2004 Nissan Maxima: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Oct 26, 2017 · Transmission · 85,000 miles · NY

The transmission is having issues when changing gears. It starting to hesitate between first gear and second and second to third. My vehicle has only 85,000 miles.

Filed Dec 28, 2015 · Body, Engine · FL

I took my car in for an inspection, found out that the floor on the passenger side had rusted from the inside out and there was a good size hole. It cost me a couple hundred to fix because it wouldn't pass the inspection. The next thing was the slack timing chain, the car sounds like a truck. I've been told it would cost up to $3000 to fix. Then the biggest safety issue is the transmission, this one is really concerning. The jerking, bucking, kicking, clanging, the seconds of hesitation between drive and reverse and then suddenly it engages and the kick could give you whiplash. Sometimes I feel like I'm in a rodeo. When the car sits for awhile (overnight) there is no issue with the initial start but once it warms up that's it. You can't accelerate properly once the car slows down, or is making a turn, going around a bend or comes to a stop because it drops out of gear, then there is the hesitation and at that point it just revs, this happens 2 or 3 times before it engages again then there is a massive bang and the car lunges forward, by then the traffic is right under your rear bumper. After this happens a few times there is no more acceleration, the pedal has to be pushed to the floor for the car to move. The engine light came on a month or two ago and hasn't gone off. This is a real dangerous, safety issue. A few days ago another issue appeared, I cannot open the driver side door with the remote door opener or the electronic door opener on the inside of the door. At this point I've read many complaints about these issues, they are all manufacture problems but the timing chain and transmission is the biggest when it comes to safety because you do not know when the car will stop. Why hasn't nissan done a recall????? There are enough complaints.

Filed Dec 3, 2015 · Transmission · 112,000 miles · NE

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. While reversing the vehicle, the gear jerked, vibrated, and hesitated to shift into drive. The failure occurred on numerous occasions prior to receiving a manufacturer's recall related to the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who indicated that the transmission fluid needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the transmission fluid and serviced the transmission. The contact stated that the dealer's remedy did not prevent the failure. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was to be diagnosed and repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.

Filed Dec 7, 2014 · Engine, Transmission · 109,567 miles · CA

When driving the car, it slams into 2nd gear and/or hesitates shifting into it. When idle and shifting from reverse to drive or from drive to reverse, there is a 2-3 delay and the car jerks and slams into that gear. The jerk is aggressive and can cause in injury. The car does not shift smoothly and constantly jerks and slams into gear. After having the vehicle diagnosed, they mechanics say it will either need a new valve body or new transmission on a car with 112k miles on it. This is a common issue for 2004-2006 nissan maxima owners and is very dangerous and expensive.

Filed Oct 22, 2014 · Engine, Transmission · 88,000 miles · MD

Whenever I shift to reverse the car pauses and then jerks, same jerk behavior happens whenever I shift from reverse to drive. Sometimes when I am driving I can feel the car hesitating when switching gears. I have been told the transmission is going bad.

Filed Oct 17, 2014 · Transmission · GA

My 2004 maxima is hesitating to shift an im disable living on 700 dollars a month. My daughter is in college driving this car in traffic an im afraid she is going to get hurt making left turns in this car. There have been close calls with me driving it,but I live in south ga. Where people are more sensible toward others. This is a serious problem an someone is going to get killed from these faulty transmission. I have to get a used transmission under 1500 dollars that I had to borrow to keep my child safe. Nissan should be held countable for this. I paid 19000 dollars for this car and your screw up is costing me to put a 2002-2003 transmission in my car. The transmission shops in albany ga. Are thanking nissan for their 2500-3000 contributions that the 2004-2005 maxima owners are spending with them and my transmission owner made this statement to me. Aatco transmission of albany who states he has redone so many valve bodies on these cars. I guess some actions will be taken when people that does not has the fundings to fix this problem themselves. I had to drive my car like this until I found the money an it broke all my motor mounts from the jerking and hard shifting.

