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2005 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Maxima years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Nissan Maxima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 99.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

822 reports with mileage · 126 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 777 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports10 fire reports19 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

5 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 29, 2018
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)StructureFire

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON FLASHING PERIODICALLY OVER A WEEKS TIME, SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING, NEXT DAY THE PARKED CAR '5 HOURS COLD' CAUGHT ON FIRE AROUND FUSE BOX AREA EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL BURNED UP. POLICE REPORT WAS DONE BUT I DO NOT HAVE A COPY, STILL WAITING ON FIRE MARSHAL REPORT. UPON RESEARCHING ONLINE OTHER VEHICL…

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ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON FLASHING PERIODICALLY OVER A WEEKS TIME, SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING, NEXT DAY THE PARKED CAR '5 HOURS COLD' CAUGHT ON FIRE AROUND FUSE BOX AREA EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL BURNED UP. POLICE REPORT WAS DONE BUT I DO NOT HAVE A COPY, STILL WAITING ON FIRE MARSHAL REPORT. UPON RESEARCHING ONLINE OTHER VEHICLE HAVE HAD SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11132286

175,000 miles · Jul 4, 2016
Air BagsElectrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)CrashInjury

"TAMARA INFLATORS" SEAT BELTS DIDN'T LOCK OR LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. SMASHED BODY ALL THE WAY TO BACK SEAT BOTTOM TO GROUND. ENGINE WAS IDLING VERY HIGH FELT/SOUND AS IF WE WERE GOING 60 BUT ONLY WAS GOING 40. NO AIR BAGS CAME ON. BRAKES GRINDING. BACK WINDOW BLEW OUT AND TIRES FLAT IN BACK.. WINDOWS SLOW ON DRIVERS SIDE. WHEN TH…

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"TAMARA INFLATORS" SEAT BELTS DIDN'T LOCK OR LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. SMASHED BODY ALL THE WAY TO BACK SEAT BOTTOM TO GROUND. ENGINE WAS IDLING VERY HIGH FELT/SOUND AS IF WE WERE GOING 60 BUT ONLY WAS GOING 40. NO AIR BAGS CAME ON. BRAKES GRINDING. BACK WINDOW BLEW OUT AND TIRES FLAT IN BACK.. WINDOWS SLOW ON DRIVERS SIDE. WHEN THE SHERIFF TAHOE HIT US AT 80MPH ON U.S. 40 GREENFIELD IN WAS IN THE SHOP AT J&M TRUCK AN TRAILER ON THE WEST SIDE OF INDIANAPOLIS HAVING THE OIL LEAKED FIXED AND TIRES ALL FIXED AND ROTORS AND LIGHTS BY [XXX] A COUPLE MONTHS PRIOR. I HAD MY LITTLE GIRL IN THE BACK SEAT AS WELL WHERE SHERIFF HIT AND RAN. I UPLOADED A BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURE. VIN#[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10882397

Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 2014
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainFire

WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR AFTER 2-3 MONTHS I HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I TOOK IT TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIX. AFTER , A COUPLE OF WEEKS I STILL WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR , I TOOK IT BACK THEY SAID , IT WASN'T NOTHING WRONG WITH IT . THEN MY AIR CONDITION WENT OUT, IT WAS MY AIR COMPRESSOR TOOK IT IN TO THE NISSAN …

