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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

What owners actually said

576 reports
99,000 miles · Aug 5, 2013
Fuel System, GasolinePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

RECENT DANGEROUS ISSUES WITH MY 2006 MAXIMA. LATELY IT HAS BEEN JUMPING, OR JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, OR AFTER MILD BRAKING. IT IS SO SUDDEN, FEELS LIKE I MAY HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED! I NOTICED TWO WEEKS AGO A LITTLE JUMP IN THE RPMS, BUT NOTHING TOO MAJOR. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND "EVERYTHING LOOKED GOOD". THAT'S WHAT …

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RECENT DANGEROUS ISSUES WITH MY 2006 MAXIMA. LATELY IT HAS BEEN JUMPING, OR JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, OR AFTER MILD BRAKING. IT IS SO SUDDEN, FEELS LIKE I MAY HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED! I NOTICED TWO WEEKS AGO A LITTLE JUMP IN THE RPMS, BUT NOTHING TOO MAJOR. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND "EVERYTHING LOOKED GOOD". THAT'S WHAT THEY ALWAYS SAY.. SAT AUG, 2, 2013, TURNED INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA FROM A HIGHWAY, MY RPMS JUMPED SO HIGH AND MY CAR SEEMED TO ALMOST STALL OR FREEZE, IT JUMPED TO RPM 6. I WAS SO STARTLED I STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED IT OFF. LATER IN THE NIGHT IT DROVE AGAIN FINE. TWO DAYS LATER, AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY, MY CAR DID IT AGAIN, UP TO 5, THEN A MOMENT LATER UP TO 4-5. I THEN CAME TO A FOUR WAY STOP AND GENTLY ACCELERATED ONLY FOR MY CAR TO FREEZE/JUMP/JERK AGAIN BUT THIS TIME ALL THE WAY TO 7. I HAD TO DRIFT OFF TO THE SIDE OF ROAD AND TURN MY CAR OFF AGAIN. SAT THERE FOR 20 MIN UNTIL TRYING TO START ENGINE AND DRIVE HOME, 3 MILES FROM HOME, EXITING A MAJOR HIGHWAY. 10- 45 MPH. NOT CATCHING THE CORRECT GEAR, OR NOT RECEIVING THE FUEL PROPERLY TO THE ENGINE, INHIBITING ALL DRIVING ABILITIES, SPEED AND SAFETY. LITERALLY CAN FEEL IT AS A DRIVER. INCREDIBLY SCARY, SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE, EXPENSIVE CAR. DO NOT WANT TO BE KILLED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER, ALL BECAUSE NISSAN WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, CLAIM A RECALL THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A NATION WIDE ISSUE. 255 OUT OF 375 COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITES ARE FOR THE POWER TRAIN OF 2006 MAXIMAS. POWER TRAIN=THAT IS 92.7 % OF THE PROBLEM WITH 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. IF THAT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FAULT, THEN WHAT DOES? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE INJURED, OR KILLED BEFORE THIS IS RECOGNIZED? DISGUSTING, ASHAMED, PATHETIC. HTTP://WWW.COURTHOUSENEWS.COM/2012/01/13/NISSAN.PDF. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10533776

90,000 miles · Aug 3, 2013
Power Train

1. WHEN SLOWING DOWN AROUND A TURN, UPON ACCELERATING, THERE WAS A HARD KNOCK. ALMOST FELT AS IF I HAD GOTTEN REAR ENDED. 2. WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP, SHIFTING FROM 3 TO 2 WAS ALSO VERY HARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10533391

77,000 miles · Jul 31, 2013
Power Train

WHEN DRIVING THE CAR IT SLAMS INTO SECOND AND THIRD GEAR. THEN WHEN I PUT IT INTO REVERSE IT WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE RIGHT AWAY AND SOMETIMES IT SLAMS INTO REVERSE AND JERKS THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10532910

85,000 miles · Jul 29, 2013
Power Train

MY CAR BEGAN SHIFTING (ABRUPTLY AND HARD) WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR STOPPING I'D SAY MAYBE 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. IT WAS DISSATISFIED TO KNOW AFTER ONLINE RESEARCH THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE AND NISSAN WILL HAVE NO PART IN RESOLVING THE PROBLEM. NOT HAPPY!! SO NOW I MUST REPLACE THE VALVE BODY FROM WHAT I'VE FOUND BECAUSE IT'S NOT TH…

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MY CAR BEGAN SHIFTING (ABRUPTLY AND HARD) WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR STOPPING I'D SAY MAYBE 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. IT WAS DISSATISFIED TO KNOW AFTER ONLINE RESEARCH THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE AND NISSAN WILL HAVE NO PART IN RESOLVING THE PROBLEM. NOT HAPPY!! SO NOW I MUST REPLACE THE VALVE BODY FROM WHAT I'VE FOUND BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE TRANNY JUST "THE BRAINS" FOR THE TRANNY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10532288

