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2004 Nissan Maxima engine problems

121 complaints (8% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 84,000. 2 crashes reported.

owner complaints
121
of this car's complaints
8%
typical mileage
84,000
crashes
2
recalls
0

Which part fails

  • Engine
    16
  • Exhaust system: emission control: catalytic convertor
    2
  • Exhaust system: emission control
    2
  • Exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
    1
  • Exhaust system
    1
  • Engine: gasoline
    1
  • Cooling system: radiator assembly
    1
  • Cooling system
    1

At what mileage

Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.

0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+

Nissan Maxima engine problems in other years

199019952000200520102022

Specific symptoms reported on the 2004 Nissan Maxima engine

Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.

Stalling 73Check engine light 50Knocking 27Loss of power 14Won't start 10Engine failure 7

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

What 2004 Nissan Maxima owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Mar 21, 2021 · Electrical, Engine · FL

04v326000 one of the recall number the other is 05v512000 not sure what to do at this point I've changed my timing chain also already I also received a letter stating if I had to replace it to contact nissan I believe I'm just getting the run around

Filed Mar 15, 2021 · Engine · 80,000 miles · NY

Timing chain failure. Timing chain was bad from day one. Spent nearly 4000 dollars for repair. Then to look up online and find out many other people had problem. Now a few years later. Same problem

Filed Jul 20, 2020 · Acceleration, Engine · 10 miles · PA · crash

Me and my boyfriend were sold this car for 2500 and the car needed a new battery, a new converter . Once I brought those items and put them in the car started having compression problems to the point it has a slow take off , cannot go up hills , and we have to shift gears just for it to move .. This car was sold to us like this and we almost fell off a cliff because of the compression problem and not being able to go up any hills .. The people who sold us the car said they will not fix the problem or refund our money .

Filed May 16, 2018 · Brakes, Engine · 96,149 miles · SC · fire

Tl* the contact owned a 2004 nissan maxima. While the vehicle was parked in the garage at the contact's home, the hood blew up and the front end burst into flames. The contact opened the garage door and extinguished the fire. There were no injuries or property damage. The maintenance indicator illuminated. The vehicle was driven to five star nissan of florence (311 n cashua dr, florence, sc 29501, 843‑628‑0032) where it was diagnosed that the speed sensor failed. The contact stated that the insurance company totaled the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,149.

Filed Mar 17, 2018 · Engine · CT

On sunday, march 4, 2018, in the morning around a 11 am, I was driving my 2004 maxima and it started to loose power and turned off. I tried several times to start it, but it wouldn't hold the idle and turned off again. No nissan dealership or repair shop was open so I called the nearest pep boys shop to my home and they towed my car to their repair shop. They said my car was totally dead and needed a new battery even though my battery wasn't that old. I purchased a battery, still wouldn't start. Pep boys then said I needed a new alternator, so that was installed, still wouldn't start. They then said it must be the engine, so the next day, monday, march 4, 2018, it was towed to the fairfield, ct nissan dealership where it is currently until I can figure out what to do. After 3 days, of calling the nissan dealership to find out what was wrong with my car, bet, in the nissan service department told me that they had taken off the side of my engine and tried to manually turn the drive shaft, but it wouldn't turn and that it was the timing chain and that it would cost anywhere from $2,600.00 to $3,600.00 to repair my car. Please help with start a case, I can't afford this. I'm in school for paralegal studies and a ct licensed tax preparer

Filed Nov 16, 2017 · Engine · AR · fire

Tl* the contact owned a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated while the vehicle was unoccupied and it caught fire from the engine compartment. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was not filed. A local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

Filed Oct 28, 2017 · Electrical, Engine · 55 miles · MN · fire

Engine recall I was driving my car and while I was driving the car caught on fire. I was on highway 62 east in minneapolis mn going the speed limit 60 miles and I look and seen smoke coming from hood and the back of my car from the tail pipes.

Filed Jun 2, 2017 · Engine · 140,383 miles · DE

My 2004 nissan maxima shuts down while running, causing the transmission to default into 5th gear, (2-4 gears effectively disappear) and the all electricity , radio, A/C, and power steering to shut down. On straight highways one can keep driving by shifting into neutral immediately, and trying to restart the engine with the key. Usually it restarts and runs but in a deficient power mode. The vdc light appears, letting you know that the transmission will be stuck in 5th gear, with the option of manually starting in 1st gear. Either shifting from 1st to automatic or manually to another gear, defaults the car into gear 5. The car is drive-able in this condition, but one has at stoplights, to immediately shift into neutral, and manually with foot pedal, keep the rpms above 1100. Fortunately I was driving straight. If turning a corner, and not very strong, I'd have no control over my car. Without power steering working the wheel is very hard to turn. Finally one day, the car would not start on cold start. It would occasionally almost fire, make some revolutions,but then would only turn on power of the starter. The first mechanic gave an estimate of $3600 to replace the timing chain the problem originally did not exist when engine was cold, but after engine warms up, at the first time the RPM's fall below 1000, the engine shuts off... Usually waiting for a cold engine again, causes the car to start up in original form.

Filed Mar 21, 2017 · Engine · KS

My car is jerking and bucking really badly while into gear also while coming to stops and driving along. The take off is slow and hesitant and it loses power at times while driving. While putting it in gear it jerks really hard as well. Please help! I can not afford to fix this problem and I need my transportation for work

Filed Mar 1, 2017 · Engine, Fuel system · 100,300 miles · NJ

After 100,000 miles transmission started shoes of failure. Shifting past second grar would cause the car to stalll, then buck. Car would also buck when accelerating at high speeds. Also the car would stall and the accelerator would become unresponsive when shifting at high speeds. Forced to release the acceloratot and the press it again, until the transmission would shift correctly and "catch" the gear. Massive gas consumption caused by faulty transmission. Most errors caused when shifting in high speed or uphill. Specifically when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. Car would slow down and work harder to accelerate after driving at high speeds for any period of time. Transmission shifts would cause bucking and the body of the car to jerk and shake.

Questions about the 2004 Nissan Maxima engine

Does the 2004 Nissan Maxima have engine problems?

Owners have filed 121 complaints about the engine of the 2004 Nissan Maxima, 8% of all its complaints.

At what mileage do 2004 Nissan Maxima engine problems start?

The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 84,000 miles.

Is there a recall for the 2004 Nissan Maxima engine?

There is no recall for this problem on this model year.

Other 2004 Nissan Maxima problems

Transmission 934Tires 141Suspension 102Brakes 72Body 56Electrical 56Acceleration 38Steering 37Visibility 30Seats 15Airbags 13Lights 9Driver assistance 8Fuel system 8Locks 7Wheels 7Seat belts 3

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