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2004 Nissan Maxima transmission complaints

Page 5 of 32: complaints 101 to 130 of 934, newest first, as owners wrote them.

See the summary of 2004 Nissan Maxima transmission problems: which part fails, at what mileage and related recalls.

Filed Jun 25, 2013 · Transmission · 120,000 miles · NY

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH the vehicle began to shift into gear excessively and it also caused the vehicle to lunge forward with force. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unavailable. The failure and current mileage was 120,000.

Filed Jun 19, 2013 · Transmission · 115,577 miles · AL

Whenever I first crank my 2004 nissan maxima se up and shift the gearshift from park to reverse there would be a really hard kick and then when I shift it from reverse to drive it would kick really hard again. And then when I start moving forward it would be slow by picking up speed because it would be stuck in 5th gear instead of being in 1st gear like it suppose to be in. So other words it would take the maxima 45 seconds to a minute to get to 55 to 60 MPH. And I already have taken it to the nissan dealership where I brought it from a total of three times before they finally told me its the transmission and that could cost me anywhere from $3500 up to $4000 just to get it rebuild. And I definitely don't have that kind of money to be spending on getting the transmission rebuilt. I have had this maxima every since march 12, 2008 and its been good to me until this happen. So please could you help me? It would be much appreciated thanks.

Filed Jun 12, 2013 · Transmission · 66,000 miles · NJ

At 66,000 miles (approximately) the car would not shift into gear when warm,. (warm defined as driven in excess of 30-45 minutes). At that point the car would not shift into gear immediately. Then car would suddenly slam into gear, causing the car to lunge unexpectedly we took the car off the road and delivered to nissan dealer. At first the nissan dealer was unable to diagnose. Eventually, they diagnosed a bad transmission. To get a second opinion we brought the car to a transmission specialist who indicated the problem was the valve throttle (a part of the transmission). His experiences were that this was a fault he had seen on other nissan transmission sets (valve body) in that era cost of part with labor $1,895 - not covered by warranty nissan has no recall or technical service bulletin available on this issue aside from cost, car slamming into gear, lunging is not safe.

Filed Jun 10, 2013 · Transmission · 50,000 miles · CA

Delayed engagement between gears. The automatic transmission slips and the RPM's increase while vehicle is attempting to transition between 1-2, 2-3 & 3-4 gears. The vehicle will jerk and make a loud noise once engaged into a new gear.

Filed Jun 3, 2013 · Transmission · 72,000 miles · CT

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the transmission jerked into gear very abruptly. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the transmission valve body would need to replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileage was 72,000.

Filed May 30, 2013 · Engine, Transmission · 108,000 miles · CA

My 18 year old son could not get the vehicle to engage in reverse. In an effort to drive the vehicle to the mechanic the transmission failed while driving and luckily I was able to coast to the side of the road narrowly escaping a traffic accident. I had recently passed this vehicle down to my son and I shudder to think what would have happened to him if he had been behind the wheel considering he is a less experienced driver. I have been informed that there are numerous incidents involving nissan vehicle transmissions.

Filed May 14, 2013 · Transmission · 101,000 miles · CA

2004 maxima with a check engine light. Looks like it needs a transmission valve body replacement. The code is p0745. Looks like lot of customers are having the same issue. Is nissan going to recall this?

Filed May 10, 2013 · Transmission · 92,000 miles · NC

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while the vehicle turned at unknown speeds, the transmission slipped and made a noise. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who stated that the transmission failed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 92,000. The current mileage was 95,492.

Filed May 9, 2013 · Transmission · SC

Purchased the 04 maxima se used in 2010, after nearly one year, while driving down the interstate the car jerked severely and began to slow down. Got off the interstate and noticed a burning smell and the transmission locked in 5th gear, notified the dealer and they had the trans repaired. Beginning of this year (2013) same issues, starts revved high, jerks into gear, no power @ take off or no movement at all and a burning smell from under the hood. Still making payments so went back to the dealer and found out then the repair that was completed 2 years earlier was the second repair done to the transmission. The warranty that came with the repair had expired and now I am left with a vehicle I am still making payments on, can't drive and now have to come up with a way to pay $2500-$3000 for a new transmission. I love my car and would like to continue to enjoy it for at least a few more years but this is ridiculous to know there are this many complaints concerning one vehicle and the manufacturer not seem to care enough to correct the obvious issues.

Filed May 8, 2013 · Transmission · 67,000 miles · NY

Was heading off a ramp onto the expressway when I felt a slight jerk from the transmission, probably going at (40-45mph). Then 2 minutes after all power was lost in the transmission, had to pull aside with the engine still idling. Tried various times to get it to move and it couldn't. Went to the dealer the next day and replacement had be to issued for transmission, small bits of metal were found in the fluid which had not been burned out or low by the way. This was the second time the transmission had to be changed in under 70000 miles, thankfully I had an extended warranty on the car. It was previously changed by nissan approx 18months prior.

Filed Apr 23, 2013 · Engine, Transmission · 75,000 miles · NJ

While I was driving onto a highway off of a ramp I went to accelerate to merge into traffic while doing so my car did not move and the engine rpms redlined after about 3 seconds my car jerked into gear and felt as if someone had rear-ended me however I noticed it was my car not being able to get into gear. Once it got into gear the car peeled out uncontrollably and I almost ran my car off the road. The vehicle is a very well maintained vehicle and only has 75,000 miles on it.

Filed Apr 23, 2013 · Transmission · 100,000 miles · LA

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle began to shake abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection and they advised that the transmission and motor mounts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 100,000 the VIN was unavailable.

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.

