NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
948 reports115 miles · Dec 28, 2013
EnginePower Train
MY CAR STARTED JERKING ALL OF A SUDDEN. I , TOOK IT TO TRANSMISSION SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS MY TRANSMISSION GOING BAD. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WILL COST ME $3,000 OR MORE TO REPAIR. I HAD ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR A YEAR. I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS IS AN GOING ISSUE UNTIL I STARTED RESEARCHING FURTHER INTO THE HISTORY FOR THE MALE AND MO…
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MY CAR STARTED JERKING ALL OF A SUDDEN. I , TOOK IT TO TRANSMISSION SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS MY TRANSMISSION GOING BAD. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WILL COST ME $3,000 OR MORE TO REPAIR. I HAD ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR A YEAR. I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS IS AN GOING ISSUE UNTIL I STARTED RESEARCHING FURTHER INTO THE HISTORY FOR THE MALE AND MODEL OF THIS CAR. NISSAN NEEDS TO STEP UP AND OWN UP TO THEIR DEFECTIVE CARS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10557547
Mileage unknown · Dec 26, 2013
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control
2005 NISSAN MAXIMA SE, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. SOMETIMES SHIFTS VIOLENTLY, WHEN IN REVERSE & JUMPS FROM 2 TO 3 GEAR, ALMOST LIKE BEING REAR ENDED, ALSO REVS UP TO 5 OR 6 RPM ON THE TACT WITHOUT FOOT ON PEDAL, AND LOOSES POWER. I TOOK IT TO A NISSAN DEALER WHO TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $4000.00 AND BECAUSE OF TH…
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2005 NISSAN MAXIMA SE, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. SOMETIMES SHIFTS VIOLENTLY, WHEN IN REVERSE & JUMPS FROM 2 TO 3 GEAR, ALMOST LIKE BEING REAR ENDED, ALSO REVS UP TO 5 OR 6 RPM ON THE TACT WITHOUT FOOT ON PEDAL, AND LOOSES POWER. I TOOK IT TO A NISSAN DEALER WHO TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $4000.00 AND BECAUSE OF THE SHIFTING THE MOTOR MOUNTS ALSO NEED REPLACED. ONE TIME THE CAR WILL DRIVE FINE THEN THE NEXT ALL THE PROBLEMS ARE BACK. I HAVE LOOKED ON SEVERAL NISSAN WEB SITES FOR COMPLAINTS ON THIS CAR, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE EXACT 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA SE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, WHY NISSAN DOES NOT LOOK INTO A RECALL ON THIS CAR IS UNBELIEVABLE. THERE IS NO WAY SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CAN BE HAVING THE VERY SAME PROBLEM AND IT NOT BEING BECAUSE OF THE CAR. THIS DEFECT IN THIS CAR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. LOOK FOR YOURSELF AND SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING NISSAN RECALL THE 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA SE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10557333
73,740 miles · Dec 23, 2013
Engine
MY CAR STARTING JERKING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. I MADE AN APPT WITH MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER FOR A FEW DAYS LATER AND WITHIN THOSE FEW DAYS IT PROGRESSED TO SEVERE BUCKING BETWEEN GEARS AND I NO LONGER FELT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, LUCKILY THE DEALER ISN'T FAR FROM MY HOUSE. I WAS TOLD MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND 3 E…
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MY CAR STARTING JERKING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. I MADE AN APPT WITH MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER FOR A FEW DAYS LATER AND WITHIN THOSE FEW DAYS IT PROGRESSED TO SEVERE BUCKING BETWEEN GEARS AND I NO LONGER FELT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, LUCKILY THE DEALER ISN'T FAR FROM MY HOUSE. I WAS TOLD MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND 3 ENGINE MOUNTS WERE CRACKED. TOTAL COST $5200. I WASN'T ABLE TO COME UP WITH THAT MUCH MONEY SO THEY FIXED THE ENGINE MOUNTS AND FLUSHED AND FILLED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TO GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE TIME. IT STILL JERKS BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED VERY SOON, BUT THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR, $4,000!! IT IS ALSO A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT NISSAN SHOULD BE PAYING FOR!! THE FORUMS ARE FULL OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT!! THE TECHNICIAN AT MY LOCAL DEALER EVEN MADE A COMMENT THAT THIS IS A "KNOWN PROBLEM". IT'S TIME TO MAKE NISSAN PAY FOR THE FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS THAT ARE CAUSING UNSAFE CARS TO BE ON THE ROAD. I'M STILL WORRIED SOMEONE IS GOING TO RE-END ME BECAUSE I HAVE TO START OFF SO SLOW TO REDUCE THE JERKING BETWEEN GEARS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10557084
