IllustrationDRIVER FLOOR BOARD RUSTING OUT. *TR
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Maxima years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
370–25K
4225–50K
19850–75K
31075–100K
201100–150K
34150K+
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
What owners actually said
948 reportsAFTER WARMING UP (MOST OF THE TIME), WHEN YOU STOP & START TO GO IT'S LIKE IT STALLS WILL ALSO SHIFT HARD. RIM GAGE WILL GO UP TO 5 THEN AFTER YOU GET IT TO FINALLY GO THRU THE CHANGING GEARS IT RUNS FINE. MOSTLY STARTING & STOPPING. *TR
TODAY IS MARCH 26, 2015 AND FOR THE PAST WEEK; MY CAR HAS BEEN STALLING WHEN I AM SHIFTING GEARS. TODAY I WAS IN A NOT SAFE SITUATION AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN I SHIFTED THE GEARS TO MY CAR TO BEGIN DRIVING, THE CAR STALLED ON ME ALLOWING ME TO ONLY DRIVE AROUND 5-10 MPH DOWN THE STREET. I HAD TO HURRY UP AND PULL OVER BECAUSE I H…
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TODAY IS MARCH 26, 2015 AND FOR THE PAST WEEK; MY CAR HAS BEEN STALLING WHEN I AM SHIFTING GEARS. TODAY I WAS IN A NOT SAFE SITUATION AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN I SHIFTED THE GEARS TO MY CAR TO BEGIN DRIVING, THE CAR STALLED ON ME ALLOWING ME TO ONLY DRIVE AROUND 5-10 MPH DOWN THE STREET. I HAD TO HURRY UP AND PULL OVER BECAUSE I HAD CARS BEHIND ME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SWITCHED GEARS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE AND DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSIO…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SWITCHED GEARS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE AND DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
HAVING TROUBLE/DELAYED SHIFTING. IT WENT AWAY FOR A WEEK BUT IT CAME BACK AGAIN. WHEN I'M PRESSING ON THE GAS IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S REVVING THE ENGINE BUT THE CAR IS NOT MOVING AS IT SHOULD. *TR
TRANSMISSION TAKES ABOUT 1-2 SECONDS TO MOVE AND THEN JERKS FORWARD. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN WARMED UP. SOMETIMES WHEN CAR IS MOVING IT JERKS WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. *TR
THE CAR JERKS WHEN TRANSMISSION IS SWITCHED TO REVERSE, AND TAKES A GOOD 3 SECONDS TO ACTUALLY SWITCH TO REVERSE. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM TO THESE CARS, AND IT IS DEFINITELY A DANGEROUS ONE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK AND THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS, CRANK POSITION SENSOR, AND THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY STILL NEED A NEW TR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK AND THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS, CRANK POSITION SENSOR, AND THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY STILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION, BUT THESE REPAIRS SHOULD BE DONE FIRST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
MY 2005 MAXIMA TRANSMISSION IS JERKING WHEN SWITCHING GEARS AND ALSO SLIPPAGE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE MOUNTS BECAUSE ONE WAS BAD BUT AFTER REPLACING THEM THE PROBLEM STILL WAS STILL THERE. LATER I FOUND OUT IT WAS JUST THE TRANSMISSION. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THERE STI…
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MY 2005 MAXIMA TRANSMISSION IS JERKING WHEN SWITCHING GEARS AND ALSO SLIPPAGE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE MOUNTS BECAUSE ONE WAS BAD BUT AFTER REPLACING THEM THE PROBLEM STILL WAS STILL THERE. LATER I FOUND OUT IT WAS JUST THE TRANSMISSION. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THERE STILL HAVE NOT BEEN A RECALL. THIS WILL BE MY LAST NISSAN. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.
Official recalls
205V512000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.