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WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR AFTER 2-3 MONTHS I HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I TOOK IT TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIX. AFTER , A COUPLE OF WEEKS I STILL WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR , I TOOK IT BACK THEY SAID , IT WASN'T NOTHING WRONG WITH IT . THEN MY AIR CONDITION WENT OUT, IT WAS MY AIR COMPRESSOR TOOK IT IN TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIX, AFTER, A WEEK OR TWO IT WENT OUT AGAIN TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT LOOKED AT I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A PART ( SOME TYPE OF CLIP ). JUNE 10 , 2014 MY CAR WAS ON FIRE IN MY GARAGE WHILE I WAS SLEEPING. WHEN I WOKE UP THAT MORNING MY HEADLIGHTS WERE FLASHING OFF AND ON . WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR MY WINDOW WAS FULL OF SUT AND MY WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED . WHEN I OPEN THE CAR DOOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE THE DASH BOARD AND UNDER THE DASHBOARD WAS MELTED , THE ODOMETER AND THE FUSE BOX (EVERYTHING ON THE DRIVER SIDE WAS MELTED ) .YOU CAN SMELLED THE SMOKE,THAT IT WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED OUT JUST IN CASE IT SPARKED BACK UP. UNDER THE HOOD WAS NOT DAMAGE. I HAVE PICTURES OF DAMAGES. THEY HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE IT WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR. THE RESULTS WAS IT STARTED FROM THE FUSE BOX. MY CAR WAS TOTALED OUT BY MY INSURANCE ADJUSTER. I FEEL THIS MATTER NEED TO BE LOOKED INTO AND SOMETHING NEED TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS SITUATION . THIS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION THAT NEED TO BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE IT HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE . *TR

NHTSA ODI #10668531

98,000 miles · Aug 18, 2014
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainService BrakesCrashInjury

WE PURCHASED THIS CAR IN 08/13 AFTER WE BOUGHT THE CAR IT NEEDED A TRANSMISSION THEN ENDED UP PUTTING 2 TRANSMISSIONS IN THE CAR, ALSO A NEW THROTTLE BODY WITH ALL THIS AND THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR IT IS OVER $8,000 IN THIS USELESS CAR, THAT NOW IS TOTALED DUE TO FAULTY BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL, THESE CARS ARE DANGEROUS IT WAS…

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WE PURCHASED THIS CAR IN 08/13 AFTER WE BOUGHT THE CAR IT NEEDED A TRANSMISSION THEN ENDED UP PUTTING 2 TRANSMISSIONS IN THE CAR, ALSO A NEW THROTTLE BODY WITH ALL THIS AND THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR IT IS OVER $8,000 IN THIS USELESS CAR, THAT NOW IS TOTALED DUE TO FAULTY BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL, THESE CARS ARE DANGEROUS IT WAS ONLY GOIN 20 MPH THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, AND THE BRAKES LOCKED AND THE THROTTLE WAS HUNG OPEN, THEN IT HIT A BANK AND FLIPPED OVER NOW IT IS TOTALED AND WE HAVE NOTHING THESE CARS ARE JUNK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10625919

65,000 miles · Feb 8, 2013
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

FAILURE IN ABS SYSTEM. ABS, TCS, AND SLIP WARNING LIGHTS SHOW AFTER THE OCCURRING SOUND OF GRINDING IN THE BRAKES. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM IN 2004 - 2007 MAXIMAS. THERE IS A TSB FLOATING ALL OVER THE INTERNET DOCUMENTING THE PROBLEM AND POSSIBLE REPAIR PROCEDURES. DEALER WANTS CLOSE TO 3K FOR A KNOWN ISSUE!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10496938

Official recalls

2

05V512000 · Seats:front Assembly:power Adjust

Nov 7, 2005

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE DRIVER PREFERRED PACKAGE, THE WIRE HARNESS FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT POWER LUMBAR SUPPORT SWITCH MAY BE ROUTED INCORRECTLY AND COULD BE PINCHED UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A PINCHED HARNESS, IN COMBINATION WITH DRIVING VIBRATION, MAY RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE HARNESS THAT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE IN THE SEAT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS AND ROUTE IT CORRECTLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 16, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

05V338000 · Child Seat:latch Strap

Jul 26, 2005

CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE LOWER ANCHORAGE BRACKETS IN THE REAR SEATS DO NOT MEET THE LOCATION REQUIREMENT IN THIS STANDARD. THIS MAY CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN ATTACHING SOME CHILD SEATS TO THESE BRACKETS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF A CHILD SEAT IS NOT PROPERLY SECURED, THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER ANCHORAGE BRACKETS WITH MODIFIED BRACKETS TO ENSURE THAT THE STANDARD IS MET. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 28, 2006. THE INFINITI Q45 MODEL VEHICLES ARE BEING CAMPAIGNED UNDER A SEPARATE RECALL (PLEASE SEE 05V374000). OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.