120,000 miles · Dec 17, 2013
Power Train
-ACCELERATING CAR JERKS BAD BETWEEN 1ST & 2ND GEAR. -SLOWING DOWN, CAR KICKS & JERKS WHEN DOWN SHIFTING -PUTTING THE CAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE IT HESITATES A FEW SECONDS -TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR CAUSING THE RPM TO JUMP UP TO 3-5K SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL NISSAN MAXIMA. I VISIT TO THE DEALER RESU…
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-ACCELERATING CAR JERKS BAD BETWEEN 1ST & 2ND GEAR. -SLOWING DOWN, CAR KICKS & JERKS WHEN DOWN SHIFTING -PUTTING THE CAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE IT HESITATES A FEW SECONDS -TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR CAUSING THE RPM TO JUMP UP TO 3-5K SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL NISSAN MAXIMA. I VISIT TO THE DEALER RESULTED IN BEING TOLD THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10556361
8,000 miles · Dec 10, 2013
Power Train
MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA STARTED SHOWING SIGNS OF WHAT MAY BE SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ,MAINLY AFTER VEHICLE IS WARMED UP TRANSMISSION HAS A HARSH SHIFT ,AND HARD JERKING THAT WOULD START IN 1ST GEAR GOING INTO 2ND GEAR ,THIS HAPPENED AROUND 80,000 MILES .I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY COULDN'T FIND A…
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MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA STARTED SHOWING SIGNS OF WHAT MAY BE SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ,MAINLY AFTER VEHICLE IS WARMED UP TRANSMISSION HAS A HARSH SHIFT ,AND HARD JERKING THAT WOULD START IN 1ST GEAR GOING INTO 2ND GEAR ,THIS HAPPENED AROUND 80,000 MILES .I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR ,AT CURRENTLY 148,000 MILES CAR STILL HAS EXACT THE SAME ISSUE ..CAR DOES RUNS GREAT ON HIGHWAY ONLY .I'VE SEEN I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS TYPE OF ISSUE MAXIMA IS A NICE CAR BUT HAVING TO DEAL WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS NOT SO ..SPECIALLY SINCE IT COST FROM 3,000 TO 4,000 BRAND NEW HOPEFULLY THERE'S SOME TYPE OF RECALL SO THEY CAN HELPS US OUT HERE AND GET THE PROBLEM SOLVED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10555525
110,000 miles · Dec 7, 2013
Power Train
THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND JERKS THE CAR WHEN UP AND DOWNSHIFTING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR. THE CAR HAS HAD STRONG JERKS WHEN GOING FROM PARK OR REVERSE TO DRIVE AS WELL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE A RECALL WITH THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS OVER THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10555158
80,000 miles · Dec 6, 2013
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE HARD SHIFTED FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILU…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE HARD SHIFTED FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA ODI #10555069
Mileage unknown · Nov 20, 2013
Power Train
2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE TRANSMISSION DEFECTS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, HE FELT SOME MINOR JERKING WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. RECENTLY, THE JERKING BECAME STRONGER AND MORE FREQUENT, EVEN HAPPENING WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. UPON HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, THE CONSUMER WA…
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2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE TRANSMISSION DEFECTS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, HE FELT SOME MINOR JERKING WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. RECENTLY, THE JERKING BECAME STRONGER AND MORE FREQUENT, EVEN HAPPENING WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. UPON HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A NISSAN DEALER, WHERE THE SAME PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE PROBABLY RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION DEFECT SUCH AS A TIMING PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #10553382
60,000 miles · Nov 6, 2013
Structure
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE FLOORBOARDS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WERE COVERED WITH RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
NHTSA ODI #10551086
110,000 miles · Oct 31, 2013
Power Train
CAR BEGAN JERKING AND SKIPPING. LOST ALL CONTROL AND CAR COMPLETELY STALLED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF 5 LANE TRAFFIC. REPAIRS WERE MADE AND CAR HAS BEGUN JERKING AGAIN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10550404