WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE THERE IS A HARD JERK PRIOR TO ENGAGEMENT. *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.
What owners actually said
576 reportsWHILE DRIVING HOME IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH MY 2 KIDS IN THE CAR, AT A STOP LIGHT, MY MAXIMA ALL OF A SUDDEN WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE ENGINE WOULD REV, BUT NO MOVEMENT HAPPENED. I TRIED EVERY GEAR AND WAS ABLE TO GET OVER FROM THE FAR LANE TO A PARKING LOT (WHILE ALMOST GETTING HIT TWICE). MY CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NISSAN…
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WHILE DRIVING HOME IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH MY 2 KIDS IN THE CAR, AT A STOP LIGHT, MY MAXIMA ALL OF A SUDDEN WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE ENGINE WOULD REV, BUT NO MOVEMENT HAPPENED. I TRIED EVERY GEAR AND WAS ABLE TO GET OVER FROM THE FAR LANE TO A PARKING LOT (WHILE ALMOST GETTING HIT TWICE). MY CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR THAT I HAD ONLY HAD SINCE 06/2010 NEEDED ITS TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THANKFULLY WE HAD BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. WELL, 5 MONTHS LATER IN MAY OF 2011, MY CAR STARTED JERKING BADLY WHEN SHIFTING AND SOMETIMES DIDN'T WANT TO GO INTO GEAR WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. GUESS WHAT, NISSAN DEALERSHIP SAID THE LAST TRANSMISSION (2ND ONE FOR THE CAR THAT WAS 5 YEARS OLD HAD 85000 MILES ON IT)WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AGAIN, IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN LESS THAN 12 MTHS OR 12000 MILES ON THE LAST TRANSMISSION THEY HAD PUT IN THE CAR. SHOCKINGLY, HERE IT IS, A LITTLE OVER 2 YEARS LATER AND GUESS WHAT???? MY CAR ISN'T WANTING TO GO INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE WITHOUT WAITING FOR 30-90 SECONDS. CALLED THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE PRETTY SURE THE CAR NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION!!!!!! THIS WILL BE THE 4TH TRANSMISSION THIS 7 YEAR OLD CAR HAS HAD. IT HAS 125000 MILES ON THE CAR, SHOULDN'T IT JUST BE HAVING TRANSMISSION ISSUES NOW???? OH AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, THE CAR IS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THE NISSAN WON'T COVER THE COST OF REPLACING THIS TRANSMISSION BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN 12000 MILES/12 MTHS SINCE THE LAST ONE WAS PUT IN! SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY WRONG WITH NISSAN TRANSMISSIONS AND I TOO WILL BE SURE TO NEVER PURCHASE A NISSAN EVER AGAIN AND WILL BE SURE TO LET ALL MY FRIENDS KNOW NOT TO EITHER! *JS
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH ROUGHLY 47.5K MILES ON IT. WHEN I AM IN TRAFFIC AND ACCELERATING AND BREAKING CONSTANTLY, MY CAR JAMS INTO GEAR. WHEN I GO FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE AND BACK AGAIN (PARALLEL PARKING, 3-POINT TURN) MY CAR HAS TROUBLE GETTING INTO GEAR AND THEN FINALLY SLAMS INTO …
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I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH ROUGHLY 47.5K MILES ON IT. WHEN I AM IN TRAFFIC AND ACCELERATING AND BREAKING CONSTANTLY, MY CAR JAMS INTO GEAR. WHEN I GO FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE AND BACK AGAIN (PARALLEL PARKING, 3-POINT TURN) MY CAR HAS TROUBLE GETTING INTO GEAR AND THEN FINALLY SLAMS INTO GEAR. MOSTLY HAPPENS IN FIRST 3 GEARS. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND NOTICED THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE VALVE BODY IN NISSAN MAXIMAS, SPECIFICALLY 2006 MODELS. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD JERK WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE W…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD JERK WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65000.
I NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA STARTED TO SHIFT HARD WHILE DRIVING AND JERK INTO GEAR. I BOUGHT IT THREE YEARS PRIOR AS PREOWNED FROM A NISSAN DEALERSHIP. IT HAD 106K MILES ON IT WHEN IT STARTED TO SHIFT HARD AND JERK. I TOOK IT TO PAT PECK NISSAN IN MOBILE, AL TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED AND I WAS TOLD THAT…
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I NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA STARTED TO SHIFT HARD WHILE DRIVING AND JERK INTO GEAR. I BOUGHT IT THREE YEARS PRIOR AS PREOWNED FROM A NISSAN DEALERSHIP. IT HAD 106K MILES ON IT WHEN IT STARTED TO SHIFT HARD AND JERK. I TOOK IT TO PAT PECK NISSAN IN MOBILE, AL TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION BANDS WERE GOING OUT AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ONCE I STARTED TO GOOGLE NISSAN MAXIMA TRANSMISSIONS, I CAME ACROSS WHERE A CIVIL LAWSUIT WAS FILED AGAINST NISSAN IN 2012 CLAIMING THAT NISSAN KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS IN THE 2004-2006 NISSAN MAXIMAS AND ALTIMAS. I CONTACTED THE CORPORATE OFFICE OF NISSAN WITH MY ISSUE AND TO SEE IF THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. I THEN HAD TO CALL THEM BACK FOR AN STATUS ON MY CASE AND I WAS THEN TOLD THAT BECAUSE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED (4 MONTHS PRIOR) THAT NISSAN WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST ME WITH THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT MY EXPIRED WARRANTY HAS TO DO WITH A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION?? A TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT BE GOING OUT WITH 106K MILES, MOSTLY HIGHWAY AND THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. WHILE I WAS ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THE LAWSUIT, THERE WERE SO MANY COMPLAINTS OF PEOPLE WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD GO OUT IN EVERYONE'S CAR THAT HAS A 2004-2006 MAXIMA OR ALTIMA! I HAVE OWNED THREE NISSAN TOTAL AND I WILL NEVER BY ANOTHER NISSAN AGAIN. *TR
SUDDENLY BROKE DOWN WHILE IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. CAR WAS TOWED AND HAD CAM SENSORS REPLACED. TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. THE ENGINE WOULD REV BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. IT THEN WOULD BEGIN TO ABRUPTLY SHIFT BUT NOT GAIN SPEED. THERE WAS ALSO KNOCKING WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO PARK AND VICE VERSA. W…
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SUDDENLY BROKE DOWN WHILE IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. CAR WAS TOWED AND HAD CAM SENSORS REPLACED. TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. THE ENGINE WOULD REV BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. IT THEN WOULD BEGIN TO ABRUPTLY SHIFT BUT NOT GAIN SPEED. THERE WAS ALSO KNOCKING WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO PARK AND VICE VERSA. WOULD AT TIMES BE STUCK AT 20MPH OR THE ENGINE WOULD REV. HAD TO PULL OVER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR FEARING THAT IT MIGHT ACCELERATE AND REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE OR ABRUPTLY LOSE SPEED AND MYSELF BE REAR ENDED. ALSO LETS OFF A HORRIBLE SULFUR SMELL. WAS DIAGNOSED WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 8/22/13 WITH 48500 MILES. *TT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,000.
TRANSMISSION ON MY 2006 MAXIMA IS SLIPPING SIGNIFICANTLY!!! INITIALLY BEGAN ACTING UP WHEN PUTTING IN REVERSE FROM PARK OR GOING FROM REVERSE TO 1ST. HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHECKED--NO PROBLEM FOUND. NOW, HOWEVER, IT SLIPS WHEN ACCELERATING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE RESULTING JERK IS AS BAD AS HAVING BEEN REAR-ENDED!! SEVERAL…
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TRANSMISSION ON MY 2006 MAXIMA IS SLIPPING SIGNIFICANTLY!!! INITIALLY BEGAN ACTING UP WHEN PUTTING IN REVERSE FROM PARK OR GOING FROM REVERSE TO 1ST. HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHECKED--NO PROBLEM FOUND. NOW, HOWEVER, IT SLIPS WHEN ACCELERATING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE RESULTING JERK IS AS BAD AS HAVING BEEN REAR-ENDED!! SEVERAL TIMES THE TRANSMISSION HAS HESITATED SO LONG WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THAT I HAVE BEEN AFRAID OF BEING HIT BY THE CAR BEHIND ME. MOREOVER, THE SLIPPAGE SEEMS TO BE EXACERBATED WHEN THE A/C IS RUNNING--WHICH MAKES NO SENSE TO ME--BUT THE JOLT I GET WHEN IT FINALLY FINDS THE NEXT GEAR IS CLEARLY MUCH WORSE. AT 100,000 MILES, I'M GOING TO BE OUT-OF-POCKET FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION THAT SHOULD HAVE LASTED AT LEAST TWICE THE MILEAGE!! I TAKE CARE OF MY CARS--GOT NEARLY 250,000 OUT OF EACH OF MY PREVIOUS CARS: 2000 ACCORD, 1993 MAZDA 626 AND 1985 CAMRY. THIS IS THE FIRST AND LAST NISSAN I WILL EVER BUY!!!!! *TR
MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS BEEN FEELING WEIRD FOR SOME WEEKS NOW. EVERY TIME IT WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC SHOP THEY WERE NEVER EVER ABLE TO PINPOINT THE ISSUE. AFTER HAVING SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON A NEW VALVE BODY, TRANSMISSION FLUSH, ETC. THE ISSUE NOW SEEMS TO BE THE TRANSMISSION! MY TRANSMISSION IS COMPLETELY OUT! I AM V…
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MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS BEEN FEELING WEIRD FOR SOME WEEKS NOW. EVERY TIME IT WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC SHOP THEY WERE NEVER EVER ABLE TO PINPOINT THE ISSUE. AFTER HAVING SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON A NEW VALVE BODY, TRANSMISSION FLUSH, ETC. THE ISSUE NOW SEEMS TO BE THE TRANSMISSION! MY TRANSMISSION IS COMPLETELY OUT! I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAVE SPENT $21,000+ ON THIS CAR TO GET NOTHING BUT DEPT OUT OF IT! AFTER ALMOST GETTING INTO MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS FROM THE SUDDEN JERKING OF THE TRANSMISSION, I CAN SAY I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER NISSAN VEHICLE AGAIN!!!!! I WISH I WOULD HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THIS VEHICLE SOONER SO THAT I COULD HAVE TRADED IT IN BEFORE IT WAS TOO LATE. MY MOTHER WHO ALSO PURCHASED A NISSAN (QUEST) IS BEGINNING TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE COMPANY. THE LEAST NISSAN COULD DO IT REPAIR THE DAMAGE FOR ALL THE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME ISSUE! *TR
THE CAR JERKS OR HESITATES AS IT SWITCHES TO DRIVE; GEARS ARE GETTING STUCK AS THEY SWITCH IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. *TR
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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