92,000 miles · Jul 18, 2013
Power Train

TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10525655

64,000 miles · Jul 15, 2013
Power Train

WE HAVE A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. WE BOUGHT IT USED IN JAN 2012. BY JUNE 2013, WE NOTICED TRANSMISSION ISSUES. WHEN ACCELERATING, IT HESITATES AND THEN BANGS INTO GEAR. WHEN PARKING IT HESITATES AND BANGS INTO REVERSE AND DRIVE. THE RADIATOR IS ALSO HAVING ISSUES. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT MORE THAN 10 MILES AT A TIME. THIS SEE…

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WE HAVE A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. WE BOUGHT IT USED IN JAN 2012. BY JUNE 2013, WE NOTICED TRANSMISSION ISSUES. WHEN ACCELERATING, IT HESITATES AND THEN BANGS INTO GEAR. WHEN PARKING IT HESITATES AND BANGS INTO REVERSE AND DRIVE. THE RADIATOR IS ALSO HAVING ISSUES. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT MORE THAN 10 MILES AT A TIME. THIS SEEMS LIKE A MASSIVE ISSUE WITH SEVERAL NISSAN MODELS FROM 2004-2006. LET'S HOPE NISSAN ACCEPTS THEIR FAULTY EQUIPMENT AND DOES WHAT IS RIGHT TO HELP EVERYONE GET IT FIXED. MANY PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY FOR REPAIRS AND/OR ARE UPSIDE DOWN IN LOAN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10524839

152,648 miles · Jul 13, 2013
Power Train

ENGINE STARTS FINE. WHEN CAR IS SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE THERE IS A DELAYED ENGAGEMENT, FOLLOWED BY A HARSH THUD AS CAR GOES INTO GEAR. I HAVE WORKED PROFESSIONALLY AS A MECHANIC AND HAVE REBUILT SEVERAL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE VALVE BODY. THE INTERNET IS COVERED IN COMPLAINTS ON THIS…

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ENGINE STARTS FINE. WHEN CAR IS SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE THERE IS A DELAYED ENGAGEMENT, FOLLOWED BY A HARSH THUD AS CAR GOES INTO GEAR. I HAVE WORKED PROFESSIONALLY AS A MECHANIC AND HAVE REBUILT SEVERAL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE VALVE BODY. THE INTERNET IS COVERED IN COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM; JUST GO TO GOOGLE AND TYPE IN "MAXIMA TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS." UNFORTUNATELY, MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE MY MECHANICAL APTITUDE AND THE NISSAN IS NOT OWNING UP TO THE PROBLEM SO IT ENDS UP COSTING THE CUSTOMER $3,000.00 -$4,500.00 OR MORE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED. MY CAR NO LONGER HAS THE "HARSH DELAYED SHIFT," INITIALLY IN THE MORNING, BUT AFTER DRIVEN 30 MILES OR SO, THEN THE PROBLEM MANIFESTS ITSELF. LET ME KNOW IF I CAN HELP IN YOUR ANALYSIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10524649

110,000 miles · Jul 12, 2013
Power Train

DELAYED SHIFTS. HARD SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 3RD GEARS. HARD DOWN SHIFTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10524624

110,000 miles · Jul 12, 2013
EnginePower Train

I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR AND THE TRANSMISSION. I SPENT $4,000 FOR REPAIRS. NISSAN IS APPEALING THE CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT. I AM UPSIDE DOWN ON THIS VEHICLE. I NEED TO GET RIDE OF IT, NOW THE MOTOR WHINES?? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10524554

62,588 miles · Jul 9, 2013
Power Train

MY CAR STARTED TO JERK AND HAD TROUBLE MOVING FROM ONE GEAR TO THE NEXT. AS I STARTED TO ACCELERATE, THE ENGINE WOULD REV FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN JERK, AND FINALLY SHIFT TO THE NEXT GEAR. WHEN PARALLEL PARKING, IT WOULD JERK UPON SHIFTING. I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT STALLING IN TRAFFIC AND POSSIBLY BEING HIT. ON 7/1/13 I BRO…

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MY CAR STARTED TO JERK AND HAD TROUBLE MOVING FROM ONE GEAR TO THE NEXT. AS I STARTED TO ACCELERATE, THE ENGINE WOULD REV FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN JERK, AND FINALLY SHIFT TO THE NEXT GEAR. WHEN PARALLEL PARKING, IT WOULD JERK UPON SHIFTING. I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT STALLING IN TRAFFIC AND POSSIBLY BEING HIT. ON 7/1/13 I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE NEXT DAY THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND VALVE BODY; ESTIMATED COST $6,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10523955

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.