The vehicle experienced a no‑start condition and was towed to a dealership. The dealership performed major engine and timing repairs without authorization and kept the vehicle for nearly four months. After the repairs, the vehicle still cranks but will not start, requires jump‑starts, and now has new electrical issues and a nonfunctional A/C system.The safety risk is that the vehicle can fail to start unexpectedly, stall, or lose electrical power, which could leave occupants stranded in unsafe conditions. The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealership, but they were unable to diagnose or repair it. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership and a warranty company.There were no warning lights before the failure. The symptoms began immediately before the vehicle was towed and have continued after the dealership’s repairs.
Nissan Maxima stalling problems
376 of the 6,504 owner complaints about the Nissan Maxima describe engine stalls while driving, most of them for the 2004 model year.
- owner complaints
- 376
- worst model year
- 2004
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,200
- typical mileage
- 86,000
By model year
Often reported together
Jerking 94Check engine light 58Slipping 34Transmission failure 31Hesitation 24Loss of power 23Harsh shifting 16Misfire 11
Trouble codes mentioned
P1320 3P0340 3P0345 2P3040 1P1778 1P1735 1P0024 1P0014 1P0011 1
What owners say
My 2019 Nissan Maxima (approximately 70,000 miles) displayed a hazard warning indicating a vehicle failure and began stalling without warning. The vehicle was brought to Mossy Nissan on May 28, 2025, where it has remained for over 11 days. The dealership has been unable to identify or repair the root cause of the electrical failure. The vehicle has been observed stalling while in the dealership's possession. This is a safety defect — a vehicle that stalls without warning poses a direct risk to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. I am formally requesting the federal safety agency investigate this issue as a potential safety defect in the 2019 Nissan Maxima.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The vehicle jerked before stalling in the middle of the road. No warning lights were illuminated. The Police were called to block traffic. The vehicle was towed. The tow truck driver had issues while attempting to tow the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the vehicle failed to start. The contact would turn on the engine, and several minutes later, the vehicle stalled. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. It was unknown if the contact's husband had replaced the battery. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was informed that the vehicle warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
Component Failure: CVT transmission completely failed, requires full replacement. Failed unit available for inspection. Consistent with known manufacturing defect affecting multiple Nissan models, evidenced by $400+ million in class action settlements in the USA alone. Safety Risks: Sudden acceleration loss while driving, unpredictable lurching/jerking, complete loss of forward propulsion, risk of rear-end collisions, inability to safely merge or maintain highway speeds. CVT failures occur suddenly without adequate warning. Dealer Confirmation: Younker Nissan in Renton, WA confirmed complete CVT failure requiring replacement, estimated cost $8800. Manufacturer Inspection: None. Nissan declined inspection citing mileage over 84,000-mile limit, despite known manufacturing defect and my vehicle falling within [XXX] v. Nissan settlement model years (2016-2018 Maxima). Warning Symptoms: Initial: Shuddering and jerking while on highway. Within 1 hour: Intermittent hesitation, jerking during acceleration, transmission shuddering, whining noises, slipping, intermittent check engine light Within 2 days: More of the same, but worse. Completely stopped driving it. These match documented CVT failure patterns in Nissan settlements: hesitating, stalling, jerking, lurching, shaking, juddering, premature failure. Context: This systematic manufacturing defect acknowledged through multiple Nissan settlements totaling $400+ million in trhe USA alone. Failure at 106k miles well within expected transmission lifespan for properly maintained flagship sedan. Arbitrary 84k-mile settlement limits exclude well-maintained vehicles experiencing same inherent defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
We started noticing the speed gauge losing speed while driving at around the first of May through June gradually getting worse. When in the last week in June, if you tried to go 70 MPH, on the highway, the vehicle would lose power, everything would shut down. Yes it could be harmful on the highway to the passengers and other cars passengers, if it just stalled in the middle of the highway. We have taken the car to a local transmission shop last week. It is at the transmission shop. It was determined that the CVT transmission would have to be replaced. The shop is repairing it now. I thought it was a wonderful car, that would last longer than 3 years. Therefore, I am extremely worried about the cost to fix it. I still owe around $7,200 on it.. I turned [XXX] this year and [XXX]. I would not have bought it if I knew this would happen. Nissan knew about the problem before I bought it. Then I read about them fixing the problem as of July 3. I did report this to Nissan about us having something going wrong with the car. I have not received any word back from Nissan. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Battery light keeps turning on and brake light. Replaced alternator and battery after my vehicle stalled on me on the road, but the issue and problem is still on going.
I can be going at a regular rate of speed and my car would stall completely the abs light comes on and it drains my battery causing my car to shut off.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart on the third attempt however the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine, the crankshaft, and the cylinder heads needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 7,500. The VIN was not available.
I recently purchased this vehicle from HHGreg in Tampa, Fl in May 2023. We found out it was associated with a recall regarding the brakes within 60days of having the vehicle, which Brandon Nissan took care of. My car only has 40,000 miles on it now. We bought it with only having 36,000 miles on it. Therefore, we've only driven it 4k miles. However, for the last 3 months, this car will literally shut off while driving, mainly when taking a turn. Which, as you can imagine is extremely unsafe, especially in the middle of a main intersection, which has now happened to me three times. We have had 3 mechanics look at the car, including someone from Brandon Nissan, and no one is able to figure out why the car keeps losing power. When you run a diagnostic on it, all the codes come back as passing. After sitting for a day or so, it will start back up, maybe run 24-72hrs, then it will completely power down again. The car has a brand new battery in it. The alternator is giving out the correct voltage. But something in the charging system and or electrical system is not working. There has to be a shortage or a defect in this models engine. A vehicle with this low of mileage is basically brand new and should NOT have these issues! I am paying for a car I can't even use or rely on. Very frustrated. This will be the last time I ever purchase a Nissan Vehicle.
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that when the vehicle was shifted into drive(D) and the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle stalled and was restarted. On another occasion, while driving at an unknown speed the vehicle unintendedly decelerated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor may have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
- Risk
- This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this new campaign. The replacement sensors used in that campaign are also affected. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261 or infiniti at 1‑800‑662‑6200.
Recall number 03V455000 · Recall details
Questions about the Nissan Maxima stalling
Which Nissan Maxima years have engine stalls while driving problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2004 (73 complaints), 2005 (57 complaints) and 2006 (41 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix engine stalls while driving on the Nissan Maxima?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,200 (median of 46 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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