RoadVitals

2005 Nissan Maxima Powertrain (other) Problems

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

Data refreshed

Powertrain (other) 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.
470
Latest Apr 3, 2021
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.
50%
of 948 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.
6
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
9

What this page shows

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Nissan Maxima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 470 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 powertrain

The 25 most recent of 470, in the owner's own words

ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 3, 2021

VEHICLE MAKES CLUNKING, JERKING NOISES AND BAD CLUNKING SOUNDS WHEN YOU PUT IT INTO GEAR OR SHIFT GEARS, DIGITAL GEAR DISPLAY SHOWS VEHICLE IS IN 5TH GEAR ALL THE TIME, ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY.

NHTSA ID
11406226
Incident
Mar 25, 2021
Mileage
120,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Mar 11, 2021

I HAVE AN 05 NISSAN MAXIMA AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING HARD AND ERRATICALLY

NHTSA ID
11402506
Incident
Jan 4, 2021
Mileage
275,587 mi
Body & structurePowertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Dec 1, 2020

THE CAR HAS A SOUND AS IF IT WERE METAL FATIGUE IN THE FRONT OF THE HOOD A HARD BLOW SOUNDS LOUD EVERY TIME THE CAR MOVES FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM THEY SAY WHAT IS A FACTORY DEFECT I AM AFRAID THAT IT IS A METAL THAT IS UNDER FATIGUE AND THE ENGINE FALLS ON THE GROUND RUNNING ON THE STREET.

NHTSA ID
11377303
Incident
Dec 5, 2018
Mileage
45,500 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Nov 12, 2019

MY CAR ONLY HAS 112337 MILE AND NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION , NOW AT 112954 HAVE TO REPLACE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE . THE TRANSMISSION WAS HARD SHIFTING/ JERKING WHEN YOU GET TO ABOUT 30-35 MPH . SO IT COST ALMOST 4,000.00 TO FIX AND THE THE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER QUIT WORKING AFTER 500 MILES WITH NEW TRANSMISSION AND TOOK THE CAR TO ELECTRICAL SHOP TO FIND OUT I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE AND AFTER ALL THE MONEY PUT IN THIS CAR I DON'T THINK IT IS WORTH FIXING THE ABS CONSIDERING I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR IN OCT. 2018 AND THOUGHT I GOT A GREAT CAR AND ALREDY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY PUT IN IT AND COULD NEVER SELL IT FOR THE MONEY I HAVE IN IT NISSAN SHOULD BE FIXING THESE ISSUES NOT ME CONSIDERING ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THESE CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS AT THE SAME MILEAGE

NHTSA ID
11279650
Incident
Mar 29, 2019
Mileage
112,337 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 1, 2019

THIS CAR HAS NOTHING BUT ISSUES. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAINS ALONG WITH CONTINUING TO DEAL WITH THE CARS TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE REVVING AND TROWING ITSELF IN AND OUT OF GEAR AND DYING THE THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD OR HIGHWAY. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES WITH NISSAN REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OR ADMIT FAULT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. IM SURE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY HURT FROM THIS ISSUE AND SEEMS STRONG ENOUGH TO BE MADE INTO A CLASS ACTION SUIT.

NHTSA ID
11192878
Incident
Dec 3, 2018
Mileage
125,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 28, 2019

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE... CV TRANSMISSION COULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR CAUSING LOSS OF POWER. CV TRANSMISSION COULD HESITATE IN SHIFTING TO NEXT OR PREVIOUS GEAR. THIS CAN CAUSE HARD, VIOLENT SHIFTING TO OCCUR WHICH COULD SERIOUSLY DAMAGE THE VEHICLE AND RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
11172452
Incident
Jul 5, 2018
Driver assistanceOther / unspecifiedPowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 18, 2018

THE 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS A TERRIBLE TRANSMISSION. PROBLEMS SHIFTING GEARS AND WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE IT WONT SHIFT OUT OF GEARS TO GO FASTER. SUCH AS IF I STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN AND THEN TRY TO GO AGAIN IT ACCELERATES VERY (5MPH). ALSO WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE, IT DOES THIS LOUD BANGING JERK THAT JERKS THE ENTIRE CAR. WAS TOLD TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THE NISSIAN MAXIMA TRANSMISSION AND NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION. CAR IS ONLY 13 YEARS OLD.

