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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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

948 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 12, 2013
Power Train

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, JERKING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I AM FILING A COMPLAINT TO DOCUMENT THIS EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURE, HOPING FOR NISSAN TO ISSUE A RECALL OR ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10534877

131,300 miles · Aug 3, 2013
Power Train

I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED JULY 2013 TEST DROVE FINE BUT IT WAS A SHORT DRIVE AFTER AN HOUR OF DRIVING THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION HIT VERY HARD IN REVERSE AND GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION THEY REPLACED IT W A USED ONE WHICH SCARES ME BUT THEY DID FIX IT NO CHARGE IT …

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I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED JULY 2013 TEST DROVE FINE BUT IT WAS A SHORT DRIVE AFTER AN HOUR OF DRIVING THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION HIT VERY HARD IN REVERSE AND GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION THEY REPLACED IT W A USED ONE WHICH SCARES ME BUT THEY DID FIX IT NO CHARGE IT IS A BEAUTIFUL CAR AND I HOPE IT WORKS OUT I OWNED A 2001 I30 INFINITI AND IT WAS A GREAT NISSAN PLEASE DO A RECALL NISSAN TOO MANY EXPENSIVE FIXES FOR FOLKS WHO LOVE YOUR CARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10533379

76,000 miles · Jul 26, 2013
EnginePower Train

MY CAR TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND SHIFTS HARD WHEN ITS DOES IN 1 AND 2ND GEAR AND SOMETIMES STALL THE CAR AND WONT MOVE ONLY REV FOR ABOUT 5 SECS THEN JERK HARD ENOUGH TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE I GOT HIT BY ANOTHER CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10532055

75,000 miles · Jul 22, 2013
Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VIOLENTLY SHIFTS INTO GEAR FROM 1ST TO 2ND. ALSO VIOLENT SHIFTING WHEN SLOWING DOWN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10526182

116,000 miles · Jul 22, 2013
Electrical SystemPower TrainUnknown Or Other

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN TOWN THE CAR STARTED JERKING ERRATICALLY, LAUNCHING FORWARD, HARD JERKS, CAR SHAKING LIKE CRAZY, SMELL BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR, I ALMOST HIT OTHER CARS DUE TO MY CAR JERKING FORWARD. I WAS FRIGHTENED... THE CAR IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE TO SAY THE VERY LEAST. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING,…

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WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN TOWN THE CAR STARTED JERKING ERRATICALLY, LAUNCHING FORWARD, HARD JERKS, CAR SHAKING LIKE CRAZY, SMELL BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR, I ALMOST HIT OTHER CARS DUE TO MY CAR JERKING FORWARD. I WAS FRIGHTENED... THE CAR IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE TO SAY THE VERY LEAST. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING, IT JERKS AND LAUNCHES FORWARD AT WILL. MY CHILDREN COULD HAVE GOT SERIOUSLY HURT RIDING IN THIS CAR. I PAID CLOSE TO $800 TOGET THIS CAR FIXED IN MAY OF 2013, ONLY TO HAVE IT ALL HAPPEN ALL OVER AGAIN AS THE NISSAN CORPORATION KNEW OF DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS IN THE NISSAN MAXIAMAS. YET, THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THESE "DEATH TRAPS", TO CITIZENS.. THIS IS AN ATROCITY, WHAT THE NISSAN CORPORATION HAS TO DONE IT'S CONSUMERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10526132

102,000 miles · Jul 20, 2013
Power Train

TRAVELING AT 30 MPH, VEHICLE BEGAN TO UPSHIFT. ALSO, MADE CLUNKING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING TO REVERSE, THEN TO DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10525899

100,000 miles · Jul 19, 2013
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE FORWARD. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO OPERATE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMIS…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE FORWARD. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO OPERATE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10525798

104,000 miles · Jul 15, 2013
Power Train

2005 NISSAN MAXIMA BEGAN SHIFTING HEAVY, ESPECIALLY WHEN DOWN SHIFTING,HEAVY JERKS AT TIMES, AND DELAY OR JUMP WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE. TOOK TO TRANSMISSION PLACE TO CHECK ON ISSUE ONCE I SAID WHAT KIND OF CAR I HAD HE SAID LET ME GUESS 2005. THEY SAID THEY HAVE SEEN SEVERAL WITH ISSUES SOME AS EARLY AS 50,000 MILES. I CURRENTLY …

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2005 NISSAN MAXIMA BEGAN SHIFTING HEAVY, ESPECIALLY WHEN DOWN SHIFTING,HEAVY JERKS AT TIMES, AND DELAY OR JUMP WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE. TOOK TO TRANSMISSION PLACE TO CHECK ON ISSUE ONCE I SAID WHAT KIND OF CAR I HAD HE SAID LET ME GUESS 2005. THEY SAID THEY HAVE SEEN SEVERAL WITH ISSUES SOME AS EARLY AS 50,000 MILES. I CURRENTLY HAVE 104,000 WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND ALSO BECAUSE OF THE JERKING AND ENGINE MOUNT WAS ALSO NEEDED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10524881

110,000 miles · Jul 15, 2013
Power Train

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. IT STARTED JERKING AND SHIFTING HARD. I HAD TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGED AND FLUSHED AT A LOCAL NISSAN BUT IT ONLY WORKED TEMPORARILY. I HAVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $3500-$5000. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10524793

78,000 miles · Jul 10, 2013
Power Train

I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA FOR AWHILE, BUT LATELY THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN ACTING UP. THE MAXIMA SHIFTS GEARS VERY HARD AND CAUSES A VERY DANGEROUS THRUSTING MOTION. ALSO, WHENEVER THE MAXIMA IS SWITCHED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE IT KICKS FORWARD VERY HARD AND LOUD. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS AND NISSA…

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I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA FOR AWHILE, BUT LATELY THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN ACTING UP. THE MAXIMA SHIFTS GEARS VERY HARD AND CAUSES A VERY DANGEROUS THRUSTING MOTION. ALSO, WHENEVER THE MAXIMA IS SWITCHED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE IT KICKS FORWARD VERY HARD AND LOUD. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS AND NISSAN NEEDS TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION APPROPRIATELY. I TOOK THE MAXIMA INTO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION NISSAN HAS PUT IN THIS CARS MODEL IS TERRIBLE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY ONLY OPTION IS TO HAVE THE VALVE BODY REBUILT. THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY SURROUNDING PARTS OF THE VEHICLE. AGAIN, THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 2005 MAXIMA NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10524268

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.