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 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 8, 2012
Power Train
I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE AND THE POWER TRAIN WAS FINE. I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WHEN MY VEHICLES SHIFTS. IT MAKES HARD JERKS WHEN SHIFTING AND THE RPMS REV UP UNCONTROLLABLY. I GOT ONLINE TO RESEARCH FOR RECALLS AND HAVE YET FOUND ONE BUT WHAT I DID FIND IS NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM I'M HAVING. THIS IS A VERY DAN…
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I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE AND THE POWER TRAIN WAS FINE. I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WHEN MY VEHICLES SHIFTS. IT MAKES HARD JERKS WHEN SHIFTING AND THE RPMS REV UP UNCONTROLLABLY. I GOT ONLINE TO RESEARCH FOR RECALLS AND HAVE YET FOUND ONE BUT WHAT I DID FIND IS NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM I'M HAVING. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I CONTACTED NISSAN CORP. TO SEE WHY THERE IS NO RECALLS WITH SO MANY PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT NHTSA DEALS WITH ALL RECALLS. THERE IS ALSO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT COMING TOGETHER ON THIS ISSUE. I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT KNOW THAT SO MANY OF US ARE HAVING TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH OUR TRANSMISSIONS CORRECTED. THIS HAS GOT TO BE A DEFECT IN THIS CERTAIN YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS SITUATION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. I HAVE THREE SMALL CHILDREN THAT RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE. I WORRY EVERYTIME I DRIVE WITH THEM THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS GOING TO HAPPEN. I FEEL NISSAN SHOULD BE COMPLETELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION THAT IT TAKES TO LOOK INTO SITUATIONS LIKE THIS. IT IS DEEPLY APPRECIATED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10469720
85,000 miles · Aug 7, 2012
Power Train
TRANSMISSION SLIPS, JERKS AND GOES IN AND OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. SHIFTS HARD IN THE LOWER GEARS AFTER IT WARMS UP, SLIPS AND ENGINE REVING DURING SHIFTS, SLAMMING HARD WHEN SLOWING DOWN, AND DELAYS WHEN PLACING IN GEAR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10469512
107,000 miles · Aug 7, 2012
EnginePower Train
WHEN BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. ISSUE WORSENED WHEN ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING RAPIDLY. FLUIDS CHANGED REGULARLY. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AT FIRST. HAS NOW BECOME RECURRING. UPON REVIEW, IT APPEARS TO BE WIDE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE 2005 AND 2006 YEAR MODEL WITH THE AISIN RE5F22A 5 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANS…
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WHEN BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. ISSUE WORSENED WHEN ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING RAPIDLY. FLUIDS CHANGED REGULARLY. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AT FIRST. HAS NOW BECOME RECURRING. UPON REVIEW, IT APPEARS TO BE WIDE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE 2005 AND 2006 YEAR MODEL WITH THE AISIN RE5F22A 5 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10469474
78,000 miles · Aug 3, 2012
Power Train
HELLO : I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WHEN I SHIFT INTO AND OUT OF GEAR . THERE'S A BIG CLUNK SOUND, IT GOES AND COMES . I LOVE NISSANS I HAD 3 IN MY LIFE AND THIS IS MY FOURTH AND BY FAR THE WORSE ONE SO FAR PLEASE RECALL THIS PROBLEM PPL DON'T HAVE THE TIME NOR MONEY TO SPEND ON A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED . *TR
NHTSA ODI #10469109
96,100 miles · Aug 3, 2012
Power Train
EXPERIENCED HARD JERKY SHIFTS WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN DRIVE AND REVERSE GEARS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10469066
85,000 miles · Aug 1, 2012
Power Train
TRANSMISSION JERKY AND SLIPPING DESPITE BEING WELL MAINTAINED. STALLED IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION AND OTHER TIMES MAKING UNSAFE. TRANSMISSION REPLACED. 50,000 MILES LATER, SAME EXACT PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED. UNSAFE CAR TO DRIVE. MUST BE DEFECTIVE DESIGN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10468891
134,000 miles · Jul 20, 2012
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE JERKED BEFORE STALLING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND CONFIRMED THERE WAS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE JERKED BEFORE STALLING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND CONFIRMED THERE WAS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.
NHTSA ODI #10466800
97,000 miles · Jul 17, 2012
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 20 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,941.
NHTSA ODI #10465978
90,000 miles · Jul 17, 2012
Power Train
I BOUGHT 05 NISSAN MAXIMA 3 YEARS AGO!! IT START HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WHEN I WAS UNDER WARRANTY I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP THEY SAID ITS MOTOR MOUNT PROBLEM!! I GOT NEW MOTOR MOUNTS AND NOTHING HAPPENED! HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS I GOT OUT OF THE WARRANTY I WENT BACK TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR SAME PROBLEM A…
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I BOUGHT 05 NISSAN MAXIMA 3 YEARS AGO!! IT START HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WHEN I WAS UNDER WARRANTY I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP THEY SAID ITS MOTOR MOUNT PROBLEM!! I GOT NEW MOTOR MOUNTS AND NOTHING HAPPENED! HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS I GOT OUT OF THE WARRANTY I WENT BACK TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR SAME PROBLEM AND THEY SAID ITS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT IT JERKS GOING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR AND SAME WHEN GOING BACK FROM 3RD TO 2ND GEAR!! DEALER SAID IT WOULD COST $3500 TO FIX IT!!! I CALLED CORPORATE OFFICE WITH THE PROBLEM THEY SAID AFTER 3 DAYS THAT THEY CANT HELP BC ITS OUT OF WARRANTY! I STILL OWE $5000 ON THE CAR AND MAKING PAYMENTS I CANT AFFORD TO GET THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED!! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10465934
100,000 miles · Jul 16, 2012
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECURRING FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. ...UPDATED 08-03-12 *BF
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.
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.
2005 Nissan Maxima Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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