NHTSA ID
11120805
Incident
Aug 8, 2018
Mileage
170,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 13, 2018

SUDDEN SURGES AND JOLTING WHEN TRYING TO PARK CAR EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED

NHTSA ID
11084870
Incident
Apr 3, 2018
Mileage
144,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 10, 2017

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA ID
11053731
Incident
Jun 1, 2017
Mileage
107,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 9, 2017

CAR WOULD STAY IN 5TH GEAR WHEN TURNED. IT WOULD MOVE BUT AT SLOW RATE. NOW IT WILL MOVE ABOUT A 100 FEET THEN GEAR WONT ENGAGE. YOU CAN GIVE IT GAS BUT IT JUST WONT MOVE. ILL LET IT COOL DOWN AND IT MOVE AGAIN BUT WILL RESUME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
11032334
Incident
Aug 8, 2017
Mileage
72,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 3, 2017

TRANSMISSION FAILING DELAY IN GEAR SELECT FOLLOWED BY A HARD THUMP HARD SHIFTING AFTER 30MIN DID NOT EXPECT THIS FROM A CAR WITH 108K MILES WELL TAKEN CARE OF.

NHTSA ID
11031450
Incident
Oct 2, 2017
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 4, 2017

SUDDEN TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 45,699 MILES ON MAXIMA 2005. PUT CAR IN REVERSE, BACKED OUT PUT IN DRIVE IT STALLED OUT. CAR DID NOT WANT TO START, I WAS IN MIDDLE OF STREET. CAR HAS NEVER EVER GIVEN ME ISSUES PRIOR. SUDDEN "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT, (NEVER ILLUMINATED BEFORE. PUT ACCELERATOR TO FLOOR TO START THEN CAR WOULD BARELY MOVE FORWARD, IT HAD NO 1, 2ND GEARS. DROVE IT OUT OF MIDDLE OF STREET. TOOK FOREVER TO GET TO 20MPH. PARKED CAR, STARTED EASIER IN THE MORNING BUT MADE HORRIBLE CLUNK WHEN PUT IN REVERSE. IT IS NOW AT REPAIR SHOP AND NOT SURE OF FULL DIAGNOSIS YET BUT TOLD WILL PROBABLY BEE A FULL TRANSMISSION REBUILD.

NHTSA ID
10993038
Incident
May 23, 2017
Mileage
45,699 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 2, 2017

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED UNDER 100,000 MILES DUE TO SEVERE JERKING DURING SHIFTS BETWEEN LOW GEARS. THE WORST WOULD OFTEN BE SLOWING DOWN, AS IN APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC, THE KICK FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN SLOWING (DOWN-SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 1ST) WOULD OFTEN CAUSE THE CAR TO NOSE-DOWN A BIT SUDDENLY, SUCH THAT DRIVERS BEHIND WOULD REACT AS IF I WERE MAKING A HARD STOP.

NHTSA ID
10969991
Incident
Jun 15, 2011
Mileage
85,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 19, 2017

WHEN DRIVING FOR A FEW MILES IT SHIFTS HARD LIKE THE TRANSMISSION ISN'T WANTING TO SHIFT RIGHT. AFTER READING ONLINE I FIND OUT THAT THIS YEAR OF MISSION IS KNOWN FOR SOME KIND OF FAULT IN THE TRANSMISSION! OTHER THEN THAT THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BUT AFRAID TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION BUT I CAN'T AFFORD TO SPEND THE MONEY ON WHATEVER IS WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION!

NHTSA ID
10967088
Incident
Jan 14, 2015
Mileage
91,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 1, 2017

I BOUGHT A NISSAN MAXIMA 2005 FROM A SECOND HAND AND LOOKS GREAT BUT ONE RIDING THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO MAKE A UFUL NOISE. ONCE I GOT HOME I TURNED OF THE ENGINE. THE NEXT DAY WHEN I START THE ENGINE AND SHIFTED TO DRIVE THE WOULDN'T MOVE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I HAVE TO BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION THAT IT'S TO EXPENSIVE. I HOPE YOU COULD HELP ME. THANK YOU

NHTSA ID
10957732
Incident
Nov 17, 2016
Mileage
120,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Feb 28, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE DROVE ROUGHLY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. WHILE DRIVING ON AN INCLINE OR BUMPY ROAD, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINTS ON THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WERE RECENTLY REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ID
10957700
Incident
Jan 28, 2017
Mileage
80,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 24, 2017

AROUND 103000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THE ENGINE WOULD REV AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLAM INTO GEAR. I HAD A FLUID CHANGE DONE AND NOW NOT ONLY DOES IT SLIP ON ACCELERATION IT ALSO SLAMS WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS.

