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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 →

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.

21 crash reports4 fire reports12 injury reports

Power Train complaints

393 reports
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81,000 miles · Apr 4, 2018
Power Train

MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA SE 81K MILES JUST QUIT SHIFTING. IT WILL NOT GO FORWARD OR REVERSE.

NHTSA ODI #11083203

Mileage unknown · Mar 11, 2018
Power Train

TRANSMISSION JERKS INTO GEAR AND WHEN SHIFTING. ACCELERATION CAN BE SLOW AND HAS CAUSED ME TO NEARLY HAVE AND ACCIDENT WHEN I COULD NOT CLEAR AN INTERSECTION AS QUICKLY AS NECESSARY. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL CLUNK INTO GEAR WHEN SHIFTING AND WHEN DRIVING. TRANSMISSION WILL STICK IN 5TH AND NEED TO SHIFT MANUALLY TO MOVE AT ALL. TH…

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TRANSMISSION JERKS INTO GEAR AND WHEN SHIFTING. ACCELERATION CAN BE SLOW AND HAS CAUSED ME TO NEARLY HAVE AND ACCIDENT WHEN I COULD NOT CLEAR AN INTERSECTION AS QUICKLY AS NECESSARY. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL CLUNK INTO GEAR WHEN SHIFTING AND WHEN DRIVING. TRANSMISSION WILL STICK IN 5TH AND NEED TO SHIFT MANUALLY TO MOVE AT ALL. THIS IS A PROBLEM WAITING TO HAPPEN AS I MIGHT NEED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC, OR A TRAIN, AND THE CAR WON'T MOVE. I HAVE READ MULTIPLE FORUMS WHERE OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW. NOW, 147,000 MILES. AMAZING THAT OTHER CARS CONTINUE TO RUN, SAFELY, WELL INTO THE 300,000 MILE RANGE. DISAPPOINTED WITH NISSAN FOR NOT HAVING A RECALL ON THIS TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #11078586

121,300 miles · Mar 11, 2018
Power Train

TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING HARD AND SLIPPING

NHTSA ODI #11078533

Mileage unknown · Nov 13, 2017
Power Train

CAR HAS A LITTLE OVER 50,000 MILES, WAS DEALER MAINTAINED AND, TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN AVERAGE WEAR.

NHTSA ODI #11045848

120,000 miles · Oct 3, 2017
Power Train

OVER TIME THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE. WHILE TRANSMISSION ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT, IT "SLIPS" AND REVS UP UNTIL IT "CATCHES" AND THEN JERKS INTO GEAR. THIS HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING, AND ALSO WHILE DECELERATING YOU GET THE JERK AND LOUD "CLUNKING". WHEN CHANGING GEARS FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, THE CAR WILL PAUSE OR HANG UP…

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OVER TIME THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE. WHILE TRANSMISSION ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT, IT "SLIPS" AND REVS UP UNTIL IT "CATCHES" AND THEN JERKS INTO GEAR. THIS HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING, AND ALSO WHILE DECELERATING YOU GET THE JERK AND LOUD "CLUNKING". WHEN CHANGING GEARS FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, THE CAR WILL PAUSE OR HANG UP FOR A COUPLE SECONDS BEFORE POPPING INTO GEAR, ACCOMPANIED BY A JERK AGAIN. WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHIFTING AND YOU HEAR / SEE THE REVS START TO JUMP OFF YOU NEED TO LET OFF OF THE GAS IMMEDIATELY IN ORDER TO STOP IT FROM RED-LINING OR JERKING SO HARD YOU SNAP YOUR NECK. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE MODEL MAXIMAS. SAD.

NHTSA ODI #11031570

168,000 miles · Aug 9, 2017
Power Train

BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTERS FIRST CAR WHEN SHE TURNED SIXTEEN. SHE DROVE FOR ONE MONTH AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING HARD, REVING UP HIGH, AND SLIPPING. SHE SCARED TO DRIVE NOW SO THE MONEY I PAID FOR THIS CAR IS WASTED. I'M A MOTHER OF TWO I DON'T HAVE THE KIND OF MONEY THEY WANT TO REPLACE THIS TRANSMISSION. SHE ON…

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BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTERS FIRST CAR WHEN SHE TURNED SIXTEEN. SHE DROVE FOR ONE MONTH AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING HARD, REVING UP HIGH, AND SLIPPING. SHE SCARED TO DRIVE NOW SO THE MONEY I PAID FOR THIS CAR IS WASTED. I'M A MOTHER OF TWO I DON'T HAVE THE KIND OF MONEY THEY WANT TO REPLACE THIS TRANSMISSION. SHE ONLY NEEDED TO DRIVE HER SIBLING AND HER TO AND FROM SCHOOL A MILE DOWN THE RD BUT THE CAR JERKS ON THE WAY THERE. NOT A VERY DEPENDABLE CAR FOR A NISSAN TOP OF THE LINE MADE VEHICLE. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD A NISSAN GUESS I NEED TO SWITCH BRANDS SINCE NISSAN DOES NOT WANT TO FIX THE MISTAKE THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

NHTSA ODI #11013960

150,000 miles · Jul 14, 2017
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE JOLTED FORWARD INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED SHE NOTICED THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON OR AFTER SHE HAD REVERSED THEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKN…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE JOLTED FORWARD INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED SHE NOTICED THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON OR AFTER SHE HAD REVERSED THEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN TRANSMISSION SHOP, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC FEES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.

NHTSA ODI #11005257

55,000 miles · Jun 27, 2017
Power Train

WHEN IS MOVING AND GOING TO STOP IN A TRAFFIC LIGHT IS VERY HARD THE SHIFT AND SLEEPING THE TRANSMISSION. P.D. WHEN I FELT THIS ISSUES WAS SINCE 01/06/2012 AND STILL MORE NOTABLE AT CURRENT TIME.

NHTSA ODI #11001705

86,736 miles · Jun 16, 2017
Power Train

THE TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING AND SLIPPING A FEW WEEKS AGO TILL SUDDENLY STARTED DECELERATING IN THE FREE WAY TO THE POINT THAT HAD TO STOP. NOW IT DOESN'T ACCELERATE ANYMORE.

NHTSA ODI #10995506

116,000 miles · May 24, 2017
EnginePower Train

CAR TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND VIOLENTLY JERKS WHEN CHANGING GEARS FROM PARK TO 1ST OR REVERSE AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN THE CITY. SUDDEN RPM INCREASE AND ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. DUE TO THE JERKING, ENGINE MOUNT IS BROKEN.

NHTSA ODI #10991431

Official recalls

2

06V046000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.