Filed Apr 12, 2013 · Transmission · 112,485 miles · CA

The transmission shifts hard from 2nd to 3rd after driving about 20 minutes. Then it shifts hard up and down. When going from park or reverse into drive it will not engage gear and then slams into gear. While driving at freeway speeds it will slip gears. It also slips gears after pulling out at a stop sign. A diagnostic check revealed that it has a pressure control solenoid c stuck on .I have found many many online posts on forums about the same exact problem at about the same mileage on many 2004 maximas. I am concerned that I can not drive it safely and nissan knows about this failure in the car and choose to do nothing.

Filed Apr 4, 2013 · Transmission · 87,000 miles · NJ

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle jerked between first and second gear. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the transmission was flushed. The failure recurred. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileage was 87,000.

Filed Mar 29, 2013 · Engine, Transmission · 200,000 miles · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving 51 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to be restarted after several minutes and proceeded to function normally. The contact stated that four years prior to the recent failure, the same symptoms lead to the contact having to replace the engine and the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 200,000.

Filed Mar 28, 2013 · Transmission · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 to 25 MPH the contact experienced extreme jerking when going into second gear. Immediately after, the service engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. After diagnosis, they advised him that the 5 speed automatic transmission needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown. The current mileage was approximately 114,587. The VIN was unavailable.

Filed Mar 25, 2013 · Engine, Suspension · 98,104 miles · FL

Transmission slips and hesitates as you place in gear. Once you place it in gear from drive to park to reverse it jerks very hard which places pressure on the motor mounts causing them to have problems. All of the nissan maxima's have a serious manufactured flaw with there transmission. This is a serious flaw and should have been recalled by nissan, all of the complaints made are all stating the same thing. This is clearly a manufacture defect. This defect occurs even if you are sitting still with your feet on the brakes and attempt to shift from park to drive to reverse the vehicle jerks so hard it moves the vehicle even though your feet is on the brakes. This is a serious issue. Once the engine warms up the transmission begins to slip even as the vehicle approach a stop light or stop sign the car down shifts itself and jerk as it shifts.

Filed Mar 20, 2013 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · 60,000 miles · CA

Unsafe start. Engine will hesitate before going into gear at the same time will initiate high RPM's on it's own causing a unsafe start in crosswalks, driveways and public streets. The engine/transmission will engage in high RPM's on its in multiple gears before moving forward causing sudden jerks and fast starts. Transmission has a hard transition from gears causing a vibration throughout the car when changing gears. The nissan north america corporation was notified in writing of this problem in 2012.

Filed Mar 18, 2013 · Transmission · 100,000 miles · PA

Automatic transmission has very hard shifts and delays in shifting between gears occurs more often after warming up.

Filed Mar 17, 2013 · Transmission · 132,000 miles · GA

While driving at a low rate of speed between 10-30mph the car RPM will shift up to 4-5 while still stuck in first gear then it will give a very hard jerk forward!!!! That's not safe.

Filed Mar 15, 2013 · Acceleration, Engine · 145,000 miles · TN

The transmission slips frequently, often hesitation when switching from park/reverse/drive and when switching from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd. The slip often results in lack of power to the wheels and then a sudden jerk when it does finally kick in. It can be very dangerous when you pull into traffic and expect the vehicle to accelerate normally and instead get stuck between gears. Should be a recall on this transmission since it is apparent from online research that this is a very common occurrence.

Filed Mar 15, 2013 · Transmission · 105,000 miles · GA

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 to 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. After restarting the vehicle, the contact was unable to shift to any gears. The vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic. After diagnosis, they advised him that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced or rebuilt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000. The current was approximately 130,000.

Filed Mar 14, 2013 · Transmission · 174,200 miles · AL

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while accelerating to 20 MPH, the vehicle jerked harshly. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileages was approximately 174,200.

Filed Mar 11, 2013 · Transmission · 115,000 miles · SC

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving various speeds, the vehicle jerked while shifting from first to second gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the body valve had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 115,000.

Filed Mar 9, 2013 · Transmission · 101,200 miles · GA

Original owner 2004 maxima se 3.5 transmission shifts in jerking motion problem affecting 3rd gear. Hard jerks as trans.downshifts engine revs-up while trying to upshift out of 2nd gear.

Filed Mar 7, 2013 · Transmission · 100,126 miles · CA

In heavy traffic, the 2004 nissan maxima transmission was knocking and slipping, had excessive high RPM's causing the car to "burn rubber", and jerked heavily when shifting. A rating severity of 10 is given due to having had 4 near miss (possible) accidents in a period of 20 minutes. The car was sent to the repair shop and items were replaced that the mechanic said would fix the problem (engine mounts). The car was driven again and displayed the same defects. The car manufacture was notified of these defects on 3/7/2013. These conditions pose a safety hazard not only to myself but also to my passengers (which are family and friends), other drivers on the road as well as innocent pedestrians that may come in contact with my car when I finally do have that serious life threatening accident due to my transmission defect.

Filed Mar 6, 2013 · Transmission · 110,000 miles · LA

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle jerked forward when switching gears. Additionally, the vehicle stalled intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. The mechanic stated that the transmission would have to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

Filed Feb 25, 2013 · Transmission · 93,000 miles · PA

Car starting shifting extremely hard when changing from 1st to 2nd gear thought I was rear ended. Proceeded to research and came across many owners of this make model and year having the same issue and now as I change gears to park it idles for a few seconds then changes extremely loud and make a banging noise. I'm extremely worried for my safety due to the fact I commute back and fourth to work far distances and I bought this car at the nissan dealership with confidence my car only has 101,000 miles and its a 2004 so it hasn't been abused.

Filed Feb 25, 2013 · Transmission · 89,000 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan maxima. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the vehicle changed gears and jerked very hard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection and they stated the transmission needed to be flushed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 89,000.

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