Filed Sep 28, 2014 · Electrical, Engine · 100,030 miles · MA

I bought used 2004 nissan maxima car at north shore auto mall on 9/18/14,the service tech. Drove car up to front of dealership w/car still running he test drove car w/me( didn't think anything about it at the time) I got in and we went for a test drive, car was great. Got back to dealer, gave the balance. Once I left dealer, while driving on highway the car started to skip & felt like it was going to stall, I pulled over to right lane, put hazards on w/traffic behind me, the car stalled, I almost caused a collision, cars were beeping, swerving out of the way, I couldn't get any acceleration with it in drive, so I put it in neutral & after 3 tries it started up w/much hesitation. I was scared for my life & others on the road, I took side streets to make it home & when I stopped at stop sign it stalled again, I repeated the same steps as above w/hazards on the whole ride home.now I know why the service tech. Took test ride w/me. I had a friend with me as my witness.this car wont pass inspection , the check engine light will not turn off, I called dealer he said make an appt, I said I only have 7 days for inspection sticker, he said, he has nothing to do with service and to call them. I called on monday the 22nd &1st,available appt.wasn't til 9/25/14, my 7 days were up on that thursday. He said he'll call me around noon, I waited til friday 5pm, he nor anyone in serv. Called to update me & let me know car will be there over the weekend. What do I do & what's the time limit on fixing my car w/o any communication to me. Im sooooo upset at the lack of professionalism and ethics, im afraid if I say something derogatory, they will sabotage my car. Please help me..!!!!

Filed Sep 26, 2014 · Acceleration · 100,000 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that the vehicle unintended accelerated while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle would hesitate to respond before suddenly surging forward at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

Filed Sep 20, 2014 · Engine, Suspension · 100,038 miles · MA

[xxx] starting it up takes 2-3x with putting the gas pedal all the way to the floor, then it jerks into gear. While driving it just stalls out which is very scary & dangerous and it goes from drive to 5th gear no 1-4, and it hesitates & when driving up to a red light for example, then it starts to conk out. Also no pick up from an idle position, I just bought it 9/17/14 and called dealer and he told him it wont pass inspection "check engine light on" constant. It feels like transmission isn't in proper gear (5th) just stalls while driving. Everyone behind me leans on the horn and yells at me when it stalls out in drive. Im afraid to drive it. The dealer (north shore auto mall, lynn ma 01905, mgr name [xxx], real jerk !!) said they did a 21 point inspection, but that's bs, they would have caught that seeing that they are in the business and knew they sold me a car w/bad transmission/alternator. Now they don't want to know me. Please give me some resources that you know of to remedy the problem. I could go on & on about the treatment I had to endure but that wont help hopefully you can regards [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Sep 18, 2014 · Transmission · 100,702 miles · MD

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated intermittently when the gears were changed. The vehicle also jerked violently while downshifting. The dealer replaced the transmission. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,702.

Filed Sep 7, 2014 · 150,000 miles · CA

I am the first and only owner of this car. There were no accidents or physical damage to my vehicle. Whenever I shift to reverse the car pauses and then jerks. Same jerk behavior happens whenever I shift from reverse to drive. *tr I took it to the shop and had new motor mounts put in to solve the problem. For a few days you could barely feel the jerking when switching to reverse. Literally by the next week it was bad all over again and the jerking returned. Also, sometimes when I am driving I can feel the car "hesitating" when switching gears. For example, this morning I was driving to work and going only around 25mph and as I started to accelerate the car jerked and slowed down for about 5 seconds before it returned to my normal speed. This can be very frustrating and scary. All regular scheduled services (including oil and fluid changes) were performed by local professional shops. I would like to get my transmission replaced by nissan at their expense.

Filed Apr 20, 2013 · Transmission · 84,250 miles · CA

Transmission experiences extremely harsh shifting between 1st and 2nd gear.seems to be worse when vehicle is warmed up. Occurrence is intermittent. Vehicle will slip completely out of gear when turning a corner under braking, then slam back into gear as gas is applied exiting the turn. Vehicle also will hesitate when shifting from reverse to drive for 10 seconds, then slam into drive. Vehicle slipping out of gear and then slamming into gear could lead to possible rear collision. Also feels like it could not go back into gear when driving on a hill. With the number of blog posts regarding this issue it is obviously not isolated. I have been informed that the only 'fix' is to replace the transmission at my expense to the tune of $3000-$4000. Neighbor traded in her .05 maxima for a toyota because dealer told her she had to pay $4000 for a new tranny for the maximum. As it is apparent that nissan will not voluntarily own up to what it obviously a manufacturing or design defect, I hope they will soon be forced into issuing a recall and fixing this issue.