY HUSBAND HAS SERVED THIS COUNTRY FOR CLOSE TO 25 YEARS AND IS SHOCKED THAT NISSAN IS NOT BEING MADE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR MISTAKES.
NHTSA complaint #10862292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT ON THE HIGHWAY, ALMOST CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, HAD TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, WAS WRITTEN UP AT WORK FOR BEING LATE. I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AGO. NISSAN LOOKED AT IT SAID IT WAS FINE. 150,000 MILES
NHTSA complaint #10850840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SAME PROBLEM AS MANY OTHERS WITH THIS HORRIBLE TRANSMISSION. AT LOW THROTTLE, MAJOR JOLT WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. JUST ABOUT RIPS THE ENGINE OFF IT'S MOUNTS.
NHTSA complaint #10821121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE GEAR SHIFT FAILED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SOLENOID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 188,000.
NHTSA complaint #10819638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.