NHTSA ID
10956871
Incident
Nov 15, 2016
Mileage
103,000 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Feb 24, 2017

HARSH SHIFTING, JERKING, LOTS SHIFT SLIPPAGE. ACTUALLY SLOWED DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY. DIAGNOSIS RETURNED AS FAILED TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY AND COST $4,100 TO REPAIR.

NHTSA ID
10956804
Incident
Feb 23, 2017
Mileage
40 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 20, 2017

HARSH ENGAGEMENT AT REVERSE AND FORWARD GEARS. ERRATIC SHIFTING. AFTER START UP THE TRANSMISSION HAS A HARSH ENGAGEMENT IN REVERSE AND FORWARD. WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A HARSH UP SHIFT AND DOWN SHIFT. DRIVING ON CITY OR HIGHWAY THE TRANSMISSION IS DOING THE SAME OF HARSH UPSHIFTING AND DOWNSHIFTING. HARSH ENGAGEMENT. THE VALVE BODY HAS BEEN REPLACED. WE HAVE INSTALLED NEW (DEALER) CAM SENSORS. WE HAVE HAD IT REPROGRAMMED. WE HAVE REBUILT THE UNIT AND STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10946605
Incident
Jul 7, 2016
Mileage
98 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 18, 2017

VEHICLE IS SHIFTING EXTREMELY HARD IN LOWER GEAR AND AT STOPPING

NHTSA ID
10946263
Incident
Jan 1, 2017
Mileage
170,000 mi
EngineOther / unspecifiedPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 9, 2017

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2005 NISSAN/MAXIMA IS HARD SHIFTING WHEN ENGINE/TRANSMISSIONIS IS HOT, DELAYING TAKE OFF AND KICKING EXTREMELY BAD WHEN PICKING UP SPEED AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS GEARS. TWO MOTOR MOUNT ARE ALREADY BROKEN AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM. NISSAN DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACE TRANSMISSION. A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIZED SHOP INSPECTED AND TESTED THE TRANSMISSION FOR SECOND OPINION AND DID NO FIND PROBLEM IN THE TRANSMISSION, OTHER THAN 2 BAD SENSORS. SENSORS WAS REPLACED AND 6 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN. *INTERIOR SUNVISOR LIGHTNING COVER BROKEN IN BOTH SIDES, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER. *CD PLAYER NOT WORKING, NOT PLAYING. *ORIGINAL CHROME WHEELS ARE CORRODED, BREAKING THE SEAL ON TWO OF THE TIRES CAUSING PRESSURE TO LOWER AND MAKES TIRE GO FLAT IN LESS THAN A WEEK, IF NOT ATTENDED SOON.

NHTSA ID
10944019
Incident
Jan 1, 2012
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 7, 2017

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THE HIGHWAY..

NHTSA ID
10940307
Incident
May 17, 2013
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 31, 2016

THE CAR IS OVER WINDING AND SOUNDS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT SPIKE IN THE RPMS BEFORE IT SHIFTS BETWEEN GEAR TO GEAR. IT'S ONLY GOT 98K AND IT'S METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT A THOUSAND MILES.

NHTSA ID
10938918
Incident
Dec 31, 2016
Mileage
97,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 23, 2016

MY TRANSMISSION JUST FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME AFTER BEING REPLACED THE FIRST TIME BY NISSAN AS IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. IT WAS REGULARLY FLUSHED/ SERVICED. THERE IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF AND NISSAN MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

NHTSA ID
10937231
Incident
Dec 21, 2016
Mileage
169,000 mi
ElectricalFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 20, 2016

HARD SHIFTING TRANSMISSION,STALLING AT CRUISING SPEEDS,FLASHING DASH LIGHTS. TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE.

NHTSA ID
10936389
Incident
Apr 8, 2015
Mileage
68,000 mi

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 .