RoadVitals

1996 Nissan Maxima Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Jan 24, 2003
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 96 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Nissan Maxima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Jan 24, 2003

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO SOON AT LOWER SPEEDS WHEN THE OVERDRIVE BUTTON IS ON. IF OVERDRIVES IS OFF THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS. I HAVE CHANGED THE FLUID BUT THE PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED.

NHTSA ID
10003330
Incident
Oct 10, 2002
ElectricalEngineTransmission
Filed Mar 14, 2001

ON GOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING, USUALLY IT OCCURS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP POSTION OR ACCELERATING FROM A LOW SPEED. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FIVE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. *AK DEALER REPLACED FRONT TIMING COVERS, GASKETS, INTAKE MANIFOLD COLLECTOR, COIL PACKS, PLUGS, AND PERFORMED THROTTLE CHAMBER SERVICE, NOW VEHICLE HAS AN OIL LEAK. TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. STARTER MOTOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ID
883027
Incident
Sep 14, 2000
TransmissionVisibility
Filed Jan 12, 2001

WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE CONSUMER HAD TO FORCE IT. PART HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE BY DEALER, CONSUMER WAS TOLD NISSAN COMPANY ADVISED DEALER NOT TO REPLACE THIS COMPONENT AGAIN, THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. ALSO ON DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WATER WAS LEAKING INTO VEHICLE, ENOUGH TO SOAK CARPET. DEALER SAID THAT WAS NORMAL FOR THIS TYPE VEHICLE. *AK THE MILDEW SMELL AFTER RAIN AND CAR WASH. *YH

NHTSA ID
878152
Incident
Apr 1, 1998
Transmission
Filed Jun 16, 2000

THERE IS A DECREASE IN ACCELERATION. VEHICLE IS SLOW AND SLUGGISH. ALSO THERE IS A PROBLEM WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THERE IS A MICO COMPUTER CHIP THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID
863691
Incident
Jan 1, 2000
Transmission
Filed Jun 11, 1999

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ON, AND THE GEAR STICKS FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
839444
Transmission
Filed Feb 10, 1999

INTERLOCK CABLE BETWEEN IGNITION SWITCH AND SHIFTER BROKE MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR THE KEY TO BE TAKE OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN PARK. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD DOWN THE DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ID
543810
Incident
Apr 16, 1998
Transmission
Filed May 19, 1998

WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK THE VEHICLE DOES NOT WANT TO GO OUT OF PARK. GEAR STICKS, AND THE DRIVER HAS TO REALLY STRUGGLE TO GET THE GEAR OUT OF THIS POSITION. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER CANNOT FIND ANY PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE THIRD TIME THE DEALER FINALLY REPLACED THE BUSHING LOCK IN THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL IS GOING ON. *AK

NHTSA ID
823450
Incident
May 10, 1996
Transmission
Filed Mar 19, 1998

TRANSMISSION IS DELAYED WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID
533111
Incident
Mar 1, 1998
Transmission
Filed Aug 8, 1997

TRANSMISSION REPLACED DUE TO STALLING UPON SHIFTING INTO SECOND AND THIRD GEARS.

NHTSA ID
520719
Incident
May 8, 1997
Transmission
Filed Apr 10, 1997

AIR IN CLUTCH LINES.

NHTSA ID
602986
Incident
Nov 1, 1996

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .