I HAVE A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA THAT JERKS WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1-2 AND R- D. THE ENGINE REEVES WHILE THE SHIFTING . *TR
2006 Nissan Maxima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Maxima years
Owner complaints for the 2006 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
512 reports with mileage · 64 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 393 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. 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.
Power Train complaints
393 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED ABNORMALLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPORTED TO THE MAN…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED ABNORMALLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE TCS, ABS, AND THE SLIP WARNING LIGHTS ALL ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A REAR SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE TCS, ABS, AND THE SLIP WARNING LIGHTS ALL ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A REAR SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ONE WEEK LATER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STOP, AND WOULD NOT MOVE. ONCE HE REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE WOULD JUST TAKE OFF. UPDATED 12/16/13
WE JUST PURCHASED THIS MAXIMA APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AGO. ONCE THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES STRAIGHT, THERE IS SEVERE JERKING AND HESITATION AS IT ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT GEARS. WE EVEN EXPERIENCE THIS WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE. IT ALMOST FEELS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO FALL OUT. IT IS NOW IN THE SHOP DUE TO …
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WE JUST PURCHASED THIS MAXIMA APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AGO. ONCE THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES STRAIGHT, THERE IS SEVERE JERKING AND HESITATION AS IT ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT GEARS. WE EVEN EXPERIENCE THIS WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE. IT ALMOST FEELS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO FALL OUT. IT IS NOW IN THE SHOP DUE TO TRANSMISSION REPAIR. I SEE THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED AGAIN NISSAN DUE TO THE FACT THE THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION AND ARE NOT ATTEMPTING TO FIX THE ISSUE. WE ARE NOW OUT OF MONEY FOR AN ISSUE THAT I BELIEVE SHOULD BE MADE VERY PUBLIC. HAD WE KNOWN IN THE BEGINNING ABOUT THIS INCIDENT, WE WOULD HAVE CHOSEN A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. LUCKILY FOR US, WE WERE NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT LIKE MANY PEOPLE IN THE CASES. I THINK THAT A RECALL NEEDS TO BE PLACED IN ORDER DUE TO THIS DEFECT. I DO NOT WANT ANYONE TO EXPERIENCE WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING. NO ONLY ARE WE STILL PAYING ON THE VEHICLE, WE ARE NOW OUT OF ROUGHLY $3,000 FOR A REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. *TR
SLOWED DOWN WHILE SOMEONE TURNED AND THE CAR SPED UP AN ALMOST HIT THE CAR TURNING. THEN THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING AND SLOWING DOWN ON ITS OWN. THE CAR NOW JERKS INTO GEAR AND SPEEDS UP AND SLOWS DOWN BY ITSELF. I HAVE REFUSED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND FROM EVERYTHING I HAVE READ NISSAN REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING BUT CHARGE $3,500-…
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SLOWED DOWN WHILE SOMEONE TURNED AND THE CAR SPED UP AN ALMOST HIT THE CAR TURNING. THEN THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING AND SLOWING DOWN ON ITS OWN. THE CAR NOW JERKS INTO GEAR AND SPEEDS UP AND SLOWS DOWN BY ITSELF. I HAVE REFUSED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND FROM EVERYTHING I HAVE READ NISSAN REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING BUT CHARGE $3,500-$4,500 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME TRANSMISSION THAT DOES NOT LAST 60,000 MILES IN SOME CARS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CAR AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED TO FIX THE OBVIOUS DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. *TR
IN AUGUST OF 2012 I WAS IN MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHEN I WAS IN TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR WHEN I WAS WAITING AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, WITH CARS BEHIND ME WHEN MY CAR STOPPED AND WOULDN'T START OR MOVE ,THE TRANSMISSION HAD GONE UP A FEW MONTHS PRIOR I TOOK MY CAR TO NISSAN TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC THEY REPORTED N…
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IN AUGUST OF 2012 I WAS IN MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHEN I WAS IN TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR WHEN I WAS WAITING AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, WITH CARS BEHIND ME WHEN MY CAR STOPPED AND WOULDN'T START OR MOVE ,THE TRANSMISSION HAD GONE UP A FEW MONTHS PRIOR I TOOK MY CAR TO NISSAN TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC THEY REPORTED NOT ONLY DID I NEED A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION AT A SUM OF $3500 BUT ALSO A METER CONTROL AMP WHICH CONTROLS THE DRIVERS DASHBOARD ,I MAKE CAR PAYMENTS ON THIS CAR STILL ,I'VE BEEN DRIVING A CAR RENTAL SINCE NOV 2012 I CAN'T AFFORD IT I NEED TRANSPORTATION,I HAVE TO GET TO WORK.I'M SO FRUSTRATED I JUST FOUND OUT YESTERDAY THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WITH NISSAN NORTH AMERICA DUE TO THESE DAMAGE TRANSMISSIONS THEY SOLD THE PUBLIC ,I SO DESPERATELY IN NEED OF HELP I NEED MY CAR FIXED . *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY '06 NISSAN MAXIMA SE HOME FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE. I PRESSED DOWN ON THE GAS TO GET INTO THE OTHER LANE BECAUSE TRAFFIC WAS SPEEDING AROUND ME TO FAST. UPON ME TRYING TO GET INTO THE SLOWER LANE MY CAR STARTED TO BUCKLE AND JERK AND NOT HAVE ANY POWER WHEN I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL. MY CAR JUST LOST ALL POW…
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I WAS DRIVING MY '06 NISSAN MAXIMA SE HOME FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE. I PRESSED DOWN ON THE GAS TO GET INTO THE OTHER LANE BECAUSE TRAFFIC WAS SPEEDING AROUND ME TO FAST. UPON ME TRYING TO GET INTO THE SLOWER LANE MY CAR STARTED TO BUCKLE AND JERK AND NOT HAVE ANY POWER WHEN I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL. MY CAR JUST LOST ALL POWER BUT THE CARE WAS STILL RUNNING. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR. TRAFFIC WAS SPEEDING AROUND ME AND I LOOKED UP AND SAW A 18 WHEELER SLAM ON HIS BREAKS BECAUSE MY CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN AND STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. NO BRAKE LIGHTS OR ANYTHING. MY CAR WAS JUST CREEPING ALONG IN THE MIDDLE OF 5 O'CLOCK TRAFFIC ON I-20 AT I-95N. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO SO I JUST SAT THERE UNTIL FINALLY A BREAK CAME IN THE TRAFFIC ABOUT 30-45 MINS LATER. OTHER DRIVERSHAD TO SKID OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID HITTING THE CARS INFRONT OF THEM BECAUSE MY "SAFE, DEPENDABLE, AND DURABLE" MAXIMA WAS STUCK AND ABOUT TO CAUSE A WHIRLWIND OF A TRAFFIC PILE UP IF NOT DEATHS BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM THAT MY CAR HAS WITH ITS TRANSMISSION. I HAD MY VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND THEY DENIED ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. NOT TO MENTION THAT I HAD TO PAY THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE FOR THEM TO TELL ME THAT MY CAR HAS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. SO, TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORTER, I AM OUT OF A FEE FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE BY DICK SMITH NISSAN IN COLUMBIA, SC. THEY CLAIM THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR! HOWEVER, THEY DID SAY THAT I NEED TO SPEND $4,600 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER NISSAN PRODUCT EVER!!!!!! *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED I NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTS WERE REALLY HARD AND JERKY, BOTH UP SHIFT AND DOWN SHIFT. I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED THE CAR AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT WAS FINE THEN WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT DID NO SLOWLY MOVE FORWARD LIKE IT NORMALLY WOULD. SO I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL SLOWLY AND NOTICED THE GEAR S…
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WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED I NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTS WERE REALLY HARD AND JERKY, BOTH UP SHIFT AND DOWN SHIFT. I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED THE CAR AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT WAS FINE THEN WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT DID NO SLOWLY MOVE FORWARD LIKE IT NORMALLY WOULD. SO I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL SLOWLY AND NOTICED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO FIRST REALLY HARD IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING JUST HIT THE CAR. I RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THIS 6TH GENERATION NISSAN MAXIMA (2006) AND THE 5 SPEED AT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I CALLED NISSAN AND THEY DID NOT OFFER TO FIX THE ISSUE FOR ME. I WAS TOLD THAT I DID NOT HAVE A "BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP" WITH THE DEALER AND THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HELP ME. UPON ASKING TO ELABORATE WHAT A "BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP" MEANT, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT SERVICED BY NISSAN DEALERSHIPS ON A REGULAR BASIS. I AM REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH NISSAN FOR NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR USING FAULTY EQUIPMENT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING MY MAXIMA STARTED TO WITH A LITTLE KICK GOING INTO 2ND GEAR..NOW THERE IS A MAJOR KICK WHEN GIVING IT GAS OR GOING TO REVERSE..ANYTHING IN REVERSE 1ST 2ND OR 3RD GEAR HAS A HARD KICK..THERE ARE ALOT TO OTHER CUSTOMERS WITH SAME PROBLEM AND NISSAN WONT HELP THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK AND LUNGED FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT PERFORMED ONLINE RESEARCH AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000.
Official recalls
206V046000 · Suspension:rear
Feb 13, 2006
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE REAR SUBFRAME MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRACK IN A BRACKET WHICH HOLDS PART OF THE REAR SUSPENSION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE BRACKET IS CRACKED, THE STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE MAY BE AFFECTED UNDER SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR SUBFRAME TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY AND REPLACE IT, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 27, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
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.
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.
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